A new review from the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit (AGTRU) at the University of the Witwatersrand highlights how viral mimic systems and related technologies could accelerate the development of vaccines and antiviral therapies, particularly in low-resource settings. Published in the journal Infection, the review describes safe, virus-like platforms that replicate key features of dangerous pathogens without the ability to cause disease.

Conventional antiviral research often requires biosafety level-3 laboratories, which are expensive, tightly regulated, and scarce. Viral mimic systems overcome this bottleneck by enabling scientists to study infection, screen drug candidates, and compare immune responses in standard biosafety level-2 facilities. This allows promising therapies to move more quickly from laboratory testing to clinical development.

The review focuses on technologies such as pseudo-typed viruses and virus-like particles that reproduce the early stages of infection. More advanced models incorporate all four structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2, offering a more realistic picture of viral behaviour and helping researchers design broader, more durable vaccines that remain effective against emerging variants.

A Wits-led study published in the prestigious journal Nature has added whole-genome data from more than 1,000 people across nine African countries to global science, significantly expanding understanding of human genetic diversity. The research, led through the Assessing Genetic Diversity in Africa (AGenDA) project, is expected to uncover millions of novel genetic variants, improving how diseases such as cancer, mental illness, diabetes and heart disease are studied, predicted and treated.

By focusing on African populations historically underrepresented in genomic research, the project strengthens genome-wide association studies and provides a model for African-led data governance, ethical data sharing and community partnership. The findings will contribute to more accurate genetic research and precision medicine for African populations and beyond.

New modelling research from African biostatisticians shows that flies play a far more important role in spreading cholera than previously recognised. While cholera is traditionally associated with contaminated water, the study demonstrates that flies can mechanically transmit the cholera-causing bacterium from contaminated environments to human food, making outbreaks faster and more unpredictable.

The models show that when fly-related transmission factors are high, even small contamination events can trigger explosive outbreaks, likened to sparks igniting dry grass. The findings come as Africa faces its worst cholera outbreak in 25 years, with 300,000 confirmed and suspected cases reported across 20 countries in 2025.

The research also reinforces the importance of vaccination, showing that high coverage can rapidly reduce transmission even before long-term water and sanitation improvements take effect.