Unit Head
Honorary Professor Rod Dawson
MBChB (Stell), FCP (SA), Cert. Pulm (SA)
Honorary Professor Rod Dawson established the Centre for Tuberculosis Research Innovation at the University of Cape Town Lung Institute in 2007. He is a qualified Consultant Pulmonologist and has a special interest in chest radiology, tuberculosis and HIV infection. Honorary Professor Rod Dawson was appointed Director of the University of Cape Town Lung Institute in 2016.
Centre for TB Research Innovation (CTBRI)
Since 2008 CTBRI has conducted research into tuberculosis with focus areas of TB drug development, HIV/TB interaction, effects of smoking in TB and HIV and understanding adherence to medication in drug-resistant TB.
RELEVANCE
Advancing new treatment solutions for tuberculosis and HIV
EXCELLENCE
Setting the standard for clinical trials
RESPECT
Transforming life for our patients
According to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, an estimated 10.7 million people developed TB and 1.23 million died in 2024, making it the world’s leading infectious killer. Approximately 2.4 million people remained undiagnosed or unreported, while only 42% of people with multidrug- or rifampicin-resistant TB received treatment. Global TB incidence declined by just 12% since 2015, far short of the targeted 50% reduction by 2025, which emphasises the need for TB research to develop better diagnostics, shorter and more effective treatments, and vaccines.
CTBRI news
27th January 2023
According to the World Health Organization, of the roughly 10 million people who fall ill with TB annually, over 80% survive.
Unfortunately, as with long Covid, being cured of TB is not always the last hurdle and many people go on to struggle with post-TB lung disease.
Tiyese Jeranji asked local experts about this sometimes-neglected area of TB care.
26th May 2022
Prof Rodney Dawson speaks to Refilwe Moloto about a new trial involving BTZ-043