Page 33 - DUT Excellence

DUT RECEIVES OVER A MILLION RAND FUNDING FOR
MAGUBANE’S BOOK EXPLORES LOVEIN THE ERA OF COVID-19 RESEARCH
DUT has received funding of R1 012 She further explained that the funding is going
500 to conduct research on SARS-
CoV-2 (a virus that causes COVID-19) infection in HIV-positive patients with or without antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the sub-Saharan Africa.
This is a great achievement for DUT as it is the rst university of technology (UoT) to receive a European Developing Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP) grant. DUT has collaborated with local and global universities in this project, namely: Walter Sisulu University in South Africa, Medical University of Graz in Austria, University of Oslo in Norway and the Lagos State University College of
According to Professor Keolebogile Motaung, Director of Technology,Transfer and Innovation at DUT, the University has been given an opportunity to study HIV-infected patients with or without ART and HIV-negative controls co-infected with SARS-CoV-2.
“This study aims at assessing the severity of SARSCoV-2 infection and the effects of comorbidities as well as to establish networks for African clinicians and researchers supporting capacity building (North-South and South-South networking), while incorporating gender and cultural dimensions. Key impacts include empowerment of emerging or established African scientists and clinicians operating in resource-scarce environments, facilitating access to research, opportunities and early prediction of morbidities in the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Prof Motaung.
Speaking about how this study will bene t DUT, Prof Motaung said that it will provide empowerment of knowledge for African scientists, aiding them to diagnose and treat morbidities early, which accompany poverty-related diseases (PRDs).
Other bene ts include:
• Increased visibility of African research via publications and
giving talks at international conferences
• Ensuring that females are equally represented in training and
healthcare delivery
• Raising the level of healthcare delivery in areas where PRDs
are common
• Cost-effective transmission of information related to COVID-19
to scientists, families and relatives for health promotion and reduction of the disease burden
Pictured: Prof Keolebogile Motaung
to be used for research purposes, where she will explore the native ora of South Africa as a source of novel biomarkers for treating COVID-19 and to evaluate puri ed natural products from these plant species for the treatment of COVID-19 and other related conditions.
“While the short-term motivation of most current studies is to respond to the urgent need for a solution for COVID-19, the long-term goal is to develop vaccines, supplements and drugs from plant crude extracts that will treat COVID-19,” said Prof Motaung.
Medicine in Nigeria.
31 DUT EXCELLENCE 2021 // SEMESTER 1