50th Annual Research Symposium of the Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town

Contribution of the Cape Heart Institute

The Department of Medicine hosted its 50th Annual Research Symposium on 8–9 October 2025, under the theme “A Vision for the Future Built on Strong Foundations of the Past and Present”.  This milestone event brought together local students, clinicians, researchers, and international guests to reflect on five decades of medical research and envision its future. The Cape Heart Institute (CHI) played a significant role in the success of the event, contributing to both its organisation and its scientific content.
Dr Carmelita Abrahams served as Co-chair of the Organizing Committee, providing strategic leadership, while Ms Yandiswa Mabhude coordinated social media coverage, ensuring a strong digital engagement of this event. Several CHI academics were also involved in key aspects of the programme. Prof Karen Sliwa chaired an oral presentation session, Dr Shaazia Allie served as a judge for the poster presentations, and A/Prof Gasnat Shaboodien and Prof Dirk Blom served as judges for the Dragon’s Den Competition, where early-career researchers competed for a R50,000 research award.
 

CHI postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows delivered a range of high-quality oral presentations. Congratulations to Miss Caitlin-Joy Meyer who was awarded the second prize for best oral presentation in the Basic Science category with her talk titled The Long-Term Persistence of Group A Streptococcal Antibodies in a Rheumatic Heart Disease African Cohort. Dr Carmelita Bianca Abrahams presented on A Proteomic Approach to Characterize HDL Particle Alterations Associated with Cancer-Therapy Related Cardiotoxicity. Dr Julia Hahnle shared findings from The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II) study: Aetiology, Acute Management and In-Hospital Outcome. Dr Timothy F. Spracklen presented on Results of Genetic Testing in Congenital Heart Disease Patients from Southern Africa.
The symposium also featured a series of impactful keynote lectures, many delivered by CHI academics and leaders and we congratulate Prof Liesl Zühlke, principal investigator at the CHI, for her presentation on Current National Perspectives and Future Research Directions: An SAMRC Perspective.
CHI’s active participation highlighted its dedication to research excellence, collaboration, and the development of future scientific leaders.