New nuclear medical research facility opens its doors
The Department of Science and Innovation invested R85-million towards the establishment of the facility.
The new Steve Biko Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRi) research facility has finally been completed after two years.
The facility is a world-first for cancer and TB drug development and clinical research in the country.
Situated next to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, NuMeRI is set to advance drug development and clinical research to treat diseases such as cancer, TB and others.
The University of Pretoria (UP), as well as iThemba LABS and the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa), were the major partners involved in the launching of the facility.
It forms part of the Department of Science and Technology’s South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap (SARIR).
It is one of the 13 research infrastructure facilities established by SARIR.
The department invested R85-million towards the establishment of NuMeRi.
Higher Education Minister, Dr Blade Ndzimande and Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, recently paid a visit to the research facility.
“NuMeRI’s capabilities will contribute to the precision medicine approach and targeted personalised therapies being developed in South Africa,” Nzimande said.
“The facility is another key milestone in advancing South Africa’s Bio-economy Strategy and will assist in taking bio-innovations further down the value chain, from radiolabelling to preclinical testing. It will also contribute to good manufacturing practices and clinical trials,” said Nzimande.
Nzimande described the facility as a one-stop shop in disease research that will push South African medical research forward on a global scale.
“This will enable new pharmaceuticals to reach the market sooner and give South African pharmaceutical development a competitive edge with global equivalents.”
According to him, NuMeRi is expected to triple the current number of clinical PhD degrees and increase basic science PhD degrees in South Africa.
To date, 20 Master’s and 15 PhD students have completed their studies in these fields with a further 17 Master’s and 22 PhD students currently completing their studies.
Interim Vice-Chancellor and principal, Prof Themba Mosia said, “At the University of Pretoria we pride ourselves on being future-focused, making sure the programmes we offer equip our students for the workplace, needs and environments of the future. And that our society and communities in South Africa, Africa and internationally benefit from our research, development and innovation.
“This is precisely what the magnificent NuMeRI facility represents. It is the first of its kind on the continent and a flagship of the use of nuclear for good.”
Mosia also commended Prof Mike Sathekge, CEO and President of NuMeRI, and his team on acquiring the most advanced medical imaging equipment available to complete the endeavour.
“Sathekge’s nuclear medicine team is dedicated to novel drug development and clinical research and leads in cancer diagnostics and treatment, as well as in TB,” he said.
Nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive material combined with a carrier molecule in the body to see how organs or tissues are functioning to diagnose diseases more easily.
It then selectively targets and treats the diseased area in the body with molecular precision, sparing healthy adjacent cells.
Sathekge emphasised the importance of accurate imaging and assessment in curbing cases of misdiagnoses and cancer-related fatalities. He called the lack of access to these facilities in low-income countries “scandalous”.
“That is what NuMeRi wants to change. If you have such wide disparities and high numbers of people in low-income countries who can’t access this technology, you’ll forever misdiagnose patients and you won’t be able to potentially save millions of lives,” he said.
Dr Lehlohonolo Majake, CEO of the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, reiterated the importance of early detection when it comes to cancer treatment.
“By finding diseases early we can intervene in the early stages and significantly improve treatment outcomes and save lives,” Majake said.
“The possibilities that NuMeRi presents are endless, offering hope to patients and medical professionals alike. The Steve Biko Academic Hospital leadership is honoured and proud to have provided the site for NuMeRi, not only for our patients but for the community at large.”
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