Research Overview
The Faculty of Health Sciences research enterprise aims to advance and encourage excellent research, in the context of the vision and mission of the Faculty and of the University of Cape Town. We lead research programmes that are innovative, relevant and transformative, train researchers of the future, and provide advice to health organisations around the world, with a view to enhancing individual, community and population health in South Africa and beyond.

Research facts and figures
Subject |
Rank |
Ranking Organisation |
Infectious Diseases | 24 in the world | US News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings for Subjects 2024-2025 |
Sports Science Schools and Departments | 25 in the world | Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments 2023 |
Public health | 36 in the world | Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023 |
Public, Environment and Occupational Health | 44 in the world | US News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings for Subjects 2024-2025 |
Immunology | 51 in the world | US News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings for Subjects 2024-2025 |
Neuroscience and behaviour | 86 in the world | US News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings for Subjects 2024-2025 |
Medicine | 89 in the world | Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2024 |
Name | Department |
Professor Keertan Dheda | Medicine |
Professor Lucy Gilson | Public Health |
Professor Gary Maartens | Clinical Pharmacology |
Professor Valerie Mizrahi | Institute of Infectious Disease & Molecular Medicine |
Professor Dan Stein | Psychiatry and Mental Health |
Professor Ed Sturrock | Integrative Biomedical Sciences |
Professor Robert Wilkinson | Medicine |
Professor Heather Zar | Paediatrics and Child Health |
Professor Linda-Gail Bekker | Medicine |
Name | Department |
Prof Nonhlanhla Khumalo | Dermatology and Toxicology |
Prof Aqiel Dalvie | Bilateral Chair: Environmental health |
Professor Sudesh Sivarasu | Biomedical Engineering and Innovation |
Professor Keertan Dheda | SARChI Chair in Interuppting Antimicrobial Resistance Amplification (SINARA) |
Name | Year | Order |
Professor Lynette Denny | 2021 | Order of Baobab (Silver Category) |
Professor Wieland Gevers (retired) | 2008 | Order of Mapangubwe (Silver Category) |
Professor Tim Noakes | 2008 | Order of Mapangubwe (Silver Category) |
Professor Raymond "Bill" Hoffenberg (Posthumous) | 2008 | Order of Baobab (Silver Category) |
Professor Claire Penn (alumna) | 2007 | Order of Mapangubwe (Silver Category) |
Professor Valerie Mizrahi | 2007 | Order of Mapangubwe (Silver Category) |
Professor Lionel Opie | 2006 | Order of Mapangubwe (Silver Category) |
Dr Ivan Toms | 2006 | Order of the Baobab (Silver Category) |
Professor Allan Cormack | 2002 | Order of Mapangubwe (Gold Category) |
Dr Stuart Saunders | 2002 | Order of Baobab (Silver Category) |
Professor Francis Ames (alumnus) | 1999 | The Order of the Star of South Africa (Category III Member) |
Our researchers are highly collaborative internationally and locally, and work closely with our partners on the health service platform of the Western Cape. The Faculty's research enterprise spans basic, clinical, public health and the allied health sciences, and houses many world-leading groups. Our researchers work across more than 30 University Research Committee accredited groupings as well as many additional research entities and initiatives. Their research is enabled through a range of support services, facilities and committees, and with pump-priming support from internal University and Faculty award schemes.
Our researchers proactively secure funding for their research through competitive grant opportunities from local and foreign agencies. They attract over 1000 research contracts a year, with the majority of our research funding from international sources. This contributes to the development of early-career researchers, with the Faculty being home to over 100 postdoctoral fellows and over 2500 postgraduate students each year. Our Health Sciences researchers disseminate their findings internationally, and together produce an average of around five peer-reviewed publications per day. The Faculty is committed to partnering with our supporters and our communities to advance health through research that is both excellent and relevant.