UCT MedTech

Appropriate Health Technologies Innovation | Led by @SudeshSivarasu| #frugalbiodesign

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

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: https://t.co/ifImhtNNFi

#UCTMedTech
#Newsletter
#YearInReview
#BMERC
#BiomedicalEngineering
#Innovation
#SARChI

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | 𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐤𝐚 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐢

For many people, international work travel is a memorable career milestone. This month, UCT MedTech Administrator Lumka Zantsi embarks on her first work-related trip abroad, travelling to Italy as part of the Afya Moja collaboration.

As a valued member of the UCT MedTech team, Lumka plays an important role in supporting the day-to-day operations that help keep our department running smoothly. Her trip reflects the collaborative nature of our work and the opportunities that arise through international partnerships.

We wish Lumka safe travels and an enriching experience. We look forward to hearing about her experiences and welcoming her back to Cape Town next week.

Thank you Prof Leandro Pecchia from Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma in Italy, and Prof Sudesh Sivarasu for this worthwhile opportunity.

#UCTMedTech #StaffSpotlight #AfyaMoja #GlobalCollaboration #HigherEducation

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭: 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 & 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬.

Dr Samira Gholizadeh and Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu recently had their review article published in the 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 & 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 (IF: 3.1)

Titled: 𝘕𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘺 (𝘕𝘪𝘛𝘪 𝘚𝘔𝘈): 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴.

Nitinol is a nickel-titanium alloy with a remarkable ability to return to a pre-set shape after deformation. Its superelasticity, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance have made it foundational in medical devices such as cardiovascular stents, orthodontic devices, and minimally invasive surgical instruments.

The paper covers the fundamental properties of NiTi alloys, key performance characteristics, and their expanding role in next-generation medical devices. It also addresses ongoing challenges in the field, including fatigue behaviour, manufacturability, and long-term reliability, as well as emerging opportunities in advanced biomedical design.

At the heart of this work is a compelling idea: that smart materials capable of adapting to the body's environment can enable safer, less invasive, and more effective clinical solutions than conventional materials allow.

As medical devices become smarter and more body-integrated, a deeper understanding of materials like Nitinol is essential for building the next generation of healthcare solutions.

Congratulations to Dr Gholizadeh and Prof. Sivarasu on this publication.

Thanks to the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation for funding Dr Samira Gholizadeh's Post-Doctoral Fellowship through the SARChI Initiative.

Full article can be downloaded and read  here:  https://t.co/URrrPvLddy
© The Author(s) 2026. Published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0).

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐀 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝

Last week, UCT MedTech welcomed Susan (Chia-San) Lin, Regional Policy Lead at PATH, for a conversation on regulatory barriers, workforce development, and what it takes to move health innovations from lab to community. PATH is a global health organisation working to accelerate health equity by advancing innovations across medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and devices.

Joining the conversation were Dr Nhlanhla Msomi, Advisor to the Vice Chancellor, and Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu with the UCT MedTech team.

𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕.
• Regulations built for high-resource settings slow African health innovation. A COVID-19 face mask device developed here could not be deployed, not because it did not work, but because it was not registered.
• Research that cannot be communicated does not reach anyone. Stakeholder mapping, advocacy, and audience awareness are not extras. They are part of the work.

We are looking forward to continuing this conversation and exploring what collaboration could look like going forward.

#UCTMedTech #AfricanHealthInnovation #MedTechAfrica #PATH

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬: 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Congratulations to Kerstin Hall on successfully passing her PhD examination at BMERC/UCT MedTech.

Titled "𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯, 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨".

Kerstin's research focused on designing a reloadable pneumatic autoinjector that can be rapidly customised to individual patient needs using parametric modelling, moving away from traditional spring-based designs. The research used parametric modelling to design a device rapidly adaptable to individual patient profiles, including needle length and dosage.

Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu and Dr Roopam Dey supervised Kerstin.

Special thanks to Thrip (Impulse Biomed), the National Research Foundation of South Africa, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, and merSETA for their support and funding.

Congratulations, Dr Hall.

