Research Website

Welcome to the

University of Cape Town

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Registrar MMED and

MPhil Website

Click to go to Mphil Website

Website created and designed by Shakti Pillay (Neonatologist) on the 10th of March 2023

Updated 23rd July 2024

Neonatologist, Division of Neonatology,

Groote Schuur Hospital

shakti.pillay@uct.ac.za

ABOUT THIS WEBSITE

This website aims to assist and empower MMED and Mphil students to understand the process of research and to have a quick reference guide for what steps are necessary from start to finish. If accessing the desktop or mobile version of the website, please use the navigation menu on the top right hand corner for easy accessibility. The navigation menu is a drop down menu indicated by three horizontal grey lines.

ALAN HORN

Associate Professor

Neonatologist

Chair: Specialist Training Committee

021 404 6025

alan.horn@uct.ac.za

Neonatology, Paediatrics

Division of Neonatal Medicine

Room 63, H46, Old Main Building,

Groote Schuur Hospital

Observatory, 7925

REGISTRATION PROCESS

Link to Registration process:

A student guide for application and registration

The link above details the process for registration for trainees.

Student Council Isolated Cartoon Vector Illustration.

MMED PROCESS

01.

Identify a supervisor & topic

Click here for a list of topics

Memorandum of Understanding:

Process for supervisor & student via Peoplesoft

02.

prepare synopsis according to FHS014

FHS014

03.

PREPARE REsearch protocol according to FHS015

FHS015

MMED PROCESS

04.

SUBMIT TO PAEDIATRIC DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH COMMITTEE (DRC)

FHS013

LINK TO DRC SUBMISSION PROCESS

05.

Submit to Faculty of Health Sciences Human Research Ethics Committee

(FHS HREC)

LINK TO HREC WEBSITE

LINK TO HREC SUBMISSION PROCESS

06.

Once ethics approval obtained -

obtain Hospital Approval if relevant for study

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS:

RED CROSs WAR MEMORIAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS:

GROOTE SCHUUR HOSPITAL

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS:

GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING HEALTH RESEARCH IN THE WESTERN CAPE including process for approval from the national health research database

Finding a Research Topic

Allergology

Cardiology

One single line drawing of beautiful newborn baby leaning on mother's hand. Little newborn baby and girl hands. Happy mother and her child. Modern continuous line draw graphic design vector illustration

Gastroenterology (GIT)/Liver

Neonatology

Neurodevelopment

Oncology & Haematology

Doctor + Hospital Logos Heart Rate Stethoscope

Paediatric Intensive Care Unit

Pulmonology

Nephrology

Rheumatology

Medical Research Unit

REGISTRAR RESEARCH TOPICS

As of September 2023

Allergology

Prof M Levin michael.levin@uct.ac.za

Comparison of asthma control and lung function testing with and without an asthma inhaler assistive device.
Assessing eczema control with atopic dermatitis control test (ADCT), vs severity with the eczema assessment and severity index (EASI) score.
Treatment response to omalizumab in chronic urticaria.

Cardiology

Prof R De Decker rik.dedecker@uct.ac.za

Survey of supernumerary registrar experience at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital – a focused repeat of an earlier (online) survey done of all supernumerary registrars at UCT.
Assessment of paediatric ECG teaching methods and addition to ECG online http://ecgonline.uct.ac.za (with Dr Charl Viljoen) .
Paediatric teaching materials at a leading academic children's hospital: Does delivery meet the need.
The impact of waiting list for heart surgery: Morbidity and mortality on the cardiac waiting list at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
A 5/10/15 year review of the cardiogenetics clinic.
Review of the cardiac outpatient clinic: Demographics, lesions and trends.

Prof J Lawrenson john.lawrenson@uct.ac.za

Kawasaki Disease in the Western Cape.
10 years of rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease in the Western Cape.

Dr George Comitis george.comitis@uct.ac.za

A single-centre experience of heterotaxy syndrome.
The Kawashima procedure-long-term outcomes.
10 years of rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease in the Western Cape (John Lawrenson/Liesl Zuhlke).

