Prof Paul van Helden receives NSTF award

MAY 2005

The CBTBR scooped another award at the 2004 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Awards gala dinner at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park on Friday 27 May, 2005. Prof Paul van Helden, Director of the CBTBR, was awarded the winner in the Category B: Through research and its outputs over the last five years or less. "His ground-breaking and internationally acclaimed contribution to understanding the dynamics of TB in SA's high-incidence society has considerably advanced molecular biology/biotechnology in South Africa and assisted in laying the foundation for the establishment of one of the DST/NRF Centres of Excellence in Biomedical TB Research."

Picture: Courtesy of NSTF

The Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena, presented the award that recognises and celebrates individuals and organisations for outstanding contributions in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). Prof van Helden says that he credits his success to the excellent team of researchers that he has had the pleasure and good fortune to work with over the years and to the support he has received from various funding agencies, particularly the MRC and GlaxoSmithKline in the past, and more recently the NRF. "Success is not me, but we" he said at the function. He is particularly gratified to have been given this award, as it means much to the ongoing stability and recognition of the University, as well as the research and researchers in the department and Centres in which he and co-workers function.

More information on this prestigious award (taken from the NSTF-website):

Category B: Through research and its outputs over the last five years or less

Prof Paul D van Helden - Co-Director, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Biomedical TB Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch

Contribution: For his ground-breaking contribution to understanding the dynamics of TB in SA's high-incidence society. His internationally acclaimed work has considerably advanced molecular biology/biotechnology in South Africa and assisted in laying the foundation for the establishment in 2004 of one of SA's first DST/NRF Centres of Excellence. He has challenged prevailing dogmas as he and his colleagues established a unique research system involving community clinics, clinicians and laboratory molecular biologists. He has initiated major new directions of TB research, obtained necessary funding, found local and international collaborators, co-ordinated and managed the projects - all in the interests of finding new tools to diagnose, treat and prevent one of the world's most devastating diseases. A programme of basic research has been initiated to understand the mechanisms of drug resistance; to measure the extent of the problem; to challenge all the existing dogma and to re-examine fundamentals; to introduce rapid diagnostics; and to assess whether drug-resistant TB cases are from acquisition of resistance or transmission. He has shown that SA has the highest proportion of recently-transmitted TB in the world; that the incidence in the Western Cape is uniquely high in the absence of HIV; that re-activation is not as high as previously thought; that multiple infection has been shown to be not that uncommon and that drug resistance can be identified with a few simple tests which can then inform treatment. The technology can now identify micro-epidemics as they occur and the results are beginning to be shown.