News | Faculty of Science

Beyond the telescope: Leading the global radio astronomy revolution

IDIA celebrated its tenth anniversary, South Africa has moved on from being a mere host of international infrastructure to becoming a global leader in the data-driven discovery of the universe.

SA scientists decode cancer’s key survival tactic

UCT led researchers decoded how cancer rewires the MUC1 protein’s sugar coating to evade immune detection, paving the way for new cancer vaccines, biomarkers and precision therapies.

UCT study finds toxic pollutants in False Bay waters

False Bay’s waters and sediments contain a cocktail of pharmaceuticals, pesticides and metals linked to urban development, wastewater discharges and harbour activities, according to a new study led by researchers from UCT.

Sightings of blue and fin whales increase in South-East Atlantic

Research led by the Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, revealed a recent increase in sightings of the world’s two largest whale species in the southeastern Atlantic.

RSVP: Distinguished Alumni Lectures

The UCT Faculty of Science Distinguished Alumni Lectures aim to highlight our outstanding alumni who are making significant contributions in their respective fields. Taking place on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 at 18:00 SAST

RSVP to attend

The power of mathematical modelling in infectious disease outcomes

Professor Silal addressed a full lecture theatre and extended online audience, which spanned academics from Cape Town to Oxford, public health officials, postgraduate students, family and loved ones.

The Culture of Response: Coordination, Governance, and Disaster Management

THE SCIENCE FACULTY INVITES YOU TO THE 2026 SEMINAR SERIES - The Culture of Response: Coordination, Governance, and Disaster Management by Ms Lavenia Nicholson and Dr Phindile Sabela-Rikhotso at 13:00 SAST on Thursday, 28 May 2026.

UCT researchers develop AI model for 11 South African languages

A new artificial intelligence (AI) language model trained specifically on South Africa’s 11 official written languages will be presented at the Language Resources and Evaluation Conference (LREC) in Mallorca, Spain.

UCT researchers uncover molecular ‘switch’ that fuels cancer progression

The Scientific Computing Research Unit (SCRU) have uncovered a critical molecular "switch" that drives the formation of cancer-associated antigens.

Climate change hits South African women unevenly: why race, class, age and power matter

A climate risk assessment uses information on climate hazards, exposure, vulnerability and responses to identify where, who or what is most at risk to climate impacts.

UCT Inaugural Lecture: Professor Sheetal Silal

On Tuesday, 12 May 2026 at 18:00 SAST, Professor Silal will deliver her inaugural lecture titled “Models, Policy and People: Predicting Health Impact in a Complex World”.

The best celebrated at the Science Students Awards

During the Science Student Awards ceremony on Wednesday, 01 April 2026, nearly 110 students secured over 200 class and departmental awards for the 2025 academic year.