Research suggests a formal course in mindfulness could be a potential gamechanger for the mental health for medical students and people working in the health professions. Professor Elize Archer, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Professions Education (DHPE), and Dr Nabeela Kajee, an alumna of the FMHS, recently concluded the META Research Study on mindfulness at the FMHS. The study found a moderate impact of mindfulness training on burnout in medical students.

In 1995, Dr Scarpa Schoeman was an excited first-year medical student at Stellenbosch University. Now, three decades later, he has returned to head the medical undergraduate programme at his alma mater. Schoeman’s academic career provides him with a solid background for his current role and is the logical outcome of a decision he made quite early on to focus on Medical Education.

Dr Olivia Matshabane is one of the recipients of the 2025 International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) Rising Star Awards. The award will help expand her team’s work at the intersection of neuroscience and neuroethics. The IBRO Rising Star Awards aim to build impactful, long-term research at local and global levels by offering start up funds to early-career neuroscientists transitioning into independent research roles.

Some achievements in life require the observer to pause, reflect, and then express profound appreciation. Florence de Vries’ PhD in Philosophy (Journalism), that interrogates how journalism shapes mental health narratives in South Africa, falls in this category. Congratulations, Florence. What you have accomplished is remarkable—not only because you completed a doctorate, but because of how you did it, and what you carried with you along the way.

Joy, generosity and community spirit were the hallmarks of the inaugural Birthday4Bursaries (B4B) Party. The event aimed to raise both funds and awareness for the B4B initiative, which supports the Ithemba Bursary Fund. The highlight of the day came when the Tygerberg Student Representative Council announced an extraordinary pledge of R50,000 towards the campaign.

Psychotic disorders remain under-researched and under-resourced across Africa. The recent inaugural meeting of the Africa Psychosis Research Network (APRN) aims to change this. The APRN aims to work towards a shared vision for psychosis research on the continent that is collaborative, sustainable and impactful.

The VALIDATE Network has reached a significant milestone, welcoming its 1000th member. The organisation focuses on three groups of neglected yet significant pathogens: Mycobacteria, Leishmania spp. and Burkholderia pseudomallei. This international research network, based at the University of Oxford and Stellenbosch University, is directed by Stellenbosch University Professor of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics Samantha Sampson.

Seventy years ago, Stellenbosch University brought about a vision to create a place where the advancement of human health became the foundation on which teaching and learning in service of society was built. In the years since, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences has continued to grow, evolve and inspire healthcare leaders both in South Africa, on the African continent and worldwide. Today we mark those 70 years with a year-long celebration of what has come before and what is yet to come.

Prof Novel Chegou has been elected as a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS). The peer review process takes into account excellence in publications, innovations, leadership roles and contributions to policy and society. Chegou is currently mainly doing research that aims to discover and validate biomarkers that may be developed further into tools to manage tuberculosis.

Cot deaths, or sudden infant death syndrome, are tragic and often lack a clear medical explanation. Findings from the Safe Passage Study shed new light on this syndrome by highlighting the key role of abnormalities in brainstem serotonin in SIDS cases. The study highlights a strong link to maternal and prenatal stress in high-risk populations.