New Unit Supercharges Healthcare Research Across Africa
New AI Research Unit Launches in South Africa to Boost African Healthcare
What Is This New Unit All About?
Imagine a team of smart scientists and doctors working together to teach computers how to spot diseases earlier and treat people better—using data from African people, for African people. That is exactly what the brand-new South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) / University of Cape Town (UCT) AI for African Population Health Unit is setting out to do.
Key Takeaway
This unit is one of seven new research hubs launched by the SAMRC on 28 July 2026. Two of those seven are based at UCT, and this AI unit is one of them.
Who Is Leading the Charge?
Professor Nicola Mulder is the director of the new unit. She is a world-class expert in bioinformatics—a fancy word for using computers to understand biological data. Her background includes:
- A PhD in Medical Microbiology (studying tiny organisms that cause disease)
- Years of experience at the European Bioinformatics Institute
- Over a decade leading pan-African projects that teach data-science skills across the continent
- Running DS-I Africa, an open data-science platform for African health challenges
She works alongside two mid-career stars: Dr Musalula Sinkala and Dr Hocine Bendou, who both apply data science to biomedical research.
Why Does Africa Need Its Own AI Health Tools?
Most AI health tools today are built using data from Europe or North America. But African populations have unique genetic diversity, disease patterns, and healthcare settings. If we only use foreign data, the tools might miss important clues or give wrong advice for African patients.
Important Point
African data matters. This unit will train its AI models on local biomedical and clinical datasets so the results actually work for people in South Africa and across the continent.
What Health Problems Will It Tackle?
The unit focuses on two big groups of diseases:
1. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
These are not passed from person to person.
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular (heart & blood-vessel) diseases
2. Infectious Diseases
These spread between people.
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- HIV
- Malaria
The goal: earlier detection, better diagnosis, smarter risk assessment, and personalized treatment for each patient.
How Will They Do It? (Step-by-Step)
- Collect diverse African health data (clinical records, lab results, imaging, genetics, etc.)
- Clean and organize the data so computers can understand it
- Train AI / Machine Learning models on this African data
- Test the tools in real clinics and hospitals
- Build a framework so other researchers can safely plug in their own data
- Share findings openly so the whole continent benefits
Training the Next Generation
It’s not just about algorithms—it’s about people. The unit will:
- Train postgraduate students in interdisciplinary skills (biology + coding + ethics)
- Focus on previously disadvantaged students to build a more representative scientific workforce
- Teach AI ethics so tools are fair, transparent, and respect privacy
Why UCT? Why Now?
UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) and the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) are already powerhouses:
- Strong connections with clinicians and biomedical researchers
- Access to high-performance computing needed for heavy AI workloads
- Track record of excellent scientific publications
Professor Mulder puts it simply:
“We take biological data, pass it through some computational tools, and produce knowledge to better understand how and why we get diseases and what to do about it.”
What Leaders Are Saying
| Person | Role | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Prof Liesl Zühlke | VP of Extramural Research, SAMRC | “The unit represents an exciting step forward in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to improve health outcomes across South Africa and Africa.” |
| Prof Nicola Mulder | Unit Director | “The field of AI for health is progressing rapidly and we are excited to be part of and contributing to it in Africa.” |
The Bigger Picture: SAMRC’s Extramural Research Units (EMUs)
- 30 EMUs now exist across South Africa
- They are external research divisions funded by SAMRC but hosted by universities, medical schools, and science councils
- Each EMU tackles a strategic health priority for the nation
This new AI unit joins that network, adding cutting-edge data science to the mix.
Summary
- New Unit: SAMRC/UCT AI for African Population Health Unit
- Leader: Prof Nicola Mulder (bioinformatics & capacity-building expert)
- Mission: Build AI tools trained on African data to fight NCDs & infectious diseases
- Extras: Trains diverse students, embeds ethics, collaborates across UCT’s top health institutes
- Launch: 28 July 2026 (one of 7 new EMUs, 2 at UCT)
- Vision: A new generation of African researchers using AI to solve African health challenges
FAQ
1. What is an Extramural Research Unit (EMU)?
An EMU is a research team funded by the SAMRC but based at a university or institute outside the SAMRC itself. It lets the council tap into the best minds across the country.
2. Why can’t we just use AI models built in the USA or Europe?
Those models learn from data that mostly represents people of European ancestry. African genetics, environments, and disease patterns are different, so the models can be inaccurate or biased for African patients.
3. What does “multimodal data” mean?
It means combining different types of data—like blood-test results, X-ray images, genetic sequences, and patient history—so the AI gets a fuller picture of health.
4. How will students benefit?
Postgraduates get hands-on training in data science, machine learning, bioethics, and clinical collaboration—skills that are in huge demand globally.
5. Where can I see the other six new units?
The SAMRC published the full list here: SAMRC Press Release – Seven New Research Units
Final Thought
By putting African data at the center and growing African talent, this unit aims to make sure the AI revolution in healthcare leaves no continent behind.