It is with great pride that I congratulate fellow colleagues who have been recognised for their outstanding scientific achievements by the Medical Research Council of South Africa (MRC). The announcement was made at the 2014 MRC Merit Awards dinner last night. These awards are among South Africa’s most prestigious. The MRC announced 13 awards.

Both Platinum Medals conferred for lifetime achievement went to the Faculty: Gregory Hussey, Professor in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Director of VACFA, former Director of the IDM and Founding Director of SATVI; and Robin Wood, Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre (DTHC).

We also received three of the six Silver Medals for recent post-doctoral researchers who have made substantial scientific contributions, or who have made substantial contributions to capacity building in medical research in South Africa: Tom Scriba, Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Deputy Director: Immunology of SATVI; Helen McIlleron, Associate Professor in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology; and Grant Theron, Senior Scientist in the Lung Infection and Immunity Unit in the Department of Medicine.

Significantly, all except Grant Theron, are Members of the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM). These awards bear testament to the excellent science being conducted in the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), which from 2-4 November, will host a symposium, 'Driving Research for Human Health in Africa' to celebrate ten years of outstanding growth and contribution to health research.

The IDM is UCT's most prestigious research grouping, and will use the opportunity of its tenth anniversary to look back on the major achievements of senior IDM members, and look forward through the lens of the next-generation IDM researchers.

This is indeed wonderful start to a celebratory symposium.

Regards

Wim de Villiers