Ground-breaking Neuroscience Centre

“We are gathered to mark a moment in the life of neuroscience at UCT; a moment to say ‘we believe in what you want to do; believe it’s worth investing in,’ ” said Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation, during the breaking-ground ceremony of the new Neuroscience Centre on Tuesday night.

The centre will be an interdisciplinary research and clinical space to study and treat mental and neurological disorders in South Africa.

With both Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price and Professor Phakeng, Vice-Chancellor designate, in attendance, it seemed both a celebration of the achievements of the past and a sign of hope for the future.

“Breaking ground signals a beginning, not of the work, but of renewed hope, of renewed energy for the work that you have been doing and the work that is still to come,” she said.

The centre will be the physical home of the newly established UCT Neuroscience Institute, as well as the Groote Schuur Hospital Clinical Neuroscience Centre, where researchers and clinicians will work together to treat brain and nervous system disorders that burden South Africa.

Realising a dream

Professor Graham Fieggen, director of the Neuroscience Institute, said that the idea for a dedicated Neuroscience Centre at UCT was first proposed in 1969 by Emeritus Professor Kay de Villiers, but that the real work to establish this centre started around 10 years ago.

“I believe that we can truly be a world leader in neuroscience, by focusing on the areas where we can make a difference to patients.”

“I first spoke about my dream for a Neuroscience Centre in my inaugural lecture in 2010; the people in this room have now helped make it a reality,” said Fieggen at the ceremony. “Initial funding from private donors and the Western Cape Government catalysed UCT to recognise neuroscience as worth pursuing, and led to the Neuroscience Initiative being launched in 2015.

“I believe that we can truly be a world leader in neuroscience, by focusing on the areas where we can make a difference to patients.”

Dr Max Price spoke glowingly about the passion of the people leading this project within UCT and at Groote Schuur Hospital, and his own belief in how important neuroscience is for South Africa and for the university.

“UCT has invested in new interdisciplinary research institutes to address important problems facing our society. The Neuroscience Institute is one of these – advancing medical care while helping to understand the human brain. Doing so in an African context gives us a unique opportunity to solve local problems, contribute to knowledge and build capacity in a fast-moving area of scholarship.”

Other speakers included Professor Nomafrench Mbombo, Minister for Health in the Western Cape Government, and Professor Bongani Mayosi, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Previous and current CEOs of Groote Schuur Hospital attended the prestigious ceremony, as well as more than 100 researchers, students and clinicians, who joined in celebrating this long-awaited milestone.

A new home for neuroscience

The centre will be in the renovated J-block building at Groote Schuur Hospital, which was first built in 1938 and home to several research and clinical facilities over the years.

The building will be expanded and refurbished to offer specialised clinical neuroscience services, and to house the laboratories, lecture theatres and infrastructure of the Neuroscience Institute.

The institute will encompass key neuroscience disciplines, a neurosurgical innovation and skills laboratory, a human tissues repository (called a biobank) and attached laboratory, a state-of-the-art lecture theatre and other communal spaces, as well as direct access to the Cape University Body Imaging Centre (CUBIC).

A R125 million fundraising campaign to refurbish and outfit the centre was led by Fieggen for the last four years, and was made possible through hard work and support from Groote Schuur Hospital CEO, Dr Bhavna Patel; Dr Max Price; and generous financial contributions from the Western Cape Government Department of Health, UCT alumni and philanthropic foundations.

Construction on the Neuroscience Centre will be completed in September 2019.

For more information, please visit www.neuroscience.uct.ac.za.