Extended deadline: 23 October 2023
 

The African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI) is a mental health research capacity building programme and consortium of six African universities whose overall goal is to build excellence in leadership, training, and science amongst African scholars in mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) research in Africa. AMARI-II aims to shift the centre of gravity in global mental health (GMH) by ensuring that African scientists become leaders in GMH research, training and implementation. Key focus will be on strengthening AMARI-II’s collective ability to introduce interventions that reduce the treatment gap for mental health conditions in Africa. The Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health (CPMH) invites applications from South African citizens or permanent residents for a 4-year full-time PhD fellowship.

Please read the call for application flyer here, and the application form here.

Interested applicants should complete the application form and contact Associate Professor Claire van der Westhuizen at claire.vanderwesthuizen@uct.ac.za or Ms Songelwa Mobo at songelwa.mobo@uct.ac.za should they have any questions.

Deadline: 31 October 2023 

This programme aims to broaden technology-related management skills in support of high-quality healthcare that is affordable, equitable and sustainable. Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) aims for optimal acquisition and utilization of healthcare technologies as part of efficient and cost-effective healthcare services. This Diploma creates a foundation to establish a new career path for a wide variety of healthcare professionals.

For more on the programme, please see the full programme document here.

For further information contact Dr. Lindie du Plessis at lindie.duplessis@uct.ac.za

The Master of Philosophy in Behavioural Medicine is a two-year part-time degree (NQF Level 9). The first of its kind in South Africa, the programme has a unique focus on psychiatric disorders, chronic conditions, and health, and is suited for both professionals and non-professionals from diverse backgrounds, including global health, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, psychiatry, and non-governmental organisations. The purpose of the programme is to provide advanced development and training in research at the intersection of psychiatric disorders and chronic conditions. The programme enables candidates to evaluate interventions and interpret research findings with a critical framework, and more importantly, builds professional capacity in how to develop, assess, and apply behavioural interventions that promote mental and physical health, and prevent, manage, and treat multimorbid health challenges faced by people in South Africa and beyond.

The programme will generate advanced contextual knowledge related to the role of psychosocial factors in health promotion, disease prevention and management. Crucially, the programme will develop research and intervention implementation skills informed by a biopsychosocial, patient-centred, evidence-based approach to the prevention and management of mental disorders and chronic conditions.

Please follow the link for application details.

You can read the full application call here.
 

The details below are from the Property and Services: Maintenance Services colleagues with minor adjustments for the Faculty of Health Sciences

I have a maintenance issue, what do I do?

• Complete the maintenance request on Archibus – (excluding Off Campus sites) (Guide attached)
• Email maintain@uct.ac.za to log your request (Off Campus sites)
• Your request for building or equipment maintenance will be:

• • logged immediately and an Archibus notification number will be allocated and sent to you by email
  • progress on your request will be communicated to you via regular email updates

• Once logged, the maintenance request is prioritised by the area maintenance manager or his/her staff.
• Maintenance manager for the Faculty of Health Sciences

• • Maintenance Manager:
  • Matholi Hlophe Tel: +27 (0)21 650 5343

• Operations Manager for the Faculty of Health Sciences

• • Reece Brooks Tel: +27 (0)21 406  6638

I am unsure about a maintenance query or cost?

• Discuss your query with the relevant area maintenance manager or the Operations Manager: Reece Brooks before the work commences, otherwise the charges will be the responsibility of the department.
• Should your department/unit/division be located off campus please ensure that  you have reviewed the relevant lease agreement / Memorandum of Understanding or related agreement that confirms who is responsible for the maintenance cost of the query

I submitted a maintenance request form but have not received a notification number?

Contact the maintenance help desk on Tel: +27 (0)21 650 4321/2 or maintain@uct.ac.za with your query and a copy of your completed form that will be found in your sent items folder

I have a maintenance issue, what should I NOT do?

• Do not try to fix the problem yourself.
• Do not get an outside contractor to fix it for you. (This is in order to preserve the current infrastructure, maintain standards and specifications and also to comply with our health and safety standards.)
• Do not report it directly to third-party providers such as Firespec, Metro, Fedics, Supercare or G4S as they cannot assist in this regard.
• Any problems with an appointed out-tasked contractor should be brought to the attention of Properties and Services through the relevant area maintenance manager or the Director: Maintenance and Operations and not directly with the contractor. This is to ensure that the problem can go through the necessary channels and be dealt with swiftly.

Why has a job that was logged after mine been given priority?

• Emergencies take priority. Longer-term maintenance is dependent on the nature of the issue and funding.

