UCT MedTech

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 / 𝐍𝐑𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐡𝐈 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫! We are excited to release the 2025 UCT MedTech NRF SARChI Biomedical Engineering & Innovation (BMEI) Summer Newsletter. This edition celebrates a full year of progress, breakthroughs, and collective effort across research, training, and MedTech innovation. Our community continues to advance biomedical engineering and innovation through pioneering research, impactful technologies, strong clinical partnerships, and a commitment to developing talent for Africa’s health technology ecosystem. Inside the newsletter, you will find: • Awards and graduations showcasing excellence across our staff and students • New postdoctoral fellows and interns expanding our innovation capacity • Milestones in medical device design, digital health, and translational research • Progress across major programmes driven by the NRF SARChI BMEI Chair • Future directions shaping our work for 2026 and beyond This newsletter is a celebration of the shared commitment that drives UCT MedTech and the SARChI BMEI Chair. Thank you to everyone who contributed to an outstanding 2025. Your dedication strengthens the role of biomedical engineering and innovation in transforming healthcare. Read the full newsletter: drive.google.com/file/d/1J918Z3… #UCTMedTech #Newsletter #YearInReview #BMERC #BiomedicalEngineering #Innovation #SARChI @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐮: 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐦? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, Head of the Division of Biomedical Engineering and Director of UCT MedTech at the University of Cape Town, will be speaking at the Stellenbosch University Disability Theory Colloquium next week. His talk, titled 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗺? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 takes a critical look at the structural, financial, and design barriers that shape who assistive technology is built for and who it fails to reach. From funding models to regulatory frameworks to the exclusion of disabled users from co-design, he will be examining what it actually takes to reorient innovation towards the people who need it most. 📅 Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 🕞 Time: 15:30 to 17:00 💻 Online: MS Teams @a6fa3b03-0a3c-4258-8433-a120dffcd348" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">events.teams.microsoft.com/event/40f046f3… The colloquium is hosted by the Division for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies at Stellenbosch University, in partnership with the Stellenbosch Disability Research Hub. Everyone is welcome. Registration link in the details. #AssistiveTechnology #BiomedicalEngineering #DisabilityResearch #FrugalBiodesign #UCTMedTech #MedTech #HealthInnovation #InclusiveDesign @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏: 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 Today, we welcomed Prof. Leandro Pecchia and IHT Team to BMERC/UCT MedTech ahead of the first session of the 𝗨𝗖𝗕𝗠 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆 𝘅 𝗨𝗖𝗧 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀. The session opened by exploring how scientific writing serves both as a personal discipline, forcing researchers to make their assumptions explicit and test their causal reasoning, and as a communication tool for translating research to peers, funders, and implementers. It then examined the cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias, outcome bias, and the narrative fallacy, that can distort scientific judgement, along with the methods researchers use to counter them, including the pyramid of evidence and blind RCTs. We are continuing this afternoon with 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗪𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀: 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 from 13:00 to 16:30 at UCT Medical Campus, Kurusenhare Teaching Lab, Anatomy Building, Level 2. The focus is on an interactive board game exploring the medical device lifecycle. • 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲: lnkd.in/g7zprQMi 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗠𝗲𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 will be continuing on Monday, 18 May, from 08:30 to 13:00 at UCT Medical Campus, Kurusenhare Teaching Lab, Anatomy Building, Level 2. The focus will be on direct engagement with the WHO MeDevIS global database. • 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲: lnkd.in/gsNNSg6v For more information, check the flyers! #MedTech #ScientificWriting #BiomedicalEngineering #InnovationGame #Hackathon @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲: 𝐔𝐂𝐁𝐌 𝐈𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲 & 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 – 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟑 We are continuing our workshop series with Prof. Leandro Pecchia and the IHT Team, shifting our focus to global health platforms and policy participation. This is a unique opportunity for researchers and students to engage directly with international health tools. Details: 📍 Venue: UCT Medical Campus, Kurusenhare Teaching Lab, Anatomy Building, Level 2 🗓️ Date: Monday, 18th May 2026 ⏰ Time: 08:30 – 13:00 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗠𝗲𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟴 𝗠𝗮𝘆 | 𝟬𝟴:𝟯𝟬 – 𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬 • Focus: Direct engagement with the WHO MeDevIS global database. • 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲: lnkd.in/gsNNSg6v Who should attend? Scholars, postgraduate students, and anyone interested in understanding and influencing global health policy. For more information, please refer to the flyers. We look forward to seeing you there! #UCTMedTech #AfyaMoja #GlobalHealth #BiomedicalEngineering #WHOMedevis #MedTechInnovation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐂-𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 This year, UCT MedTech was proud to serve as the local host for the prestigious C-THAN Annual Meeting at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (12–14 May 2026). The event brought together global leaders in point-of-care diagnostics for HIV/AIDS and emerging infectious diseases. C-THAN, based at Northwestern University, is one of six centres within the NIH's Point-of-Care Technology Research Network (POCTRN), uniting innovators to shape the future of global diagnostics. As part of the programme, Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu (UCT MedTech / BMERC) co-presented the MADE in Africa project alongside Susan Lin (PATH). This was positioned within a rich agenda spanning paediatric TB, viral hepatitis, HPV screening, and HIV monitoring. Today, Prof. Sivarasu, with Dr. Murphy as the moderator, also joins the panel discussion on Navigating the Road to Commercialisation, contributing critical perspectives on bridging the gap between R&D and health system integration. MADE in Africa is part of Unitaid's Regional Manufacturing for Equitable Access portfolio, led by PATH in partnership with ASLM, Solina, UCT, WACI Health, and Open Capital. UCT MedTech’s role focuses on building a sustainable ecosystem of diagnostic R&D and QMS expertise through three workstreams: • 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗺: UCT-led accredited modules in biodesign, regulatory science, and manufacturing. • 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀:  Training integration through partner universities and the ASLM Centre of Excellence. • 𝗲𝗤𝗠𝗦 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘂𝗺 Unlocking bulk licensing for African developers to accelerate regulatory readiness. Anchored at BMERC, this work builds on our SAHPRA Medical Device Manufacturing Licence and our commitment to translate diagnostics into the health systems that need them most. Grateful to the C-THAN leadership: Chad Achenbach, Sally McFall, Rob Murphy, and Kara Palamountain and to all the partners, innovators, and NIH colleagues who travelled to Cape Town to make this gathering possible. The future of diagnostics in Africa is being built together. #MADEinAfrica #UCTMedTech #BMERC #Diagnostics #GlobalHealth #MedTech #CTHAN2026 #Unitaid #PATH #ASLM @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐂𝐁𝐌 𝐈𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲 & 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬! We are thrilled to collaborate with Prof. Leandro Pecchia and the IHT Team for an intensive day designed to bridge the gap between biomedical research and global impact. Whether you are looking to master scientific writing or navigate the medical device lifecycle through interactive gaming, these sessions are a must-attend for scholars and BME students. Details: 📍 Venue: UCT Medical Campus, Kurusenhare Teaching Lab, Anatomy Building, Level 2 🗓️ Date: Friday, 15th May 2026 ⏰ Time: 08:30 – 16:30 Workshop Schedule & Registration Please register for the specific sessions you wish to attend using the links below: 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 • 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟱 𝗠𝗮𝘆 | 𝟬𝟴:𝟯𝟬 – 𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬 • Focus: Enhancing scientific writing for medical device and digital health research. • 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲: lnkd.in/gZJpgwJM 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 – 𝗪𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀: 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 • 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟱 𝗠𝗮𝘆 | 𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬 – 𝟭𝟲:𝟯𝟬 • Focus: An interactive board game exploring the medical device lifecycle. • 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲: : lnkd.in/g7zprQMi Who should attend? Researchers, postgraduate students, and MedTech enthusiasts. Scan the QR code on the flyers or use the links above to secure your spot! #UCTMedTech #AfyaMoja #GlobalHealth #BiomedicalEngineering #WHOMedevis #MedTechInnovation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐂𝐁𝐌 𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐘 & 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬! We are thrilled to work with Prof. Leandro Pecchia and the IHT Team for an intensive series of workshops designed to bridge the gap between biomedical research and global impact. From mastering scientific writing to navigating the medical device lifecycle through interactive gaming, this is a must-attend event for scholars and BME students. 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: 📍 Venue: UCT Medical Campus, Kurusenhare Teaching Lab, Anatomy Building, Level 2 🗓️ Date: Friday, 15th May & Monday, 18th May 2026 ⏰ Time: Friday, 08:30 - 16:30 and Monday, 09:00 - 13:00 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲: • 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁.  𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺, 15 𝘔𝘢𝘺, 08:30 - 13:00. • 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮:𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 - 𝗪𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀: 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 (𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲). 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺, 15 𝘔𝘢𝘺, 13:00 - 16:30 • 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗠𝗲𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘺, 18 𝘔𝘢𝘺, 09:00 - 13:00. Who should attend? Researchers, postgraduate students, and MedTech enthusiasts are looking to elevate their scientific output and understand global health policy. For more information, please take a look at our flyers! To join any of the sessions, please scan the QR Code on the flyers or follow the following links: • 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: lnkd.in/gZJpgwJM • 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 - 𝗪𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀: 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 (𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲): lnkd.in/g7zprQMi • 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗠𝗲𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: lnkd.in/gsNNSg6v #UCTMedTech #AfyaMoja #GlobalHealth #BiomedicalEngineering #WHOMedevis @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐃𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐄𝐭𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐭 We are pleased to celebrate Dr. Maureen Dimitria Etuket, who has transitioned from her staff role into a position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Maureen recently graduated with a PhD in Industrial Engineering from Stellenbosch University. Her thesis, “𝘈 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘈𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦”, provides a practical framework to help inventors and the government navigate challenges in bringing life-saving technology to patients. Her supervisors were Prof. Sara Grobbelaar, Dr. Faatiema Salie, and Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu. A word from Dr. Maureen for those on their PhD journey: "The going won't always be easy, but it is a season, and it comes to pass. Stay focused on your goal." Congratulations, Dr. Maureen, on this achievement and your recent appointment! #UCTMedTech #PostdocLife #MedicalInnovation #IndustrialEngineering @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 We were honoured to host Prof. Stanislav Emelianov from Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University for a guest seminar at BMERC/UCT MedTech. As a Director of the Ultrasound Imaging and Therapeutics Research Laboratory, and Co-Director of the Pediatric Technology Center,  Prof. Emelianov presented his work on image-guided cancer immunotherapy. Key Takeaways: • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) often struggles with solid tumours due to poor immune cell trafficking and potential toxicity. • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Prof. Emelianov’s work uses nanoparticle-tagged T cells and multimodal imaging, including photoacoustic, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance, to track these cells in real time. • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: Under a localised magnetic field, labelled T cells show enhanced targeting of primary tumours and regional lymph nodes, while ultrasound and thermal imaging allow for the noninvasive activation of therapy. • 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Engaging with world-class experts like Prof. Emelianov fuels our mission to explore frugal innovation and advanced diagnostic tools that transform clinical outcomes. Prof. Emelianov also visited the UCT MedTech labs, where we showcased our current projects and research environment. Thank you, Prof. Emelianov, for visiting and sharing your expertise with our community. #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #CancerResearch #PhotoacousticImaging #Innovation #GlobalHealth #MedTech @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 UCT MedTech PhD student Sheina Rajkumar invites medical device professionals and organisations to participate in a voluntary online survey. 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 & 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: The study assesses the challenges of developing Quality Management Systems (QMS) and obtaining 𝗜𝗦𝗢 𝟵𝟬𝟬𝟭/𝗜𝗦𝗢 𝟭𝟯𝟰𝟴𝟱 certification in South Africa. By fostering cross-talk between industry peers, the findings aim to improve compliance with international standards and SAHPRA regulations. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 You are eligible to participate if you: • Are currently employed in a South African medical device establishment. • Have at least one year of professional industry experience. • Have experience developing or maintaining a QMS. • Are fluent in English. 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 • Time: Approximately 15 minutes. • Privacy: Entirely voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. • Ethics: Approved by the UCT Faculty of Health Sciences HREC [Ref. No. 120/2025]. