The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) held its 11th scientific merit awards in February 2025 to honour some of the best scientific minds in health Research. Professor Sandrine Lecour of UCT’s Department of Medicine and the Deputy Director of the Cape Heart Institute, was awarded a Gold medal.

Gold medals are reserved for accomplished senior scientists who have made seminal contributions that had a profound impact on the health of people, particularly those residing in developing nations.

Professor Lecour’s work is dedicated to advancing the understanding of heart disease and pioneering new therapeutic strategies.

Her research led to the discovery of the Survivor Activating Factor Enhancement pathway, a key survival signalling cascade that is activated by the immune system to protect cardiac cells from ischemic injury. This discovery has had profound implications, showing how the body’s own defence mechanisms can be harnessed to protect not only the heart but also other organs like the brain, liver, and kidneys.

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Professor Lecour’s current work focuses on how various cardiovascular risk factors—such as cancer, cancer drugs, HIV, and obesity—may compromise the activation of the SAFE pathway, offering new insights into personalised treatments for cardiovascular diseases.

A leader in her field, Professor Lecour founded and presided over the South African Society for Cardiovascular Research, and she remains an influential voice in the European Society of Cardiology. Her excellence in research is recognised globally, with honours including the Walter Zellidja Award from the French Academy, the Claude Leon Foundation Merit Award, and the University of Cape Town Fellows Award. She is also an NRF B-rated scientist and a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology.

Her contributions have not only advanced scientific knowledge but have also opened new doors for future research and treatments.

*Video and text courtesy SAMRC