The maintenance is at GSH – what forms should be completed ?

·         Complete the attached GSH Permit Request Form.

Can I undertake my own maintenance, alterations or improvements?

The short answer is no. But please read further to understand why not.

• Only the P&S's Projects and Capital Works or Maintenance and Operations units are authorised to perform building maintenance, alterations or improvements. Any work done by faculties and departments or their appointed contractors that involves the alterations of a campus building must be done with the full knowledge and approval of Properties and Services to ensure that all national building regulations, local and municipal bylaws are met and that university standards are maintained.
• At the meeting of 8th May 2002, University Council reaffirmed as policy that the Properties and Services Department is responsible and accountable for all building operations on university-owned and -managed property; is authorised and allowed to control any and all building operations on university-owned or -managed premises; may halt and make good, instances of building operations where no authority exists; and must take action where such unauthorised building operations are found.

Cost services

• hanging or relocating picture frames, white boards and notice boards in staff offices (unless specifically centrally funded by the university)
• repairs and painting of walls due to the relocation of items on the wall
• new and replacement keys as well as re-keying of locks
• new signage or ad hoc signage changes (not part of a capital expenditure programme)
• moving and disposal of equipment or furniture
• set-up activities for ad hoc special events, such as table and chair set-up, hanging of banners, electrical support, etc not negotiated with the relevant area maintenance area at least 5 working days prior to the event
• window treatments, such as tinting, blinds or curtains in staff offices
• maintenance or installation of departmental-owned equipment, such as desk lamps, fans, equipment etc
• paint requests involving accent walls or common areas that are less than 7 years old
• new or redesigned air conditioning equipment that fall outside of the asset register or capital expenditure programme
• all building alterations or improvements that fall outside fall outside of the capital expenditure programme
• carpet replacement other than for safety reasons or that fall outside fall outside of the asset register or capital expenditure programme
• furniture fabrication and care (unless specifically centrally funded by the university)
• wood floor care (unless specifically funded by the university)
• requests for additional electrical plug sockets
• requests for additional light fittings or light switches other than for safety reasons
• requests for electrical plug sockets or light fittings to be provided with standby electrical power
• servicing and calibration of laminar flow hoods or bio-safety cabinets (unless specifically centrally funded by the university).

No-cost services

• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems (repair and maintenance of existing):
• air handling systems
• chiller systems
• cold room systems
• cooling tower systems
• filter replacement
• water treatment
• fans, pumps, sensors, building management system (BMS) controls, field devices and so forth
• steam boilers.
• Electrical systems:
• electrical power distribution systems
• 11 kV/400 V substations and transformers
• emergency lighting
• lamp and bulb replacement
• standby generators
• controls for outside lighting.
• Plumbing systems:
• domestic cold water distribution systems
• sprinkler systems, roof drain systems
• stormwater drain systems
• waste water drain systems
• hot water systems
• earth dam, pump stations and reservoirs
• statutory compliance requirements associated with fire hydrants, emergency shower testing, etc.
• General maintenance systems
• ceiling repairs, door repairs, hardware repairs, floor covering repairs, glass replacement and window repairs, graffiti removal and so forth
• scheduled painting in common areas and exterior of buildings, stairs and handrail repairs, wall repairs, roof repairs including gutters, gargoyles and downpipes, walkway repairs, sealing of windows and buildings, exterior furniture repair and so forth
• fire extinguisher maintenance.
• Kitchen maintenance
• maintenance of kitchen equipment that is found in our residence catering kitchens.
• Central and planned maintenance services
• all passenger and goods lift statutory servicing, repairs and preventative maintenance
• all hoists statutory servicing, repairs and preventative maintenance
• all fixed fume cupboards servicing, repairs, and preventative maintenance
• all pressurised vessels and boilers statutory servicing and repairs
• all fixed ladders, platforms, lifting equipment and gear statutory inspections, repairs and replacements
• pest control (excluding specific requests for off schedule services).

Deadline: 16 November 2023

The Wellcome Trust Career Development Award scheme is soliciting applications, that will deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health, and wellbeing, from mid-career researchers who have the potential to be international research leaders. Grants are available for up to eight years and applicants may request salary (if required) and the resources required for their research programme.

Please find the full fellowship call here.

Please complete this FHS intention-to-submit form by 29 September if you intend applying for this call. Please note that completion of this form is for the purposes of internal support and tracking, it is not linked to funder application processes and does not commit you to applying to this opportunity.