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲: Access the survey via the link below or the QR code on the attached poster: Link: surveymonkey.com/r/K9NWBGP 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: This survey is vital for identifying the specific bottlenecks within the South African medical device landscape. Your insights provide the evidence needed to strengthen local regulation and streamline the certification process. By participating, you are playing an active role in enhancing the quality, safety, and global competitiveness of South Africa’s medical device ecosystem. Contact: For questions, please email Sheina Rajkumar at sheina.rajkumar@uct.ac.za. Thank you for your time and expertise. #UCTMedTech #PhDResearch #MedicalDevices #ISO13485 #QualityManagement #SAHPRA #RegulatoryAffairs #MedTechSA #ShareYourInsights #HealthInnovation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 Abigail is a final-year Mechatronics Engineering student at Stellenbosch University with a keen interest in the intersection of engineering and biology. Planning to pursue a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cape Town, she joined UCT MedTech to gain hands-on experience and explore the future direction of her postgraduate studies. During her time here, she has thrived in a collaborative environment, working alongside interns from around the world and learning under the guidance of Michael Awood, Chief Technical Officer at UCT MedTech. In her own words: "𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙𝚏𝚞𝚕, 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚌𝚔. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎." Watch the video below to hear more about Abigail's journey and her time at UCT MedTech. #UCTMedTech #DayInTheLife #Internship #BiomedicalEngineering #EngineeringStudents @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩: 𝐀𝐈 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐒𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Dr. Samira Gholizadeh led an insightful session for our BME First Year MSc students, exploring how AI is shifting research from manual drudgery to efficient exploration. The workshop traced the evolution of research tools, highlighting how the "publication overload" that once took months to navigate can now be managed in days. Students gained hands-on experience with the tools defining this new landscape. Key Workshop Highlights: • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: By reducing workloads from 100+ hours to just a few days, AI allows researchers to focus on innovation and research gaps rather than rote data collection. • 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴: Moving from lists to Knowledge Mapping and Keyword Clustering to see the research landscape at a glance. These visual tools transform complex databases into intuitive maps, helping scholars navigate dense academic territories effectively. • 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 & 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗮𝗽𝘀: Students explored systematic ways to identify relevant sources and uncover patterns or debates. Utilising Citation Mapping reveals "missing links" in biomedical literature, allowing researchers to visualise networks and pinpoint where new contributions are needed. • 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 & 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Leveraging Statistical Computing and Interactive Dashboard categories to transform raw data into clear, publication-ready insights. By automating complex processing, researchers can produce high-quality graphics that communicate findings with much greater clarity. Dr. Samira’s Pro-Tips for Students: • 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸: Identify your specific research challenges first, and choose tools based on specific research challenges. • 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁, 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗽: Test 2 to 3 tools, then commit to one to avoid "tool-hopping" overwhelm. • 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: Validate everything. AI tools are advanced search engines, not "true" research AI, so always double-check references. The researchers of tomorrow will use AI as a thinking partner. We are thrilled to see our students learning to do so with both rigour and responsibility! Thank you to Dr. Samira Gholizadeh for sharing her expertise and empowering our students to lead with both rigour and responsibility! #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #AITools #ResearchTools #AcademicAI #MedicalDevices #UCT @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡: 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡. Today, we take a moment to recognise the staff who keep the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre/UCT MedTech running day to day. While the work we produce often takes the spotlight, it is the people behind the scenes who make it all possible. From the workshop team supporting builds and technical work, to the administrative staff ensuring everything runs smoothly, your work plays a key role in keeping the centre functional and moving forward. You help create an environment where research and innovation can continue without interruption. Worker's Day is a reminder to acknowledge the effort that often goes unseen. The consistency, problem-solving, and care you bring to your roles do not go unnoticed. To everyone who contributes in ways big and small, thank you for your work and for being an essential part of UCT MedTech. "𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚎, 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢, 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚠𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚎. 