About the Division
The Division of Medical Virology is supported by the University of Cape Town and National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). It contributes to the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and eradication of viral diseases in South Africa through a diagnostic laboratory service together with a dynamic research and teaching programme.
The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) virology diagnostic laboratory provides a comprehensive service to Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross Children's Hospital, and is one of two referral laboratories for the province. It offers a wide repertoire of tests in the fields of viral serology and molecular diagnostics. The laboratory has a special interest in molecular diagnosis of human viral diseases and performs an extensive range of 'in-house' and commercial molecular assays. It is a registered training laboratory with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
The Division has a dynamic research and teaching programme. Its members are part of national and international programmes to discover effective biomedical approaches to prevent HIV acquisition. They have an interest in human papilloma virus research, and are developing novel diagnostic tools for some of the more neglected, but still clinically relevant, viral diseases that are common in Africa. The division also participates in the WHO human papillomavirus laboratory network (Labnet).
