Multi-Institute Symposium 2026 - a call to collaborative action

Last week saw our second annual Multi-Institute Symposium with the Neuroscience Institute, the IDM, the Cape Heart Institute (this year's phenomenal hosts), and the Lung Institute, on the theme of 'Translation'.
What a productive day encouraging curiosity and challenging us all to think about how science is translated, whether into practice, policy or public knowledge.

The day featured a full and diverse programme. A pre-symposium workshop for postgraduates started the day, with tips for navigating their studies (presented by the NI's Science Communicator, Dr Hayley Tomes) and exercises in networking. 

The NI was represented by two core facilities, the Clinical Omics and Informatics (COIN) Unit and the EthicsLab, creating opportunity for sharing expertise across institutes. Graphical abstracts were presented by our students and postdocs to an esteemed judging panel. 

'Dreaming session' talks invited the audience to look at how research is ideated at its best, to solve problems collaboratively and without funding or infrastructure limitations (we were captivated by NI member Dr Caro Ross' presentation). 
Each institute had one presenter speaking to the theme of Translation, where Dr Melissa Nel launched the COIN Unit's Solvathon, an event later this year which will use HiFi long read genomic sequencing to solve rare disease cases. The COIN Unit plan to revolutionize the genomics landscape in South Africa and Africa by making expertise and equipment accessible locally, bringing much needed equity to the most genetically diverse population in the world. 

As so eloquently concluded by UCT's Vice Chancellor, Prof Mosa Moshabela - it is only through breaking down silos and engaging with genuine collaboration can we tackle the complex problems in our society. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the day and to the Heart Institute for hosting!