𝚃𝚘𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚠𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖." - Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, Head of Biomedical Engineering and Director of UCT MedTech. #WorkersDay2026 #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #MedTech #SouthAfrica @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 This quarter, we celebrated the birthdays of seven members of the UCT MedTech team. Happy birthday to Benedict Mulindwa, Malihah Abraham, Joel Philpott, Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, Samira Gholizadeh, Busi Shologu, and Chrissy Aubou; our January to April celebrants. Thank you for the energy and commitment you bring to the lab every day. Wishing each of you a great year ahead. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with them. #UCTMedTech #TeamCulture #BiomedicalEngineering #MedTech #UCT #PeopleOfUCT @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 & 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐒𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Every great medical device starts with a great research question. This week, Dr. Chibuike Mbanefo guided our BME/UCT MedTech MSc students through the foundations of research methodology and the craft of writing a compelling research proposal. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: • 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: Students explored the core pillars of investigation, ensuring their work is systematic, evidence-based, and knowledge-creating to effectively advance the field of Biomedical Engineering. • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: From background and problem statements to methodology and expected results, the session provided a clear 9-step structure for turning a research idea into a formal proposal. • 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗠𝗘 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: The workshop highlighted how these methodology principles apply across critical areas, including medical devices, biomechanics, clinical solutions, and the use of AI in clinical decision-making. A rigorous research foundation is the bedrock of impactful innovation. We look forward to reading the proposals our students will put forward! Thank you Dr. Chibuike Mbanefo, for running the workshop. #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #ResearchMethodology #ProposalWriting #MScResearch #MedicalDevices #UCT @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤, 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬... 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 S. Naidoo, D. Bottomley, M. Naidoo, D. Donnelly & D.W. Thaldar - University of KwaZulu-Natal (2022) Recommended by Postdoctoral Fellow Barimwotubiri Billy Ruyobeza. This paper examines what it will take to responsibly integrate AI into South Africa's healthcare system. The authors identify five key barriers: outdated legislation, biased training data, workforce displacement, unresolved liability, and a lack of local AI innovation, and propose concrete solutions for each. Between 2012 and 2021, over 9,000 AI patent applications were filed in South Africa. Only 10 were filed from within the country. The gap is real, and the need for locally developed, contextually relevant solutions is urgent. This is where UCT MedTech has a role to play. A framework that guides healthcare institutions and AI developers in collecting unbiased, representative data would go a long way in addressing one of the most critical barriers to safe and effective AI in healthcare. "ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ɪᴍᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴀ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴍʙʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴀʟ ʀᴏʟᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴏᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴘᴏʟɪᴄʏ ꜰʀᴀᴍᴇᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴘᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɪ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴘʟᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜᴄᴀʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ ꜱᴀꜰᴇ, ʀᴇꜱᴘᴏɴꜱɪʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴀɴɴᴇʀ." Read the full paper here: samajournals.co.za/index.php/sajb… #UCTMedTech #BMERC #UniversityofCapeTown #AIinHealthcare #HealthInnovation #MedTech #SouthAfrica @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 At UCT MedTech, we believe that biomedical innovation is a fundamental driver of national freedom. In South Africa, true equity is only possible when we have the power to create our own medical solutions. Our work in 𝗙𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 is how we reclaim that agency. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: • 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙢𝙮: Breaking the cycle of dependency on expensive medical imports by developing homegrown technology. • 𝘼𝙜𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮: Using rapid prototyping to respond to local clinical needs faster than global supply chains. • 𝘼𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮: Empowering local researchers and clinicians to design tools that reflect the reality of the South African healthcare context. This 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐚𝐲, we reaffirm our commitment to "Innovation for Independence", ensuring that our technical progress secures the health and dignity of every South African. #FreedomDay #UCTMedTech #FrugalBiodesign #LocalInnovation #SouthAfrica #HealthEquity #TechnicalSovereignty #BiomedicalEngineering @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza