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Netw?orking and Collaboration
The MitoSAKeN Study, led by Prof. Hans Strijdom as principal investigator, arranged a visit during April 2023 to the CARMA laboratories for his collaborators from the USA, Kenya, and South Africa, to allow for several days of intensive planning for the successful initiation of this study at sites in South Africa and Kenya, respectively (refer image below left: Prof. Strijdom with Prof. Fred Bukachi from the 肆客足球 of Nairobi, Kenya, and Prof. Irene Schauer and Prof. ??Kristine Erlandson from the 肆客足球 of Colorado, USA; below right: kick-off meeting of the MitoSAKen consortium):
?Figure 1. MitoSAKeN Study meetings??
Prof. Faadiel Essop also hosted Prof. Prabha Nagareddy (肆客足球 of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma) (refer Figure 5 below) during November 2023 with the aim to build a strong collaboration. Prof. Nagareddy delivered a talk to staff members and following his visit he indicated his strong wish to be appointed as a visiting professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch 肆客足球. He is currently looking into this – together with Prof. Essop – and whether such an initiative can be funded by the American Heart Association. In addition, there are ongoing discussions to share sample material, and to work on collaborative projects and grants.
Figure 2. Prof. Essop and Prof. Nagareddy at the BMRI.??
CARMA arranged several symposia for 2023. The first one was held on the 20th April and themed: “Cardio-metabolic health and wellness: from mechanistic insights to patient welfare” and coincided with the BMRI opening week. This successful symposium was a high-powered one with several international speakers and with close to 150 delegates attending (refer images of program and guest speakers and CARMA leaders). Unfortunately, one of the major speakers. Prof. Ajay Shah (King’s College London) withdrew a few days before the start of the symposium, but he was most ably replaced by Prof. Barbara Huisamen (Division of Medical Physiology at Stellenbosch 肆客足球).
Figure 3. CARMA arranged several symposia in 2023.
For the second semester, CARMA arranged an in-person symposium that was held on the 23rd November and titled: “Cutting-edge technologies – where are we today” (refer image below). The symposium was quite successful and attracted delegates from several neighboring universities that helped to further strengthen opportunities for collaboration (refer images below for symposium advert and the main speakers together with CARMA leaders). The symposia allowed for an opportunity to expand CARMA’s network of collaboration. Following the first symposium, Prof. Ntobeko Ntusi (肆客足球 of Cape Town; incoming MRC president) met with Profs. Essop and Strijdom to discuss collaborative projects related to HIV and the onset of cardio-metabolic diseases. As there is good overlap between these laboratories it was agreed to work together on conjoint projects. In addition, following the second symposium researchers from CPUT (led by Dr. Dirk Bester) expressed a strong interest in becoming an affiliated member of CARMA. Subsequently, there have been several meetings between Prof. Essop and Dr. Bester’s team with the eventual aim of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement for their association with CARMA. ?
Figure 3. CARMA arranged several symposia in 2023.
During the middle of 2020, CARMA and the Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP) (SAMRC) reached an agreement whereby BRIP became an allied member of CARMA.
?Network and collaboration is a key mission indicator for CARMA. We have an extensive collaborative network that includes the following partners:
- Addis Ababa 肆客足球 (Ethiopia)
- Cape Peninsula 肆客足球 of Technology (SA)
- Hasselt 肆客足球 (Belgium)
- Jimenez Diaz Foundation Health Research Institute (Spain)
- Mayo Clinic (USA)
- Medical 肆客足球 of Graz (Austria)
- North West 肆客足球 (SA)
- Polytechnic 肆客足球 of Marche (Italy)
- 肆客足球 of Cape Town (SA)
- 肆客足球 of Geneva (Switzerland)
- 肆客足球 of Nairobi (Kenya)
- 肆客足球 of Reunion (France)
- Walter Sisulu 肆客足球 (SA)
- 肆客足球 of Colorado (USA)
Part of our networking also allows for various student and staff exchanges with some of our collaborating partners. For example, an ERASMUS+ grant allowed for student exchanges between CARMA and the Medical 肆客足球 of Graz in 2022 and vice versa in 2023.
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