Prof L Zuhlke liesl.zuhlke@uct.ac.za

Outcomes of children undergoing surgery for rheumatic heart disease.
Health-related quality of life outcomes in children and adolescents’ diseases within a tertiary cardiology service.
Prevalence of obesity in school-aged children attending outpatients at a tertiary facility.
Audit of cardiac services for children in South Africa,
Review of the transitional clinic.
Investigation of major chromosomal abnormalities of children undergoing cardiac surgery in past 4 years and outcomes.
Review of antenatal ultrasounds and diagnosis of congenital heart disease.

Gastroenterology (GIT)/Liver

Dr L Goddard liz.goddard@uct.ac.za

Comparison of macroaggregate scans and echo for picking up intrapulmonary shunts.
Audit of endoscopies done documenting indications, findings and management changes.
Audit of liver biopsies, looking at methods used, complications and findings.
Aetiology and outcomes of fulminant hepatic failure.
To review the age of presentation to hospital, course and outcome of children presenting to or referred to Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital with biliary atresia /cholestatic jaundice.

NEONATOLOGY

Professor Alan Horn alan.horn@uct.ac.za

Hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) related topics

Dr Anika van Niekerk anika.vanniekerk@west erncape.gov.za

Pulse oximetry screening in newborns.
Neonatal Group B Streptococcus (GBS) related topics.
Neonatal Cytomegalovirus (CMV) related topics.
Neonatal nosocomial sepsis, antibiotic stewardship related topics.
Preterm vaccination aspects.
Newborn major congenital anomalies.

NEURO-DEVELOPMENT

Dr M Richards: mark.richards@uct.ac.za

Where do children access health care/what conditions are where? - Spatial analyses of children’s health.
After hours access to care in the Metro- where/who/when?
Interrogating large health datasets (ECCR/OPD) from the Provincial Health Data Centre- deaths/diseases/trends/service delivery points.

Dr M Richards: mark.richards@uct.ac.za/Prof Kirsty Donald: kirsty.donald@uct.ac.za

Trends in Methylphenidate prescriptions in the Western Cape.
The profiles of children with renAdult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Trisomy 21 or Autistic Spectrum Disorder attending Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.

Oncology and Haematology

Professor Alan Davidson: alan.davidson@uct.ac.za

Acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) – central nervous system (CNS) complications.
Audit of T-cell lymphoma outcomes.
Audit of Ewing Sarcoma outcomes.
Audit of Infantile Fibrosarcoma outcomes.
Audit of Blood product use.
Audit of Central line use.
Quality of life (QoL) studies, including one on the hidden cost to family of a paediatric cancer diagnosis. (We have an- in house expert at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital - Janine Verstraete).

PAEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (PICU)

Dr Ilse Appel ilse.appel@uct.ac.za

Description of PICU acquired blood stream infection:

Retrospective study.
Patient risk factors/associations – age, nutrition state, PIM3, HIV, mechanical ventilation duration, central vascular lines, admission diagnosis
Epidemiology - frequency
Outcomes – PICU stay, hospital stay, days on ventilator, mortality, organ dysfunction (liver, renal, cardiology, central nervous system)

Professor Brenda Morrow brenda.morrow@uct.ac.za

Prevalence of PICU-acquired delirium in critically ill infants and children (single-centre point prevalence study).
Functional outcomes of children admitted to the PICU for emergency management (at three months post discharge).

Dr Claire Procter claire.procter@uct.ac.za

Refusals in PICU and the impact of austerity on PICU Admissions.
PARDS: An audit of compliance with PALICC-2 guidelines
Greening the PICU - a review of knowledge and interest amongst PICU staff.

Dr Asma Salloo asma.salloo@uct.ac.za

Pain management in the PICU and Analgo-sedation scoring systems.

Pulmonology

Professor Diane Gray diane.gray@uct.ac.za

Professor Aneesa Vanker aneesa.vanker@uct.ac.za

Professor Marco Zampoli m.zampoli@uct.ac.za

Dr Leah Githinji leah.githinji@alumni.uct.ac.za

Description of presentation, management, and outcomes of children with foreign body inhalation.
Health related quality of life in children with chronic lung disease: Bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive lung disease.
Use of the lung clearance index in monitoring respiratory disease in children with cystic fibrosis.
Faecal elastase in severe malnutrition in children: a prospective study describing faecal elastase at presentation and in recovery phase of severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
Aetiology and outcome of very severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP) at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in 2019 and 2020 [(pneumonia needing high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV), Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or invasive positive pressure ventilation (IPPV)].
Presentation and outcome of pulmonary hydatid disease in children.
Use of CT scan chest in the diagnosis and management of respiratory disease.
Review of bronchoscopy in South African children: indications and outcomes.
Prevalence of primary ciliary dyskinesia at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital: Cross-sectional study.

Simple Human Body Parts Illustration - Lungs

Nephrology

Dr A Ashton Coetzee ashton.coetzee@uct.ac.za

Use of plasmapheresis in children at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital: Indication, efficacy and outcome.
Carpe Diem patient review.

Prof Mignon McCulloch mignon.mcculloch@uct.ac.za

Patients turned down for dialysis – review.
Comparison of post operative renal function when using Ringers versus normal saline/half normal saline. Seen as we have switched to ringers it may be worth looking at this. (Half Saline-Bicarbonate Solution as Intra-operative Fluid Replacement Therapy Leads to Less Acidosis and Better Early Renal Function During Deceased-Donor Transplant. Pourfakhr, P., Shafiei, M. et al. (2019). Experimental & Clinical Transplantation)
Extreme hypernatraemia in PICU in newborns.
Adolescent clinic follow-up results.
Paediatric palliative care guidelines.

Prof Peter Nourse peter.nourse@uct.ac.za

Morbidity, infections of post transplant dialysis catheters (peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis ) versus frequency of use. The question is should we take them out earlier or are they fine to leave in?
Pneumococcal infection in nephrotics in light of no penicillin prophylaxis. Question is what is the infection rate in our nephrotics seen as they do not get penicillin?
Blood vessel wall thickness in Takayasu patients vs non-Takayasu renal artery stenosis.
Cardiac echocardiography Pre and Post Renal Transplants.
Effectiveness and Safety of Kayexalate.

Rheumatology

Prof Chris Scott chris.scott@uct.ac.za

Neuropsychiatric manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital.
Childhood Musculoskeletal Health Training: Mapping the MBCHB Curriculum for Musculoskeletal (MSK) training opportunities. Could include student surveys.
Qualitative Study: The diagnostic pathway of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Focus group interviews, phenomological approach.
Comparing our national essential Medicines list to the WHO essential medicines list for children with regard to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) treatment (consider adding Brazil as comparator).

Dr Kate Webb kate.webb@uct.ac.za

A clinical description of a longitudinal cohort of children with Kawasaki Disease at Red Cross Hospital (could be done in conjunction with Prof Lawrenson/cardiology).
Analysis of the type 1 IFN pathway in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Cape Town, South Africa (analysis of generated gene expression data and matched clinical data).
Description of the gene expression of Kawasaki Disease at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (data will be generated).

MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT (MRC)

Prof Heather Zar heather.zar@uct.ac.za

Tuberculosis (TB) studies:
Outcome of children with pulmonary TB at 1 year after diagnosis compared to those hospitalised with other lower respiratory tract infection.
Characteristics of children with suspected TB across 4 African sites.
TB and SARS-CoV2 - clinical features and outcome.

Drakenstein Child Health Study

Changes in socio-economic status and health outcomes in children in the first 5 yrs of life in a South African birth cohort.
Recurrent pneumonia in children – aetiology and determinants.

Surveillance Study at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital

Hospitalisation for respiratory disease during COVID-19.

Cape Town Adolescent Antiretroviral (ART) Cohort

Growth outcomes through adolescence in HIV-infected adolescents on ART.

SUBMISSION PROCESS FOR PAEDIATRIC Departmental Research Committee (DRC)

Documents for Submission

Cover letter addressed to Departmental Research Committee (DRC) chair
Include 2 suggestions for reviewers in cover letter
Maintain anonymity between principal investigator (PI) & reviewer/s
Synopsis (Maximum 4 pages)
Full Research Protocol
Form FHS013
If the research is for degree purposes list the primary supervisor as principal investigator (PI).
Please note that if head of department (HOD) is listed as a PI, they may not sign as HOD.
If applicable, copy of budget and contract
If funding required contact Electronic Research Administration (eRA) system:
Internal Approval Process
Conference Travel Grant Application Process

FHS013

Who to Submit to and How?

