Transforming African Metabolic Health through Community-Centered Research
The BIOMET Africa Centre, hosted within the Department of Human Biology and Integrated Physiology at the Nelson Mandela University Medical School, is committed to advancing knowledge about metabolic disorders across Africa. Our interdisciplinary research focuses on understanding how communicable and non-communicable diseases, alongside unique epigenetic and genetic factors, impact metabolic health in African populations.
Overcoming Challenges to Biomedical Research in the Eastern Cape
In the Eastern Cape, where our work is focused, several critical challenges impact the advancement of metabolic healthcare. There is limited knowledge of the genetic and epigenetic factors that influence common metabolic diseases in southern Africa, and existing treatment strategies are often tailored to cost-effectiveness rather than the specific health outcomes of African populations.
Addressing the complex interactions between communicable and non-communicable diseases is essential in the region, yet high-powered translational research remains constrained by insufficient local infrastructure, with resources frequently outsourced to other regions. Additionally, limited training for early-career researchers in translational medicine and a funding preference for larger, established institutions restrict the growth of a sustainable, locally-driven research environment.
OUR APPROACH
Our vision is an Africa where all people living with metabolic disorders can access effective support and treatment. Our mission is to undertake molecular biomedical research to understand outcomes for people living with metabolic disorders and inform tailored diagnostics and treatments to improve their quality of life.
To achieve this, we adopt a transdisciplinary approach that focuses on three key priorities:
Innovative Research
We leverage cutting-edge methodologies and advanced biomedical technologies, applying insights into molecular disease drivers to develop innovative, accessible diagnostics and treatments tailored to Africa's unique healthcare challenges.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Our approach integrates expertise across biomedical science, clinical practice, public health, and community perspectives, ensuring solutions are comprehensive and rooted in real-world challenges.
Capacity Strengthening
Strengthening African-centered research capacity is a key priority. Through mentoring, curriculum development, and training, we empower the next generation of researchers and healthcare professionals to address local healthcare challenges.
Research Focus
Our research addresses comorbidities and non-communicable disease outcomes within vulnerable South African communities, focusing on the influence of the environment, genetics, and other endemic drivers. As chronic therapies for diseases like HIV and TB extend lifespans, the burden of metabolic disorders continues to grow, posing significant challenges to healthcare systems.
Genetics & Epigenetics in Metabolic Disorders
We investigate the genetic and epigenetic factors unique to African populations that influence metabolic disease outcomes. This understanding of underlying factors helps develop tailored diagnostics and for the region’s specific health challenges.
Intersection of Infectious & Metabolic Diseases
Many metabolic conditions are exacerbated by infectious diseases such as HIV, which disproportionately affect African populations. Our research examines how these infections interact with metabolic disorders, allowing us to design integrated care models that address both conditions effectively.
Current projects
Supported by NRF Rating funding and in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), this project explores tenofovir toxicity in adipocytes, kidney, and liver cells, with resveratrol as an intervention.