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'The Covid-19 pandemic taught us that we needed to do more to build skills to improve the resilience of our health system'.
The official opening of The Centre for Advanced Training and Innovative Research in Pretoria. Picture: supplied
South Africa has bolstered its fight against future pandemics and disease with the launch of a new training facility for the next generation of scientists.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, the South African Medical Research Council and the Department of Science Innovation and Technology recently collaborated on the Centre for Advanced Training and Innovative Research (CATIR) in Pretoria.
The centre will offer training in advanced molecular science and laboratory management. This move will enhance essential scientific skill in South Africa.
The official opening of this training facility took place this week and will support future pandemic preparedness and local health system resilience.
It will bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application, equipping future scientists with the skills to lead research and healthcare advancements relevant to local needs.
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Advancement of students
President and CEO of SAMRC Professor Ntobeko Ntusi said the centre “reflects the SAMRC’s belief in the value of investing in the infrastructure and expertise that will help our country address local gaps in critical areas of science”.
The first cohort of 20 CATIR students is scheduled to be trained by the end of 2025. Once fully operational, the centre will have the capacity to train up to 160 students annually, with courses lasting five weeks.
“The Covid-19 pandemic taught us that we needed to do more to build skills in clinical and molecular testing to improve the resilience of our health system against the diseases of today and tomorrow.
“The opening of this important new educational facility is a landmark moment in our journey to achieving this important goal,” said Ntusi.