Electronically via email to:
Gail Landers: gail.landers@uct.ac.za &
Geanine Hopley: geanine.hopley@uct.ac.za

Departmental Research Committee (DRC) Process

DRC sends protocol to reviewer.
Review process should take no more than 4 weeks.
Protocol sent back to researcher:
Approved: No changes.
Conditional approval minor changes.
Conditional approval major changes.
Not approved.
For outcomes 2, 3 and 4:
Researcher & supervisor respond to reviewer comments & modify protocol as appropriate.
Researcher re-submits protocol to reviewer.

Following Departmental Research Committee (DRC) Approval

After protocol approved by reviewer

Ethics form (FHS013) sent to Departmental Research Committee (DRC) chair/deputy chair to sign off

DRC emails researcher to inform them of Paediatric Departmental Research Committee (DRC) approval

Electronic Departmental Research Committee (DRC) - signed FHS013 sent to researcher to submit to Faculty of Health Sciences Human Research Ethics Committee (FHS HREC) for ethics approval

SUBMISSION PROCESS FOR HUMAN RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE (HREC)

STEP 1:

Following approval by Departmental Research Committee (DRC), submit following to Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC):

Important

Please ensure that signature of Head of Department (HOD) of the Principal Investigator (PI) is on form FHS013.
Please note that Principal Investigator (PI) and Head of Department (HOD) signature cannot be the same.
If the research is for degree purposes then the supervisor should be listed as the Principal Investigator (PI) on form FHS013.

Electronic Departmental Research Committee (DRC) - signed form FHS013
Synopsis
Research Protocol
Appendices (if applicable)
Consent forms (if applicable)
Cover letter summarising succinctly what documents are being submitted with title & short study description.

Send as combined PDF.

Who to Submit to and How?

STEP 2:

After Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval:

Email a copy of the ethics approval letter to the Departmental Research Committee (DRC), before research is commenced.
Use the unique HREC approved ethics number in all future correspondence please.

Electronically via email
New Applications to:
hrec-submissions@uct.ac.za
Email subject line based on need:
New protocol application: Full Committee Review and Principal Investigator (PI) name OR New protocol application: Expedited Review and PI name

Useful Resources for Submission Process

Link to: Faculty of Health Science (FHS) Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) website
The following resources can be found on FHS HREC page:
Faculty of Health Science Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval: Checklist for New Protocol Applications
Faculty of Health Sciences Submission Process Outlined
Please refer to the link for details of the Faculty of Health Science (FHS) Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) Administrative team
Please see link to summary of types of applications and required approvals for research studies in accordance with FHS Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)

Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital: RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS

Applicant can email Hospital Research Review Committee Chair, via administrative assistant, Ellen Thomas (ellen.thomas@westerncape.gov.za) for any queries.
Only once approval from hospital management has been obtained, can research be conducted at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.

Download Research Requirements for Red Cross Children's War Memorial Hospital

Applications Form to Conduct Research at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital

GROOTE SCHUUR Hospital: RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS

Applicant can email Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) Research Ethics Committee: GSHResearch.Request@westerncape.gov.za
Contact office: +27 (021) 404 3405
Include following documents in the email:
Electronic Departmental Research Committee (DRC) - signed FHS013
Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval
Full protocol of the study
Attached completed Annexure 2
Only once approval from hospital management has been obtained can research be conducted at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Application Form to Conduct Research at Groote Schuur Hospital: Annexure 2

GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THE WESTERN CAPE & HOW to obtain approval from National Health Research Database

After University of Cape Town (UCT) Research Ethics Committee approval obtained, all research that is taking place in a provincial or local authority health facility, must be approved by the relevant authorities and study databases need to be registered on the National Health Research Database.
Teaching hospitals and the local authorities approve research projects in-house.
All other province approvals are done via the Directorate: Health Impact Assessment at provincial head office.

Western Cape Health Research Approval Process

Guidelines To Request Permission To Conduct Research From The City Of Cape Town

Submit a research request to the City of Cape Town

To apply for approval from the National Health Research Database

Obtaining Permission to access UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN Staff or Students as part of Research Activities

Process to obtain Permission to access UCT Staff or Students as part of Research Activities

Submitting final thesis

At conclusion of the research:

Complete and upload an "Intention to Submit" form on PeopleSoft

Upload of the thesis

Note: All communication from University of Cape Town (UCT) regarding the examination process will occur via a UCT email addresses.

