A multi-institutional team of South African researchers coordinated by Prof Iman van den Bout from the University of Pretoria recently published a provocative article in Translational Oncology proposing a new framework to support the development and sharing of advanced cell culture models — such as patient-derived organoids and iPSC models — across South Africa.

The authors outline a cost-efficient, three-tier system designed to streamline funding, model development, and national access, particularly in under-resourced settings. Their vision is to reduce duplication, increase collaboration, and ensure that models reflect the genetic diversity of African populations — thereby improving the relevance and impact of health research conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa.

We are proud that this important work includes contributions from the Department of Physiology.

Read the article here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936523325001226