Since its inception in August 2013, the South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Mathematical Models and Methods in Bioengineering and Biosciences (M3B2), has been working towards strengthening collaboration between mathematicians and biologists.

A milestone in this regard was the Second Joint University of South Africa (Unisa)-University of Pretoria (UP) Workshop on Theoretical and Mathematical Epidemiology that was held in early March at UP. The workshop aimed to build on local expertise from the first workshop held in 2014, and to generate novel interdisciplinary insights into new and older forms of diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, which pose a massive threat to development in South Africa and other African countries.

The workshop focused on the formulation of advanced deterministic/stochastic epidemic models in different settings, such as delay models, meta-population models, and vector- and water-borne diseases. It also focussed on some case studies, including new diseases and old forms of new diseases such as Ebola, Lymphatic filariasis, Cutaneous leishmaniasis, Typhoid fever, Tuberculosis (TB), African trypanosomiasis and Lipodystrophy syndrome. It also highlighted the impact of measures put in place to control the spread of infectious diseases. The in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis of the models, as well as the design of health policies were also stressed.

Four high profile researchers, Professors Christopher Kribs (University of Texas at Arlington), Farai Nyabadza (University of Stallenbosch), Pauline van den Driessche (University of Victoria) and Abdul-Aziz Yakubu (Howard University), considered among the best and internationally reputed experts in Mathematical epidemiology, conducted some of the working sessions. Furthermore the workshop gave rise to the production of a critical mass of local experts and emerging researchers in Mathematical Biology. Group projects were given to the participants during the workshop and the initial results were presented on the last day of the workshop. Each topic chosen is very actual and relevant to the current problems in the South African situation. Participants were encouraged by the “team spirit” shown during group discussions and agreement was reached to have a follow-up mini workshop at the beginning of June 2015.

Unisa and UP as two of the largest universities in the region are combining  their resources to address problems of national interest in epidemiology. Integration and cross-discipline collaborations among participants were the hallmark of the workshop.

The organisers and the participants of the Second Joint Unisa-UP workshop are very grateful to the sponsors: DST/NRF SARChI Chair M3B2, University of Pretoria, the Office of Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng, Vice-Principal: Research and Innovation, Unisa, the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (MaSS), and the University of the Witwatersrand.

For further information see: http://www.up.ac.za/unisa-up-workshop