Documents to Upload

Upload intention to submit (Form D8) at least 6 weeks before submission of the thesis digitally via PeopleSoft & an up-to-date abstract & Intellectual Property Form (Form D15)

After submission of the Intention to Submit, the faculty office will request the supervisor to submit names of examiners and complete a supervisor’s form.

Submit

When submitting the thesis upload the following documents via PeopleSoft:

Form D18: Declaration/Word Count form.Upload, as a separate PDF document, from thesis and abstract.
Thesis: Saved as Thesis.pdf with a signed plagiarism & Turnitin declaration page (Form D19).
Form D19: Plagiarism page.Included in the thesis after the title page.
Abstract

Forms & Resources

Form D8 , D15 and D19 are available from the Health Science Post Graduate Vula site under: Resources: Dissertation Forms at https://vula.uct.ac.za

How to submit to Turnitin

Select "Self-service" and navigate to the "Research Activities" section.

Go to “Service Requests” and select “Create New Request”.

On the following screen, select request category of "Thesis/ Dissertation related requests”

Then choose

“Upload Thesis/ Dissertation for Examination” as the request type.

Choose Request Subtype, (Master’s) & the relevant faculty, & upload thesis for examiners

Registrars must again upload an abstract (it may have changed since it was first

uploaded at the "Intention to Submit" stage).

How to Name a Full Abstract

If permission for embargo of your thesis has been sought & granted, registrars must provide a neutralised/restricted abstract which will be placed on OpenUCT.ac.za after examination.

How to Name a Neutralised Abstract

Registrars may view what has been uploaded to confirm that the correct file will be submitted.

Please type the following confirmation statement in the comment box:

“I confirm that the uploaded document is the thesis/dissertation to be examined” & then click "Submit."

Once dissertation/ thesis has been submitted and processed, registrars will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and will be asked to confirm the word count of the dissertation/thesis.

HOW TO NAME THE ABSTRACT

Abstract must be named as follows:

Full Abstract: Abstract-open.pdf

Neutralised abstract with sensitive information removed:

Abstract-Restricted.pdf

HOW TO SUBMIT TO TURNITIN

Click for more detailed instructions:

Click here to read more about Turnitin:

Turnitin report does not need to be submitted with the thesis. A plagiarism declaration that refers to the Turnitin report (Form D19) must be included.

RESEARCH FUNDING: INTERNAL

All registrars are eligible for R 4000 funding for research expenses

Can be used:

To reimburse the cost of the research methods course
Paying an assistant to help collect or enter data, or other aspects of the study

Cannot be used:

To travel to conferences.
See link for Funding: Conference Travel Grant
To pay for journal submission costs.
Link for process for grants to contribute towards page costs of articles in journals accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), or to provide a contribution to the publishing of a book that may earn DHET subsidy.

Process for funding

Funding will only be made available to the registrar via their supervisor’s entity after the following information has been sent, summarised in a single document, using the following headings:
Registrar Name and Start Date on the Rotation
Please attach a screen shot from PeopleSoft indicating registration details
MMed Thesis Title
Supervisor/s Details: Name/s, department/s, institution/s
Entity Number of Primary Supervisor
Purpose of the Study
Objective/s of the Study: Context of current knowledge and what the study will add to current knowledge
Study Design
Study Population: Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Study Methodology: Describe how data will be collected and entered and by whom
Study Risks or Challenges that might impede data collection and plans to mitigate risk.
Statistics: Do you anticipate need for additional statistical assistance, other than that provided by your supervisors?
Anticipated Budget.
Departmental Research Committee (DRC) and Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) Approval Numbers, if already obtained
Date of Presentation or Planned Presentation of MMed Protocol to department

Who to send to?

MMED part 3 convenor, Professor Alan Horn at alan.horn@uct.ac.za &
Registrar administrative assistant, Melissa Williams at melissa.williams@uct.ac.za &
Departmental Research Committee (DRC) secretary, Gail Landers at gail.landers@uct.ac.za &
Departmental Research Committee (DRC) administrator, Geanine Hopley at geanine.hopley@uct.ac.za