Deadline: 05 October 023

The Wellcome Trust Early-Career Award scheme is soliciting applications from early-career researchers that will deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health, and wellbeing. Grants are available for up to five years and applicants may request salary and up to £400,000 for research expenses.

Please find the full fellowship call here.

Please complete this FHS intention-to-submit form by 24 August if you intend applying for this call. Please note that completion of this form is for the purposes of internal support and tracking, it is not linked to funder application processes and does not commit you to applying to this opportunity.

Deadline: 24 November 2023

We are pleased to announce the start of the 2024-2025 Mastercard Foundation scholarship recruitment for the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at the University of Toronto. This scholarship opportunity is open to recent alumni and graduating students at our Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative partner universities. These graduate scholarships will be awarded to those individuals who have demonstrated academic excellence in public health and health systems and a personal commitment to going back and giving back to their home countries at the completion of their degree.

We will offer 2 virtual information sessions for interested applicants. To register to attend a session, click link below:

• Wednesday, September 13th, 2023, at 8:00 am EST (Toronto time) https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MaKm26gaTrqA4j7xXdslWw
• Wednesday. September 27th, 2023, at 10:00 am EST (Toronto time) https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kDU-trjtQh6K4yINsaXWm

Please find the full scholarship call here.

Funder Deadline: 15 November 2023

The Spencer Foundation’s Research-Practice Partnership (RPP) Grants Programme is intended to support education research projects that engage in collaborative and participatory partnerships. Partnerships are viewed as an important approach to knowledge generation and the improvement of education. Over the long term, research conducted by RPPs should result in new insights into the processes, practices, and policies that improve education for learners, educators, families, communities, and institutions where learning and teaching happen (e.g., schools, universities, community centres, parks, museums, other workplaces).  
 
Eligibility:  
Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs are expected to have a doctorate in an academic discipline or professional field or demonstrated professional experience appropriate for this programme 
PIs and Co-PIs may only hold one active research grant from the Spencer Foundation at a time 
 
Award details:  
Total budget limited to $400 000  
Duration of up to three years  

Please find the full opportunity call here.

eRA proposal deadline: 30 October 2023

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages applications proposing innovative, collaborative research projects on global neuro-health including brain and other nervous system function and disorders throughout the lifespan, relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This includes, but is not limited to, neurological, neuromuscular, mental, cognitive, sensory, developmental, and behavioural disorders and spans the full range of science approaches from basic to clinical, translation and implementation research. These research programmes are expected to contribute to the long-term goals of building sustainable neuro-health research capacity and research in LMICs ultimately leading to diagnostics, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and implementation strategies (R01 Clinical trial optional; PAR-22-097). 
 
Application Due Date:  
 - General: 15 November 2023 
 - AIDS-related: 11 December 2023 
 
For more information, please read the full funding opportunity announcement here.

Deadline: 15 October 2023

The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) is looking to expand the pool of peer reviewers with mental health researchers who can bring diverse perspectives to the peer review process. The NIMH peer review process aims to ensure that grant applications submitted to the NIH are evaluated by scientific experts in a manner free from inappropriate influences. Peer reviewers provide feedback on the scientific merit of grant applications.

Successful applicants should:

• Have an academic and/or professional doctorate degree
• Have at least 1 year of experience at the instructor level or higher. Post-doctoral fellows might be considered if they have at least 5 years of relevant experience
• Be able to demonstrate evidence of an active research program through publications and funded research studies

In addition to serving the scientific community, there are many benefits to being a peer reviewer:

• Gain a better understanding of how applications are evaluated
• Learn what really impresses reviewers and apply that knowledge to your future applications
• Get the opportunity to network with eminent mental health researcher

How to Apply:

1. Click on the NIMH Peer Reviewer Registration Form to submit yor application.
2. Your information will be reviewed by staff at NIMH for eligibility to serve as a reviewer.
3. You will receive an email informing you of the outcome. For questions, please contact NIMH-ReviewerGroup@groups.nih.gov.

Deadline: 17 October 2023

Open source software is crucial to modern scientific research, advancing biology and medicine while providing reproducibility and transparency. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the Wellcome Trust (Wellcome), and The Kavli Foundation (Kavli) (“The Funders”) invites letters of intent (LOI) in support of open source software projects essential for biomedical research. This FOA supports software maintenance, growth, development, and community engagement for critical open source tools. The aim of the programme is to provide software projects with resources to support their tools and the communities behind them. Ideal applications will have previously demonstrated impact, currently show potential for continued improvement, and expect to deliver added value to the biomedical research community through the proposed activities.   
 
