SSM (Special Study Module) students are second year medical students at UCT. They spend 4 weeks in a Faculty of Health Sciences department with a project supervisor, and this forms part of the MB ChB degree.

The Purple Lab is a research lab and the students are introduced to basic chemistry principles, as well as spending time on the bench with a hands-on project. The project they worked on was entitled 'Low Alcohol Wines: The Science Uncorked', and Dr Dee Blackhurst was the project supervisor.