Stellenbosch University (SU) has officially opened the most advanced and largest teaching centre in Africa for medical morphology. The Medical Morphology Learning Centre (MMLC) is a state-of-the-art facility located on SU’s Tygerberg campus, in Cape Town, as part of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

“With the MMLC, we’ve reimagined health science education, changing learning from a passive exercise into an interactive immersive journey,” explained SU Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Vice-Dean: Learning and Teaching Professor Karin Baatjes. “This cutting-edge training facility uses the latest technology to transform how students connect with the complexity of the human body.”

The centre is equipped with virtual reality and augmented reality systems, which allow students to carry out virtual dissections, examine internal systems from many perspectives and undertake real-time manipulation of anatomical structures. The MMLC also has advanced 3D printers to make touchable models for use in surgical planning and health sciences education, and interactive touch tables which allow anatomical exploration in three dimensions.

“By integrating the latest technology, we’ve made learning active and intuitive,” highlighted SU Health Professions Education Department Digital Education and Innovation lead Professor Simone Titus-Dawson. “Students can explore anatomy in multi-dimensional spaces, reinforcing clinical relevance and improving retention.”

The MMLC also retains traditional anatomical resources. Thus, it has more than 1 300 human specimens (ethically sourced) displaying both normal and pathological morphologies, as well as high-quality microscopes and curated collections of histology slides (for detailed examination of tissues). It blends these traditional resources with the new technologies.

“The centre positions us to create future-ready health professionals who can navigate both traditional medical knowledge and emerging technologies, ensuring they’re equipped for tomorrow’s healthcare challenges and opportunities,” affirmed Baatjes.

“The MMLC [also] serves as a collaborative hub where health sciences professionals, researchers, clinicians, and educators converge,” pointed out Immunology Division head Professor Gerhard Walzl. “It stimulates interdisciplinary collaboration while advancing medical research and clinical practice.”