Life-science and clinical research company Thermo Fisher Scientific, Department of Health entity the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) on July 16 launched the Centre for Advanced Training and Innovative Research (CATIR) in Pretoria, with the opening marked with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

CATIR is a dedicated training facility aimed at advancing molecular science and laboratory management to further enhance essential scientific skills in-country, supporting future pandemic preparedness and local health system resilience.

It will provide hands-on molecular technique training, focusing on technology and applications, in addition to laboratory management and personal development skills for students.

This approach is expected to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application, equipping future scientists with the skills to lead research and healthcare advancements relevant to local needs.

The centre is located at the SAMRC’s facilities in Pretoria.

“This is a first-of-its-kind centre in Africa, where we will be training graduates from universities in molecular science, from basic molecular up to state-of-the-art next-generation sequencing,” Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa and Middle East senior director Marcin Kouri explained, speaking to Engineering News on the sidelines of the launch.

During the pandemic, it was realised that testing was centralised in main laboratories, and the centre aims to enable and train people to undertake this outside of these, Kouri mentioned.

Moreover, he said that, with the drive to localise manufacturing for vaccines and pharmaceuticals, there was a need to prepare the next generation of scientists that would feed into this, and multiple other industries.

“The centre could be, in the near future, an incubator for innovators, and we are in discussions on how to do this,” Kouri informed.

The centre is largely complete, with a few outstanding pieces of equipment still being shipped over; and processes underway to bring in the first set of 20 students, slated for October or November.

This first cohort of students are expected to be trained before the end of the year and have been recruited from three universities in South Africa, all of which focus on providing education for underserved communities – the University of Venda, University of Limpopo and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University.

This aligns with the aim of the centre to cater to previously disadvantaged communities and to make the industry more accessible.

Training will be provided free of charge, with a funding programme agreed between the entities.

Kouri added that the centre would provide holistic training on laboratory processes, techniques and technologies. The aim was to address the issues of many scientists and graduates not having access to new technology.

Once fully operational, the centre will have the capacity to train up to 160 students a year, with courses lasting five weeks.

The centre was lauded as a successful example of public-private partnership. It has been created and funded through collaborative efforts of Thermo Fisher, the SAMRC and the DSTI

Kouri said that the idea was initiated in 2023, when Thermo Fischer Scientific liaised with the other two entities to discern how it could contribute as the private sector to the development of skills and to the country’s National Health Masterplan, and fleshed out the responsibilities of each stakeholder.

As part of a memorandum of agreement signed on June 10, 2023, Thermo Fisher and the SAMRC will provide and endorse the training programmes.

The former will also offer students hands-on access to a variety of its products, instruments and services to help them develop new expertise and specialised skills, supplementing their existing academic curriculums.

“The development of the CATIR reflects the SAMRC’s belief in the value of investing in the infrastructure and expertise that will help our country address local gaps in critical areas of science.

“The Covid-19 pandemic taught us that we needed to do more to build skills in clinical and molecular testing to improve the resilience of our health system against the diseases of today and tomorrow. The opening of this important new educational facility is a landmark moment in our journey to achieving this important goal,” said SAMRC CEO Professor Ntobeko Ntusi.

“The opening of the CATIR demonstrates the importance of public-private partnerships in helping to build a more resilient health system in South Africa and underpins our mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.

“Alongside the SAMRC, we are proud to be investing our time, resources and knowledge into this important new facility, to meet our shared goal of building locally relevant capabilities and expertise amongst the next generation of South Africa’s scientists,” said Thermo Fisher Scientific EMEA president Urmi Prasad Richardson.

Kouri also informed that there were plans and ambitions to duplicate this initiative in other places in Africa.