The week Professor Keertan Dheda accepted his Alan Pifer Award was a busy one. He had just returned from out-of-town research site visits and on the day of the award ceremony, he was on call at Groote Schuur Hospital’s ICU. He arrived at the event having just submitted a lengthy NIH funding proposal – having made the deadline with less than a minute to spare. Despite his demanding responsibilities, he stepped away to address attendees of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) annual Research Celebration held on 4 December 2024. It was here that he reflected on the decades of impactful clinical research that earned him this prestigious recognition.

Addressing the audience at the UCT’s Neuroscience Institute, Professor Dheda humbly deflected individual praise during his acceptance speech. Instead crediting the award to the collective efforts of his dedicated team, all united by a single mission: reducing the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in vulnerable communities.

“I have to emphasise that I am a figurehead representing a very large group of people and much of the credit and hard work must be attributed to them rather than myself,” he said.

The Alan Pifer award is a prestigious prize, awarded annually by the vice-chancellor, to honour exceptional research dedicated to advancing societal welfare. Created in memory of Alan Pifer, a renowned philanthropist and former president of the Carnegie Corporation, the award celebrates his enduring legacy. Pifer dedicated his career to championing social justice and uplifting historically marginalised communities, with a strong focus on advocating for women's rights.

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