#UCTMedTech #PhD #Congratulations #MedTech

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT Research @UCT_Research]

Congratulations to @UCT_news researcher Prof @SudeshSivarasu, named a finalist in three categories at the 2025/2026 @NSTF_SA Awards. The research group he leads, @UCTMedTech, is also a finalist in two categories. #Innovation #NSTFSouth32Awards

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐁𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂/𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 | 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭

With our ISO:13485 certification renewal coming up in the next few weeks, BMERC/UCT MedTech welcomed Dr Mark Bodley and Etienne du Toit for an internal audit on Friday.

The visit covered our quality management systems, laboratory processes, and documentation, giving the team a valuable opportunity to ensure everything is in order ahead of the official renewal audit.

Thank you to Dr Bodley and Etienne for the thorough and constructive visit. We appreciate the time and expertise they brought to the process.

We look forward to the ISO:13485 renewal audit in the coming weeks.

#UCTMedTech #ISO13485 #QualityManagement #MedTech #BiomedicalEngineering

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦

It was a pleasure for UCT MedTech to attend the inaugural BME Forum hosted by the BME Student Council.

The event brought together students, researchers, academics, and professional staff from across the Biomedical Engineering community, creating a valuable opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen collaborations beyond our individual research groups.

A special thank you to the BME Student Council for organising such an engaging and welcoming event. From meaningful discussions to the lively FunQuest Quiz Competition facilitated by Queto Jenkins, the afternoon showcased the strong sense of community that drives innovation and collaboration within Biomedical Engineering at UCT.

It was a joy to be part of this initiative, and we look forward to seeing the BME Forum continue to grow as a platform for connection, conversation, and shared success.

#UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #UCT #ResearchCommunity #Collaboration #BMEForum

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza
@uctbme

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐑𝐚𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐚 𝐈𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥

Recently, BMERC/UCT MedTech PhD Candidate Raeesa Ismail presented "𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘖𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦-𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘛𝘶𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴” as part of her PhD research proposal.

Under the supervision of Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, Prof. Keertan Dheda, and Prof. Arti Ahluwalia, Ismail is developing an innovative oral sampling device designed to support both rapid molecular testing and culture-based tuberculosis diagnostics from non-sputum samples.

By combining advanced biomaterials with dual-diagnostic workflows, the project aims to improve pathogen capture while preserving bacterial viability, helping to address a critical gap in TB diagnosis, particularly for patients who struggle to produce sputum samples.

Raeesa's research has the potential to contribute significantly to the development of accessible, non-invasive diagnostic technologies for tuberculosis in South Africa and other high-burden settings.

Thank you to the National Research Foundation of South Africa and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation for funding Raeesa's research.

Well done, Raeesa, on the successful presentation of your PhD research proposal. We look forward to following your progress and the impact of this important work.

#UCTMedTech #TuberculosisResearch #PhDResearch #BiomedicalEngineering #MedicalDeviceInnovation

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐡 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚.

The article, authored by Dr. Maureen Dimitria Etuket, Prof. Sara S. Grobbelaar, Faatiema Salie, Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, and Michelle Smit, presents an open-access dataset mapping stakeholders' perceptions of South Africa's medical device innovation system across academia, enterprises, and government.

Title: 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮

Using a Technological Innovation System framework, the study surfaces key tensions in the local medical device landscape:
• South Africa has strong research capabilities, yet local manufacturers continue to struggle with sustained commercial success
• The sector faces heavy reliance on imported devices and non-functional donations that are often unsuitable for local contexts
• There is a measurable gap between what the health system needs and what locally developed innovations can deliver

The dataset captures 90 anonymised responses across the value chain, covering performance gaps in key innovation functions. It is freely available to support hypothesis testing, policy planning, and simulation models for South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries.

Read the full article and access the data: https://t.co/i0jWZYeZV9

A sincere thank you to the Stellenbosch University Department of Industrial Engineering for supporting and funding this study.

#MedicalDevices #InnovationSystems #SouthAfrica #OpenAccess #MedTech #BioEngineering #DataScience

@StellenboschUni
@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭: 𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙮

Our PhD student, Mr Prosper Magara, has published new work in the 𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙮 (Springer Nature, Telesurgery Collection). The article, authored by Prosper Magara, Sudesh Sivarasu, Lamees Ras, Ahmed Biyabani, Abby Blocker, Majahonkhe Shabangu, and Bessie Malila (corresponding author), maps the current landscape of AI-powered bleeding monitoring in laparoscopic surgery.

𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: 𝗔𝗜-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁-𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆: 𝗔 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Conducted in line with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review synthesises evidence from 21 studies published between 2016 and 2025. Intraoperative bleeding accounts for nearly a quarter of all adverse events in laparoscopic procedures. We asked: How close are we to AI that can detect, quantify, and track bleeding in real time?

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:
• ʀᴇᴀʟ-ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʟʟɪɢᴇɴᴄᴇ: Evaluates deep learning models capable of detecting and quantifying blood loss live in the operating room.
• ᴄʟɪɴɪᴄᴀʟ ꜰᴇᴀꜱɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ: Assesses model performance and readiness for real-world surgical deployment across conventional and robot-assisted settings.
• ᴀ ᴅᴇᴄᴀᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇꜱꜱ: Documents the field's shift from basic offline algorithms to systems tested in live intraoperative environments.
• ɢᴀᴘꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ: Identifies what still needs to be solved before AI bleeding monitoring can be safely integrated into routine surgical practice.

In under a decade, the field has moved from basic algorithms to models operating in live surgical environments. This review is our contribution to mapping that path forward, and a call to researchers, clinicians, and engineers to build the next generation of intelligent surgical systems together.

Prosper stated: "AI is becoming a real layer of surgical intelligence, and this review captures how far the field has come."

Link to article: https://t.co/SpWjfgELrw

DOI - https://t.co/8d5tPtRgnT

Thank you to the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) ARISE Funding, Google Scholarships, as well as the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) for the support.

#MedTech #SurgicalAI #LaparoscopicSurgery #BiomedicalEngineering #UCTMedTech #UCT #RoboticSurgery

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩: 𝐀𝐈, 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬.

Recently, Dr Samira Gholizadeh ran a workshop at UCT MedTech on 𝘈𝘐, 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴.

The workshop covers how AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning are being applied in healthcare and medical devices. It walks through the core technologies, the algorithms behind them, and where each one works best, from detecting disease in medical images to monitoring patients in real time.

The central argument is that AI is most useful when matched to the right clinical task, and that it works alongside clinicians rather than in place of them. If your data is #biased, incomplete, or wrong, you get systems making multi-step decisions based on potentially flawed data. This is where #data_integrity becomes critical.

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢:
• 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗹𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗺𝘀 trained on millions of patient records to predict outcomes, flag deteriorating patients, and surface patterns invisible to the human eye.
• 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 that analyse medical images, X-rays, MRIs, and pathology slides, with accuracy rivalling board-certified specialists.
• 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 that extract structured clinical insights from unstructured physician notes, discharge summaries, and patient-reported data.
• 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 AI-driven automation that handles scheduling, billing, prior authorisations, and documentation — dramatically reducing administrative burden.

The algorithm you choose determines the outcome.
Thank you, Dr Gholizadeh, for the insightful session.

#UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #DeepLearning #HealthcareAI

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐀𝐧 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐌𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The work continues. Michael Awood, Chief Technical Officer, and Abigail Downing have been preparing background materials for UCT MedTech's contribution to the ISAM200: Stories of Change legacy exhibition at the Iziko South African Museum, held last year.

The team is currently in the planning and layout phase, carefully arranging the 3D-printed artefacts and refining the display details ahead of the final installation. From nautilus shells to scorpions and lizards, each piece was scanned and printed by UCT MedTech and will soon be available for museum visitors to experience first-hand.

We look forward to sharing more updates as the exhibition comes together. Watch this space for further developments.

If you missed our original post on the collaboration, you can catch up here: https://t.co/MQEJIMA1EG

#UCTMedTech #ISAM200 #IzikoMuseum #3DPrinting #BiomedicalEngineering

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

Following our recent announcement, the official UCT feature detailing our SAHPRA medical device manufacturing licence is now live.

