SAMRC / UCT Drug Discovery Unit’s track record secures five more years of funding

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has approved a five-year continuation for the SAMRC / the University of Cape Town (UCT) Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit (DDDRU), under the directorship of Professor Kelly Chibale. This decision follows a comprehensive scientific review that highlighted the unit’s crucial work in addressing tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – health challenges particularly affecting South Africa, Africa, and other low- to middle-income countries.

The vice president of the SAMRC, Professor Liesl Zühlke, congratulated Professor Chibale and his team, expressing anticipation for their ongoing contributions to the SAMRC’s strategic objectives. The unit will receive continued annual funding and remain eligible for additional incentivised funding, with the next five-year cycle starting on 1 April 2025.

Responding to the renewal announcement, Chibale emphasised the significance of this continued support of his unit’s work. “As the largest local funder of health research, medical diagnostics, medical devices, and therapeutics, the SAMRC has played a significant role in supporting our unit’s work over many years. For this we are most grateful. At a time of global uncertainty around research and development funding for global health, this renewed funding commitment over the next five years is a major boost to the long-term sustainability of our unit at UCT. Working with my team and our partners, I look forward to implementing the report recommendations and leveraging the SAMRC brand to maximise impact.”

Exceptional rating

The review panel, chaired by Professor Christo Muller of SAMRC’s Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform and including international experts Professor Ian Gilbert (University of Dundee, United Kingdom), Professor Lyn-Marie Birkholtz (Stellenbosch University), and Professor Yahya E Choonara (University of the Witwatersrand), awarded the DDDRU an impressive average score of 4.7 out of 5 across nearly all evaluation criteria.

This exceptional rating reflects the unit’s outstanding scientific output, as evidenced by both the quantity and quality of its research. During the review period, the DDDRU published 100 peer-reviewed articles and research reviews, three non-peer-reviewed journal articles, seven book chapters, and 15 research journal editorials and commentaries. The unit’s work has gained significant attention in high-impact journals, as demonstrated by publication and citation metrics.

“This renewed funding commitment over the next five years is a major boost to the long-term sustainability of our unit at UCT.”

Additionally, the unit has established a strong international presence, with team members delivering 20 invited plenary/keynote presentations at conferences outside South Africa and three invited plenary keynote addresses within the country.

Pivotal leadership

Chibale’s leadership has been pivotal to the unit’s success. Reviewers characterised him as possessing the qualities of “a good politician with a good entrepreneurial brain”. His numerous accolades include being named among the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African magazine in 2019 and recognition as one of the world’s top 60 most influential leaders in the pharmaceutical industry by The Medicine Maker in both 2020 and 2021.

In 2023 alone, Chibale received several prestigious honours, including the Royal Society (United Kingdom) Africa Prize, a Schmidt Sciences AI2050 Senior Fellowship (one of only seven worldwide), and an honorary doctorate from the University of Basel’s Faculty of Science. He also made history as the first editor-in-chief from Africa of an American Chemical Society (ACS) publication when appointed to lead ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters.

Looking ahead

The unit has demonstrated a strong commitment to capacity development, with 16 PhD students and eight master’s students graduating during the review period, four of whom received distinctions. This emphasis on training the next generation of African scientists underscores the DDDRU’s holistic approach to addressing continental health challenges.

Looking ahead, Chibale plans to address recommendations highlighted in the review report, including developing a detailed succession plan, nurturing emerging and mid-career scientists to become independent contributors, and consolidating efforts on specific, high-potential platforms rather than diversifying into too many new areas all of which will improve and sustain areas of excellence.