The University of Natal in Durban on Friday received a R110-million research grant for Aids from two United States organisations, the institution said in a statement.
The five-year grant was donated by the US National Institute of Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
A team of scientists from the universities of Natal, Cape Town, Western Cape and Colombia in New York, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, and AngloGold’s health research unit will be involved in the research programme.
The project will be known as Caprisa — Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa.
Caprisa aims to study HIV pathogenesis (the manner of development of a disease), cheap care provision strategies and will build local research infrastructure on virology, immunology and clinical infectious diseases.
It will also enhance the number of skilled researchers in South Africa with emphasis on young scientists from historically disadvantaged communities.
”The study will investigate the very early events in HIV infection to identify the factors responsible for the initial control of virus replication,” project leader Professor Carolyn Williamson of the University of Cape Town said.
”This knowledge will provide a critical window into our understanding of the biology and pathogenesis of HIV.” – Sapa