𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 / 𝐍𝐑𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐡𝐈 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫! We are excited to release the 2025 UCT MedTech NRF SARChI Biomedical Engineering & Innovation (BMEI) Summer Newsletter. This edition celebrates a full year of progress, breakthroughs, and collective effort across research, training, and MedTech innovation. Our community continues to advance biomedical engineering and innovation through pioneering research, impactful technologies, strong clinical partnerships, and a commitment to developing talent for Africa’s health technology ecosystem. Inside the newsletter, you will find: • Awards and graduations showcasing excellence across our staff and students • New postdoctoral fellows and interns expanding our innovation capacity • Milestones in medical device design, digital health, and translational research • Progress across major programmes driven by the NRF SARChI BMEI Chair • Future directions shaping our work for 2026 and beyond This newsletter is a celebration of the shared commitment that drives UCT MedTech and the SARChI BMEI Chair. Thank you to everyone who contributed to an outstanding 2025. Your dedication strengthens the role of biomedical engineering and innovation in transforming healthcare. Read the full newsletter: drive.google.com/file/d/1J91… #UCTMedTech #Newsletter #YearInReview #BMERC #BiomedicalEngineering #Innovation #SARChI @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲... One licence. Five award nominations. Two new doctors. Countless stories of innovation. The 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 – 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝟐, 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝟏 arrives this Thursday. Inside, you'll discover international collaborations, student achievements, research breakthroughs, regulatory milestones, awards, and the people advancing biomedical engineering in South Africa and beyond. Designed here. Built here. Shared with the world. 👀 Watch this space. #UCTMedTech #BMERC #BiomedicalEngineering #MedTechAfrica #InnovationInHealthcare #ResearchExcellence @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬' 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂/𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 Following the annual Tania Samantha Douglas Scholarship Award ceremony, the family and friends of the late Professor Tania Douglas visited several departments, including UCT MedTech and the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (BMERC), to reflect on the lasting impact of her work and the legacy she left behind. During their visit to UCT MedTech, guests toured the laboratories, met members of the multidisciplinary team, and explored the innovative medical technologies being developed to improve healthcare. The visit offered a meaningful opportunity to experience the environment in which Tania taught, mentored, and helped shape biomedical engineering at UCT. More importantly, they saw how Tania's principles continue to guide the department's work. Her commitment to human-centred design, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and engineering solutions that make a meaningful difference remains embedded in UCT MedTech's culture and research. During the visit, the family also spent time with Jonti Oehley, one of Tania's former students. Through personal reflections and shared memories, he offered insight into her mentorship, values and lasting influence on those she taught. These conversations highlighted that Tania's legacy extends beyond the technologies being developed; it lives on in the people she inspired and the purpose that continues to drive the department. #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #TaniaDouglasLegacy #HumanCentredDesign #FrugalInnovation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧: 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧. Join us in welcoming our newest intern, Caleigh Green. Caleigh is a final-year MEng (Electronic) student at Stellenbosch University, with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, also from Stellenbosch. She joins UCT MedTech for an internship to gain hands-on product development experience in the field she hopes to pursue as a career. Caleigh will be working with Dr. Chibuike Mbanefo, Jonti Oehley, and Michael Awood to improve the CerviScreen, a cervical cancer screening device. "𝘋𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘜𝘊𝘛 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴-𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘣 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴." She is interested in a variety of engineering fields that involve innovation, problem-solving, and product development, including biomedical engineering, renewable energy, and aerospace. Outside of engineering, she enjoys surfing, exercising, creative activities, and spending time with family and friends. She will be with UCT MedTech for 6 to 12 months, and we look forward to the contributions she will bring to the team. Welcome Caleigh! #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #ProductDevelopment #WomenInEngineering @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭: 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Recently, UCT MedTech welcomed two visitors with whom we share a history of collaboration. Dr Geetesh Solanki previously supported the development of the UCT MedTech visor during the Covid-19 pandemic, a project that demonstrated what becomes possible when industry steps in to back innovation at the right moment. His visit was an opportunity to reconnect and consider what the next chapter of that partnership might look like. Dr Sarthak Patnaik, MS Orthopaedics, Arthroscopic and Sports Surgeon and Chairperson of the Third International Arthroscopy Conference 2026, visited from India. He toured the BMERC Medical Devices Laboratory and met with the team to explore where surgical innovation and biomedical engineering research might intersect in future work. Both visits were productive, and we look forward to sharing more details as those conversations develop. #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #MedicalDevices #GlobalHealth #Research @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐮𝐩𝐬'𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Please join the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (BMERC)/UCT MedTech team in congratulating MedTech Master's student Gaby Lups on her first-year MSc proposal presentation, titled: "𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙈𝙤𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮." Under the supervision of Professor Sudesh Sivarasu, Gaby is working on a project to design, develop and preclinically validate a portable, smartphone-integrated pupillometry device. The device combines controlled chromatic and infrared illumination with computer vision to capture standardised pupillary light reflex measurements, aiming to screen and classify diabetic retinopathy risk at the point of care. Much of the design and testing work will take place during her attendance at the World Health Innovation Fellowship, a six-month MedTech innovation programme hosted at AMTZ in India, one of the world's largest MedTech parks. Gaby holds a BSc in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering from UCT, which sparked her interest in engineering and biomedical device design. Thank you to the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF), the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, and merSETA for funding Gaby's studies and supporting her academic journey. Well done, Gaby, on the acceptance of your MSc study proposal. We look forward to following the progress of your project! #BiomedicalEngineering #UCTMedTech #StudentSpotlight #HealthcareInnovation #WomenInSTEM @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐚 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 The Division of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cape Town recently held the annual Tania Samantha Douglas Scholarship Award ceremony, honouring the legacy of Professor Tania Douglas, founding director of the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre and inaugural holder of the SARChI Chair in Biomedical Engineering and Innovation at UCT. Remembered for her brilliant mind, humility, and extraordinary grace, Tania passed away on 20 March 2021, but her legacy endures. The award was presented by Tania’s father, Dr Aubrey Douglas, alongside Emeritus Professor Kit Vaughan. Dr Douglas shared warm memories of his daughter, while Prof Sebastian van As, a close friend and head of the Trauma Unit at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, delivered the seminar address, recalling their friendship and shared adventures. This year's recipient is Queto Jenkins, an MSc student in Biomedical Engineering with a background in Computer Engineering. Queto was selected based on her outstanding academic performance and the depth, motivation, and critical engagement demonstrated in her thesis proposal presentation. The Division congratulates Queto and thanks all who made the occasion memorable. Prof Sudesh Sivarasu extended a warm welcome, and Emeritus Prof Denver Hendricks delivered the vote of thanks. #BiomedicalEngineering #UCT #UCTMedTech #TaniaDouglas #Scholarship #BME #HealthInnovation #AfricanResearch #WomenInSTEM #MedTech @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐁𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂 𝐈𝐒𝐎 𝟏𝟑𝟒𝟖𝟓:𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔 — 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝. 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝. 𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠. BMERC/UCT MedTech has successfully passed its annual ISO 13485:2016 surveillance audit. Conducted on 25 June 2026 by JC Auditors representatives Shiroma Bennimahadeo and Simone Roberts, with Dr Mark Bodley serving as BMERC representative, the day-long session evaluated our quality management systems, laboratory processes, and documentation in full. We are proud to confirm that our ISO13485 certification and scope remain intact. BMERC/UCT MedTech is certified for the design, development, manufacture, testing, evaluation, distribution, and export of general active and non-active medical devices. This result is more than a milestone; it shows our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement—embedding quality, traceability, and rigour into everything we design and build, year after year. "𝘐𝘚𝘖 13485 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘴 — 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦" said Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu. You can verify our certificate independently via the IAF CertSearch database: iafcertsearch.org/certificat… Our thanks to Shiroma Bennimahadeo, Simone Roberts,  JC Auditors and Dr Mark Bodley as well as Ryan Fredrick and Oliver Naidoo, for a rigorous and professional process. We also extend our gratitude to the UCT MedTech team members who prepared and participated: Michael Awood, Jonti Oehley, Cameron Hume, Liam McEvoy, Lumka Zantsi, Joel Philpott, and Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu. Well done to all. #UCTMedTech #ISO13485 #QualityManagement #MedicalDevices #BiomedicalEngineering #UCT @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐈 PhD candidate Prosper Magara recently represented BMERC/UCT MedTech at the Nordic Conference on Digital Health and Wireless Solutions (NCDHWS 2026) in Oulu, Finland, where he presented research advancing the field of surgical AI. The paper, 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺-𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘌𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘭𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘮𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, was authored by Prosper Magara, Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, Dr. Lamees Ras, Prof. Ahmed Biyabani, and Dr. Bessie Malila. The research explores an important challenge in surgical AI: ensuring that bleeding detection systems are not only accurate but also fast enough to support real-time surgical decision-making. The study compared classical computer vision methods and deep learning models for detecting intraoperative bleeding in laparoscopic surgery videos. While deep learning approaches achieved stronger segmentation performance, the findings highlighted the