Award details:   
Funding between $50,000 USD and $200,000 USD total costs per year  
Awards will be for two years in duration  
  
Submission deadlines:   
Letter of Intent - 17 October 2023 
Full proposal deadline (if invited) - 5 December 2023 
 
Please read the full announcement here.

Computer lab booking requests for first semester, 2024, can now be made via the 2024 Health Sciences Computer Lab and Assessment Booking Requests form. 

The deadline is 13 October 2023. Assessment bookings take preference if received by the due date. Booking requests will be confirmed by 1 November 2023.

Confirmation of whether the booking request has been successful will be sent via email - please consider the booking as confirmed only once this email is received. In addition, read the response from the Lab Administrator carefully as to whether all or only some of your requests were accommodated. 

In 2024, we will be using ResourceBooker - please view your bookings in RB from 1 November 2023, and additional requests submitted after 13 October will need to be done in RB. These will be processed on a first come basis from 2 November 2022

Current Support Info from Centrally Bookable Venues

• Procedure to booking a centrally bookable venue: https://help.uct.ac.za/p-s/uct_venue_booking_procedure.pdf
• Centrally bookable venues policy: https://help.uct.ac.za/p-s/uct_venue_bookings_policy.pdf
• Resource Booker User guide: https://help.uct.ac.za/p-s/uct_resource_booker_user_guide.pdf

Healthlab Hours

• Monday – Friday: 07h00 – 21h30
• Saturday – Sunday: 08h30 -16h30
• Public holidays: 08h30 -16h30

​​Wolfson Hours

• Monday – Thursday: 08h30 – 17h45
• Friday: 08h30 – 16h30
• Weekends & Public Holidays – Closed

Deadline: 31 October 2023

The Cardiovascular Research Unit, in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, invites suitable candidates to apply for an M.Sc. or Ph.D. in Biomaterials.

Join us on a journey of developing the next-generation Transcatheter Aortic Valves for the people of Africa. These projects collaborate with a strong industry partner looking for young, eager scientific minds. The degree will comprise a research project and a dissertation.

Prospective students must be RSA citizens with a Science, Engineering, or Medicine background.

Very attractive bursaries and project funding are available.

Please get in touch with Anel Oosthuysen ( anel.oosthuysen@uct.ac.za ) for more information about the degree, or send an abridged CV to arrange an interview.

Deadline: 23 October 2023

Mathematical modelling is a valuable tool for informing policy-making and programmatic decision-making in the public health domain. Modelling can be applied to analyse key areas from disease burden estimation, to evaluating the potential impact of control interventions, to informing product development. Approaches to guide public health action led by local modelling units and co-created with decision-makers, bring an invaluable understanding of relevant local/regional context and questions, enabling higher impact.  
  
This funding opportunity seeks proposals for innovative, high-quality modelling projects that will address specific research questions whilst:  

• Increasing connectedness between African modelling institutes  
• Growing the African modelling ecosystem  
• Accelerating the translation of modelling outputs into meaningful policy and programmatic impact  

  
This opportunity is a collaboration between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Wellcome Trust (Wellcome). Awards will be made either by Wellcome or BMGF depending on the focus area and budgetary scale of the proposed work. At the application stage, all applicants will have to indicate whether their proposal is being made to Wellcome or BMGF.  
  
Wellcome Award : £3,000,000 for a project duration of 3-5 years  
BMGF Award : $1,000,000 for a project duration of 3- 5 years  

For further details, please read the full application call here.  

Deadline: 14 November 2023

This Mental Health Award will fund researchers to investigate the causal mechanisms through which brain, body and environment interact over time in the development, persistence and resolution of anxiety- and trauma-related disorders. Wellcome’s aim is to drive a transformative change in our ability to intervene as early as possible in the course of anxiety, depression and psychosis, in ways that reflect the priorities and needs of people who experience these problems.  

 To be eligible to apply, applicants must address at least one of the following two priorities: 

1. Research that considers multiple levels of explanation 
2. Research in low- and middle-income countries 

Award details:   
Grants are available for up to five years and applicants may request and up to £4 million.  
  
Deadlines: 
Preliminary application - 14 November 2023 
Full proposals (if invited) - 5 March 2024 

For further details, please read the full application call here.  

A new parking application process will be implemented at the Groote Schuur Hospital Estate for 2024/2025.

Please read the Final Parking Notice here.

The Research Development team invites FHS researchers to register for targeted funding announcements.

Please click here to subscribe to the mailing list.