In 1981 Professor Tim Noakes, a newly appointed lecturer in Sports Science at the University of Cape Town, began his research with one bicycle, a small laboratory, one laboratory assistant and a wealth of innovation and initiative. The decision to introduce the academic training in sports science was taken in response to a need expressed by doctors, scientists and students for proficiency in the field of “sports medicine”. In particular there was a need for a more scientific approach to the maintenance of good health and success in sport. There were insufficient educational facilities to satisfy the South African demand in this field. A postgraduate sport science course started in 1982 with 13 students.
By 1989 the research had grown to such an extent that long‑term funding was secured from the Medical Research Council and the University of Cape Town. The Bioenergetics of Exercise Research Unit (BERU) was the only unit of its kind in the country.
Exercise Science and Biokinetics were separated in 1991 to better prepare science and physical education students for their respective careers. Sports Medicine and Sports Physiotherapy were started in 1990 and 1995, respectively, to allow physicians and physiotherapists to improve their specific knowledge of sporting injuries. An MPhil course in Biokinetics was established in 2011
In August, 1995 BERU moved into the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA) in Newlands. SSISA’s mission was to “optimise the sporting performance and health of all South Africans through the execution, application and dissemination of science”. Members of BERU contributed to SISSA’s mission by running a high performance laboratory and a medical practice. BERU staff were also involved in SISSA’s physiotherapy, biokinetics and dietetics practices and in the Wellness and Fitness Division. The Wellness and Fitness Division included the Healthy Weight, OptiFit Walk and Run, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and Reversal, Corporate Wellness, HealthNutz and Stress Management groups.
Professor Noakes retired at the end of 2014 and the Directorship of the Unit was taken over by Professors Estelle Lambert and Malcolm Collins. At the same time, the Unit became recognised as the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine within the Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences. The name was changed to the Division of Physiological Sciences In 2021 after the Department of Human Biology was restructured.
In 2018, the Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport (HPALS) was established as an accredited research entity at the University of Cape Town, under the directorship of Professor Estelle Victoria Lambert. The original vision of HPALS was to to optimize human performance and to promote health and well-being, addressing the growing pandemics of obesity and inactivity, reducing the burden of disease and injury, through physical activity and sports participation. We aimed to achieve these goals through transformative research, innovation, teaching, training and the provision and evaluation of clinical services, designing scalable, sustainable interventions and the application of technology.
In 2022, the HPALS Research Centre was re-accredited for 5 years with a broader mandate and scope, the revised mission of which included the aim to mitigate adverse health consequences of the syndemic of physical activity insecurity, obesity, malnutrition and sleep disparities.
Since the beginning of the course in 1981, 719 students have been trained (DSc=1, MD=3, PhD=104, MPhil(Sport and Exercise Medicine)=41, MPhil(Biokinetics)=14, MSc=80, Exercise Science Honours = 293, Biokinetics Honours =227). *this is from 2020 – needs to be updated for 2021