need for efficient deployment strategies to meet the speed requirements of real-world surgical environments. This work contributes to the ongoing development of the SURGIE surgical telementoring platform at UCT Biomedical Engineering, advancing digital health technologies that enhance surgical care and improve access to specialist expertise. Full paper citation Magara, P., Sivarasu, S., Ras, L., Biyabani, A., & Malila, B. (2026). Latency-Aware Evaluation of Bleeding Monitoring Algorithms for Real-Time Surgical Applications. In Nordic Conference on Digital Health and Wireless Solutions​ (pp. 51-69). Springer, DOI: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-28… Read the full paper here: link.springer.com/chapter/10… Congratulations to Prosper and all co-authors on sharing this important work on an international stage and representing BMERC/UCT MedTech at NCDHWS 2026. #UCTMedTech #DigitalHealth #BiomedicalEngineering #SurgicalAI #MedicalTechnology #ResearchImpact @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐔𝐅𝐌𝐆 On Monday, 22 June, UCT MedTech had the honour of being the first stop on a full day of engagements as UCT welcomed a distinguished delegation from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil. The visiting delegation included Professor Alessandro Fernandes Moreira, Rector, and Professor Aziz Tuffi Saliba, Vice-Provost for International Relations, joined by Ayanda Mthethwa, Acting Lead for International Research Networks, Partnerships and Collaboration at the UCT Research Office. The UCT MedTech session was hosted by Prof Sudesh Sivarasu, Director of the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre. The delegation engaged with UCT MedTech's work across carbon-static materials, smart responsive devices, a non-invasive ventilator, a locally manufactured CPAP integrator, and an open-source body-powered prosthetic arm developed as an affordable, accessible solution for trans-radial amputees. Conversations touched on viable public-sector commercialisation pathways and the strong alignment between South African and Brazilian research priorities. The visit formed part of a broader UCT programme exploring research collaboration in areas of common interest between UFMG and UCT, with sessions also hosted by the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering and the HPALS Research Centre, and a formal collaboration discussion led by UCT's Research Office. We look forward to seeing what this partnership could bring for biomedical innovation across the Global South. #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #GlobalSouth #ResearchCollaboration #Brazil #WUNMentalHealth2026 @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza @ufmgbr @UCT_RCI @UCT_Research

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧: 𝐀𝐳𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐤 Join us in welcoming our newest intern, Azrah Dick. Azrah is a final-year Mechatronics Engineering student at UCT with a passion for robotics, automation, and the intersection of engineering and healthcare. Her main interests are intelligent medical devices, human-centred technologies, and wearable device technologies. Azrah will be working under Dr Billy Ruyobeza on a proof-of-concept prototype for a wearable device designed for preventative and proactive health screening. "𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴-𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘔𝘌 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨." She will be with UCT MedTech for a month, with the hope of extending her involvement into the next semester while completing her undergraduate research project. Outside of engineering, she loves travelling, spontaneous adventures, and exploring new environments and challenges. Welcome Azrah! #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #Mechatronics #HealthcareInnovation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐞: 𝐑𝐚𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐚 𝐈𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐣𝐚 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 UCT MedTech doctoral researcher Raeesa Ismail is heading to UCBM (Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma) as part of the Afya Moja One Health programme. Raeesa's doctoral research focuses on improving diagnostic capabilities in the African context. At UCBM, she'll be taking part in workshops on biomedical engineering and healthcare technology, with a particular interest in exploring how South African researchers can access EU-funded projects and strengthen international partnerships. The exchange runs both ways. A few weeks ago, we welcomed Prof Leandro Pecchia of UCBM and his master's students here at UCT. Now it's Raeesa's turn to learn on their turf and bring those learnings and pathways back to the team. Thank you to UCT, UCBM, Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, and Prof. Leandro Pecchia for the opportunity given to Raeesa Ismail. #OneHealth #AfyaMoja #BiomedicalEngineering #UCTMedTech #HealthcareInnovation

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐝𝐳𝐚𝐢 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐲𝐢 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧! Congratulations to Fadzai Saravoyi on completing her MSc in Biomedical Engineering with distinction at UCT! Her thesis, "𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘗𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘌𝘌𝘎 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘦-𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘱𝘴𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘛𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘳", addresses a critical gap in neurological diagnostics. Fadzai’s research focused on developing an inclusive, portable EEG device featuring an adaptive electrode mechanism to improve contact impedance on tightly curled hair. By addressing this diagnostic gap, her work aims to expand access to vital healthcare technology in rural areas across Africa, where clinical EEG services remain limited. Fadzai stated: "𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵. 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘱𝘴𝘺." Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu, Dr MV Gule, and Prof. Tingting Zhu supervised her. This research was made possible through the generous support of merSETA, the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSTI), and the National Research Foundation (NRF), as well as the support of the Oxford Martin Programme on Global Epilepsy, which the project was part of. Well done, Fadzai! #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #EpilepsyResearch #HealthcareInnovation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐤𝐚 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐢 After recently returning from Italy, UCT MedTech Administrator Lumka Zantsi reflects on an experience that combined professional growth, international collaboration and cultural discovery. During her visit, Lumka engaged with colleagues involved in the Afya Moja collaboration, including Project Manager Sara Cinelli at UCBM Academy, and visited the research laboratories administered by Prof. Leandro Pecchia. She also commenced the 𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘰𝘯 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 through Afya Moja, gaining valuable insights into international research support, participation rules and funding mechanisms. Beyond the professional experience, the visit also offered an opportunity to experience Italy's rich history, architecture and culture. "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺'𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘺'𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦." The knowledge and connections gained during the trip will directly support UCT MedTech's ongoing engagement with the Afya Moja transnational project, a Horizon Europe-funded initiative coordinated by UCBM, and strengthen our capacity to help researchers identify funding opportunities and build competitive international collaborations. We welcome Lumka back to Cape Town and look forward to seeing these insights enhance our research support and international partnerships. #UCTMedTech #AfyaMoja #GlobalCollaboration #HigherEducation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐲'𝐬 𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 From Guadeloupe, France, to Cape Town, Chrissy Aubou's journey has brought her to UCT MedTech, where she has been contributing to the Smart Cane project alongside our research team. As a second-year engineering student at IMT Atlantique, Chrissy has focused on navigation logic and simulation tools that support the development of assistive technologies for people who are blind or visually impaired. Reflecting on her time in South Africa, she describes Cape Town as beautiful and speaks warmly about the welcoming environment she found at UCT MedTech. "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦." stated Chrissy. Thank you, Chrissy, for being part of the team. #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #MedTech #Internship #AssistiveTechnology @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝟑 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 — 𝐃𝐌𝐃 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐒𝐌𝐄 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Earlier this year, BMERC/UCT MedTech was represented at the 2026 Design of Medical Devices (DMD) Conference at the University of Minnesota. We are pleased to share that all three papers presented by our delegate Dr. Barimwotubiri "Billy" Ruyobeza, are now officially published in the ASME Digital Collection. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Authors: 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 (𝘜𝘊𝘛), 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘦 (𝘜𝘊𝘛), 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘔𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘰, (𝘜𝘊𝘛) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘚𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘶 (𝘜𝘊𝘛) Using quantitative 3D CT analysis of 63 fracture scans and simulated cadaveric surgeries, the team designed a curved, asymmetrical, adapted Endobutton that showed improved fit and fixation potential for Type 2 coronoid fractures. • doi.org/10.1115/DMD2026-1031 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿: 𝗔 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 Authors: 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘔𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘰 (𝘜𝘊𝘛) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘚𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘶 (𝘜𝘊𝘛) A bibliometric analysis of 73 studies mapping the evolution of cervical cancer POC technologies, identifying advances in CRISPR-based detection, AI-enabled imaging, and miniaturised diagnostics, alongside persistent gaps in field evaluation and standardised reporting. • doi.org/10.1115/DMD2026-1032 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗠𝗜𝗖𝘀 Authors: 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘸𝘰𝘵𝘶𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘪 𝘙𝘶𝘺𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘻𝘢 (𝘜𝘊𝘛), 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘸 (𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘚𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘶 (𝘜𝘊𝘛) Using a High Flow Nasal Oxygen device as a case study, the paper demonstrates why technical functionality alone is insufficient for clinical adoption in LMICs, and offers practical guidance for embedding value across the full design thinking process. • doi.org/10.1115/DMD2026-1024 Congratulations to all our authors on this achievement. #UCTMedTech #DMD2026 #MedicalDeviceInnovation #BiomedicalEngineering #LMIC @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza @UMNDMD

