Work begins on UCT neuroscience centre

WORK has started on a stateof-the-art Neuroscience Centre at Groote Schuur Hospital, where researchers and clinicians will work together to treat the brain and nervous system disorders that burden the South African population.

The centre will be a hub for neuro-clinical disciplines at Groote Schuur Hospital and UCT’s cutting-edge neuroscience research programme.

Outgoing UCT vice-chancellor Max Price said the institution invested in new interdisciplinary research institutes to address important problems facing society.

“The Neuroscience Institute is one of these – advancing medical care while helping to understand the human brain.

“Doing so in an African context gives us a unique opportunity to solve local problems, contribute to knowledge and build capacity in a fast-moving area of scholarship,” Price said. A R125-million fund-raising campaign for the centre was led by Neuroscience Institute director and head of surgery and neurosurgery at UCT Professor Graham Fieggen.

It was made possible through the support of Groote Schuur Hospital chief executive Dr Bhavna Patel, Price and generous financial contributions from the provincial health department, UCT alumni and philanthropic foundations.

“The Neuroscience Centre is built on clinical care, and academic research and teaching, through the Clinical Neuroscience Centre and the Neuroscience Institute respectively,” Fieggen said.

“We are fortunate to have tremendous strength in the areas of neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry and psychology, and now we have a unique opportunity to bring these and other specialties together to improve treatment and advance our understanding of the brain.”

An ideal site for the centre was identified in the J-block building at Groote Schuur Hospital, built in 1938 and home to several research and clinical facilities over the years.

Provincial Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said: “This is a big step towards improving health care for all in the Western Cape. I want to thank all the donors who made it possible for us to commence construction.”

The building will be expanded and refurbished to include highly specialised, multidisciplinary clinical services delivered by Groote Schuur Hospital.

The centre will also be home to the UCT Neuroscience Institute, housing academic departments of key neuroscience disciplines, a neurosurgical innovation and skills laboratory, a human tissues repository and attached laboratory, a state-of-the-art lecture theatre and other communal spaces, as well as direct access to the Cape University Body Imaging Centre.

‘Doing so in an African context gives us a unique opportunity’