Research

  • Research

– The department is continuously involved in supervision of research projects for all its MMed candidates, mainly registrars. Additionally, individual consultants are encouraged to conduct their own self-initiated research projects.

 

 Some of the key ongoing projects are:

  • CESTA – Cervical cancer Screening and Treatment Algorithim study. This is a WHO funded multicentre (SA and Senegal) randomised controlled study which looks at screening for cervical cancer using HPV and alternative methods of treatment for preinvasive lesions of the cervix by using cryotherapy or thermal ablation instead of LLETZ in HIV infected women. Principal investigator – Prof H.M. Sebitloane
  • PrEP study – This is a non-inferiority open-label randomized controlled trial in a study population with a relatively high background of adverse pregnancy outcomes and neonatal morbidity and mortality to determine if TDF/FTC when used by HIV uninfected women during pregnancy and lactation does /does not contribute to a higher rate of adverse pregnancy outcomes or maternal and infant adverse events when compared to HIV uninfected pregnant women who do not receive PrEP in South Africa. Principal investigator – Prof Daya Moodley
  • Preeclampsia study – Randomized intervention trial to determine the clinical effectiveness of using the ratio of antiangiogenic and angiogenic factors sFlt-1 and PLGF for triage of African patients with suspected preeclampsia. The outcome of this study is to provide guidance to the use of the tests in clinical practice in the South African context. Principal investigator – Dr I.E. Bhorat