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 | 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐲 On 16 June 1976, young South Africans stood up and demanded a better future. Their courage changed history. Today, we honour their legacy by continuing to ask the same question they asked: who gets access to quality healthcare, and why not everyone? At UCT MedTech, that question drives our work. From frugal medical devices designed for under-resourced settings to locally developed diagnostic tools, we believe the future of health in Africa must be built by and for African communities. The spirit of June 16 lives in every researcher, student, and engineer who refuses to accept that where you are born should determine whether you survive. Happy Youth Day, South Africa. 🇿🇦 #YouthDay #June16 #SouthAfrica #UCTMedTech #HealthInnovation #FrugalBiodesign #AfricanHealth @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬: 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Congratulations to Alexandra Lancaster on successfully passing her PhD examination at BMERC/UCT MedTech. Titled: "𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯." Her thesis focused on restoring external shoulder rotation in patients with severe rotator cuff damage who require reverse shoulder replacement surgery. Using tendon transfer strategies, the research demonstrates how surgical planning can be optimised to improve shoulder function and range of motion following surgery significantly. Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu and Prof. Stephen Roche supervised Alexandra. Special thanks to the National Research Foundation and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation for their vital funding support. Congratulations, Dr Lancaster. #UCTMedTech #PhD #MedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #ShoulderSurgery @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Dr. Billy Ruyobeza led a workshop with UCT MedTech MSc students focused on embedding value into the medical device development process, from early design thinking through to adoption and real-world healthcare impact. The session was held online, keeping the work going despite the storm sweeping through Cape Town this week. The session explored how successful medical devices require more than technical functionality. Students were encouraged to think critically about usability, adoption, scalability, sustainability, and integration into clinical workflows from the earliest stages of development. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: • 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Students examined how medical device success depends on whether solutions are accepted, integrated, and routinely used in healthcare settings,  not only whether they function technically. • 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: The workshop highlighted the importance of incorporating value considerations throughout every stage of design thinking, including empathy, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing. • 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀: Through discussions around device translation challenges, students reflected on how overlooking stakeholder engagement, workflow integration, and market realities can limit adoption and long-term impact. • 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: The workshop reinforced that functionality demonstrates technical competence, but value is what ultimately drives healthcare impact and meaningful translation into practice. Workshops like these continue to strengthen the connection between biomedical engineering innovation and real-world healthcare needs at UCT MedTech. Thank you, Dr Billy, for the insightful presentation! #UCTMedTech #BiomedicalEngineering #MedicalDeviceInnovation #DesignThinking @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | 𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐤𝐚 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐢 For many people, international work travel is a memorable career milestone. This month, UCT MedTech Administrator Lumka Zantsi embarks on her first work-related trip abroad, travelling to Italy as part of the Afya Moja collaboration. As a valued member of the UCT MedTech team, Lumka plays an important role in supporting the day-to-day operations that help keep our department running smoothly. Her trip reflects the collaborative nature of our work and the opportunities that arise through international partnerships. We wish Lumka safe travels and an enriching experience. We look forward to hearing about her experiences and welcoming her back to Cape Town next week. Thank you Prof Leandro Pecchia from Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma in Italy, and Prof Sudesh Sivarasu for this worthwhile opportunity. #UCTMedTech #StaffSpotlight #AfyaMoja #GlobalCollaboration #HigherEducation @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭: 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 & 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬. Dr Samira Gholizadeh and Prof. Sudesh Sivarasu recently had their review article published in the 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 & 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 (IF: 3.1) Titled: 𝘕𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘺 (𝘕𝘪𝘛𝘪 𝘚𝘔𝘈): 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴. Nitinol is a nickel-titanium alloy with a remarkable ability to return to a pre-set shape after deformation. Its superelasticity, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance have made it foundational in medical devices such as cardiovascular stents, orthodontic devices, and minimally invasive surgical instruments. The paper covers the fundamental properties of NiTi alloys, key performance characteristics, and their expanding role in next-generation medical devices. It also addresses ongoing challenges in the field, including fatigue behaviour, manufacturability, and long-term reliability, as well as emerging opportunities in advanced biomedical design. At the heart of this work is a compelling idea: that smart materials capable of adapting to the body's environment can enable safer, less invasive, and more effective clinical solutions than conventional materials allow. As medical devices become smarter and more body-integrated, a deeper understanding of materials like Nitinol is essential for building the next generation of healthcare solutions. Congratulations to Dr Gholizadeh and Prof. Sivarasu on this publication. Thanks to the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation for funding Dr Samira Gholizadeh's Post-Doctoral Fellowship through the SARChI Initiative. Full article can be downloaded and read  here:  doi.org/10.1177/228080002614… © The Author(s) 2026. Published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0). @SudeshSivarasu @UCT_news @NRF_News @UCTHealthSci @dstigovza