Faculty of Health Sciences Research

Welcome to the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Health Sciences Research

Researchers at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria (UP), are dedicated to contributing to global health issues by focussing on Africa. Many of Africa’s healthcare challenges are closely linked to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals are interconnected and the success of these are based on inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary research-driven solutions to address it. The faculty contributes through collaborative research networks to the achievement of a number of the SDGs but in large conducts research aimed at the achievement of SDG3 focussed on Good health and well-being.

Our researchers, hosted in various research entities, conduct basic, clinical and translational research reflecting a diversity of research that contributes to health knowledge and interventions in South Africa, Africa and globally, from stem cells to community health promotion. Three research institutes, namely, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UP Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute pool clusters of sub-disciplines throughout the University Pretoria together to produce cutting edge research contributing significantly to the advancement of new knowledge in the Life, Medical and Clinical Sciences. We are host to research centres focussed on research in the areas of Forensic Anthropology, Viral Zoonosis and Neuroendocrinology, Ethics and Philosophy of Health Sciences, as well as research units on Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies, Community Orientated Primary Care and Environmental Chemical Pollution and Health. New therapies are tested in a Clinical Trials Unit and the Rand Water Chair in Public Health and Water explores microbial and chemical pollution.

The Faculty of Health Sciences is also a partner in three University Institutional Research Themes in Food, Nutrition and Well-being; the Management of Animal and Zoonotic Diseases; and in Genomics. The hallmark of our research remains its focus on health and health-care challenges facing South Africa and Africa, from laboratory based cutting edge science to finding solutions to health-care burdens.

The University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Health Sciences is committed to increasing its research contribution to society, building on its unique identity, strengths and relevance within the University’s vision of being a leading research-intensive university in Africa, recognised internationally for its quality, relevance and impact, and also for developing people, creating knowledge and making a difference locally and globally.

View the Postgraduate Research Roadmap

Prof C (Tiaan) de Jager
Dean
Faculty of Health Sciences