This milestone is the culmination of over a decade of dedication from researchers, students and staff across UCT BMERC. It stands on years of vital partnership with SAHPRA, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the National Research Foundation (NRF), our Western Cape Department of Health clinical collaborators, and our global peers. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this journey to bring local medical innovation closer to African patients.

Read the full article here: https://t.co/HNYzjAW66P

Story by Kamva Somdyala

#UCTMedTech #MedicalInnovation #SAHPRA #BiomedicalEngineering #CapacityBuilding #FrugalBiodesign #TechTransfer

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐂&𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐏 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩

UCT Research Contracts and Innovation (RC&I) hosted a Medical Device IP Workshop, supported by UCT MedTech/BMERC. The session brought together researchers and students for a full walkthrough of the IP journey from idea to protected innovation.

Dr Bruce Maseko opened with the foundations, discussing UCT's role as the Technology Transfer Office under the IPA Act, how publicly funded IP is managed, and what revenue sharing looks like for inventors.

Ms Simphiwe Gumede covered the core principles of IP protection, including the difference between ideas, inventions, and innovations. She detailed the types of IP available, such as patents, trademarks, registered designs, copyright, and trade secrets, alongside what makes an invention patentable.

Ms Boipelo Manoko walked through the disclosure process in practical terms, covering how to submit a disclosure, what the patent filing timeline looks like from the priority date through PCT to the national phase, and how researchers can access the new Inventor Portal. She reminded attendees that public disclosure before filing permanently destroys patentability.

Mr Nick Mokotoane covered the commercialisation side, exploring market assessment, regulatory device classifications, the Technology Readiness Level framework, and how to decide between licensing and forming a spin-off.

Mr Fred van der Post presented the UCT Innovation Funding Range, detailing the five instruments available to researchers and spin-offs. These include the PreSeed Fund of up to R100k, the Innovation Builder Fund of up to R500k, the Evergreen Seed Fund of up to R1.5m, the Evergreen Fund of up to R6m, and the University Technology Fund of up to R17.5m.

Thank you to all five speakers and to everyone who attended and a special thanks to UCT RC&I and Dr Andrew Bailey's team for facilitating these workshops for over 12 years and for their support to innovators in health

The RC&I office runs a 100 Coffees initiative for researchers with early-stage ideas, and a prior art search workshop is scheduled for 2 June.

#UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #MedicalDevices #IntellectualProperty

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐮 — 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐦?

Last week, our Director, Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, spoke at the Stellenbosch Disability Theory Colloquium. The event was hosted by the Division for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies (SU) and the Stellenbosch Disability Research Hub, and convened by Prof. Brian Watermeyer.

The stark numbers behind the conversation:
• 𝟮.𝟱 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 people globally need at least one assistive product.
• ~𝟭 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 are denied access (around 90% in LMICs versus 3% in high-income countries).
• 𝟯𝟬–𝟱𝟬% of devices that reach users are abandoned within 6–12 months.

These are not engineering failures; they are the signature of a system optimised for something other than equitable access.

The talk explored three non-technical barriers: structural (regulations calibrated for high-income contexts), financial (TRL pipelines that reward markets over equity), and epistemic (whose knowledge counts as evidence).

A point that landed hard: the ethics architecture intended to protect disabled people from research harm can inadvertently exclude them from the research that would benefit them. In fact, one of our postgraduate researchers, who is himself a lower-limb prosthesis user, was recently denied permission to test his own design.

The orthodox engineering question is "𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙩?" 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 "𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙨𝙤, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙢?"

Thank you to Prof. Brian Watermeyer, the Division for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, and the Stellenbosch Disability Research Hub for the invitation. Thank you also to Prof. Marguerite Schneider, Bongani Mapumulo, Dr. Joel Nyasulu, and every colleague who sharpened the argument.

The question stays open. We look forward to working on it together.

#AssistiveTechnology #DisabilityInclusion #FrugalBiodesign #HealthEquity #InclusiveInnovation

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐃𝐒𝐓𝐈-𝐍𝐑𝐅 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 - 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and The National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF)have announced a call for new applications for DSTI-NRF Master's and Doctoral Student Funding for the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 academic year.

Deadline: 15 June 2026
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝗨𝗖𝗧 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱.

𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:
• Academic: Minimum 65% for your previous degree.
• Full Cost of Study (FCS): Available to SA citizens/Permanent Residents who are financially needy (household income less than R350,000 p.a.), living with a disability, or exceptional achievers.
• Partial Cost of Study (PCS): Available to international students (up to 5%) and SA citizens/Permanent Residents not covered by FCS.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
• Competition: NRF applications are highly competitive; funding is not automatic or guaranteed upon application.
• Alternative Options: Because funding is limited, students are strongly encouraged to apply for concurrent opportunities, such as UCT Postgraduate Financial Aid and Merit Awards.

𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?
• Current UCT Students: Log a service request online via https://t.co/ndExXjPO76 or book an appointment at https://t.co/ZQhVKKSKcD.
• External Applicants: Contact the support team at [email protected] or call [phone].

Visit the National Research Foundation postgraduate student funding web page for more information, or scan the QR code on our graphics:
https://t.co/TNclU8z6lB

#UCTMedTech #NRFPostgrad #SAscholarships #STEMSouthAfrica #PostgradFunding

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐏 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩!

The 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗣 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽, supported by UCT Research Contracts & Innovation and hosted by UCT MedTech/BMERC, is happening this Monday!

We invite you to join us and learn how to turn your ideas into groundbreaking innovations. The workshop will feature insights from our speakers: Ms. Boipelo Manoko, Ms. Simphiwe Gumede, Mr. Nick M., Dr Bruce Bongani Maseko and Mr. Philip Hoekstra.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
• Master the essentials of IP for medical devices
• Explore commercialisation models for bringing innovations to market
• Gain expert insights into navigating the IP landscape in MedTech

Details:
• 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟮𝟱 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
• 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬 - 𝟭𝟳:𝟬𝟬
• 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: 𝗨𝗖𝗧 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀, 𝗞𝘂𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗮𝗯, 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟮
• 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸: https://t.co/aTUyhGg7DH

We look forward to seeing you there and exploring the future of medical technology together.

#WorldIPDay #ResearchTranslation #FrugalInnovation #SportInnovation #UCTMedTech

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza
@UCT_RCI
@NIPMO

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐈𝐏 𝐃𝐚𝐲

At this year’s World IP Day event, organised by RC&I and focused on IP and Sports, important conversations were sparked around the future of innovation in African sport.

Facilitated by Boipelo Manoko, Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu joined the panel discussion with Michael Williams, Herman van Schalkwyk, Dr. Bruce Maseko, and Yumna Albertus to share insights on how engineering, science, and intellectual property are shaping athlete performance, adaptive sports, and rehabilitation across the continent.

During the discussion, Prof. Sivarasu looked at several key themes shaping African innovation today:
• 𝗙𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Designing sports and rehabilitation technologies that are globally competitive while remaining accessible and relevant to local contexts.
• 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀: The value of collaboration between researchers, engineers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs in driving meaningful innovation.
• 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: Ensuring that sport innovation is not only commercially successful, but also accessible and impactful within resource-limited settings.

Thank you to RC&I for hosting the event and to all the panellists who contributed to the discussion on the future of African sport innovation as we move towards 2035. 🚀

#WorldIPDay #SportInnovation #FrugalInnovation #BiomedicalEngineering #IPAndSports #UCTMedTech #ResearchTranslation

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza

[UCT MedTech @UCTMedTech]

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐉𝐨𝐞𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥

Joel Philpott, Senior Technical Officer and Founder of Khaya HealthTech, was invited to a panel discussion for the Post Grad Day.

Titled: 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦: 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. With Sincengile Ntshingila (MBA, PhD) and JV Fletcher. The panel discussed everything from navigating the funding gap and managing shifting power dynamics to how postgraduate research evolves into market-ready innovation. Those were just some of the key questions the panel tackled as they shared their experiences in the start-up world.

Well done, Joel, for joining a panel to inspire and answer questions for those interested in going further in these studies.

Photo Credit: Kekeletso T.

#UCTMedTech
#FrugalInnovation
#ResearchToMarket
#Entrepreneurship
#PostgradLife

@SudeshSivarasu
@UCT_news
@NRF_News
@UCTHealthSci
@dstigovza