Some of the C-CHANGE researchers during a visit to Cornell University: Prof Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson (UP), Prof Alice N. Pell, Professor Emerita (Cornell), Prof Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu (UP), Dr Heide Hackmann (Stellenbosch), Prof Lindiwe Sibanda (UP), Prof Marinda Oosthuizen (UP), Prof Laura Smith (Cornell) and at the back Prof Barend Erasmus (UP).
Image: University of Pretoria
A transdisciplinary partnership between the University of Pretoria (UP) and Cornell University has birthed the Centre for Transformative Infectious Disease Research on Climate, Health, and Equity in a Changing Environment (C-CHANGE).
This initiative, funded by the US National Institutes of Health, aims to address the alarming rise of infectious diseases driven by climate change.
Experts warn that climate shifts are intensifying mosquito-and tick-borne-diseases and facilitating viral spillovers from wildlife to humans.
C-CHANGE will focus on developing predictive models and community-based interventions to curb these emerging threats.
“The collaboration between UP and Cornell University marks a significant step forward in addressing the complex intersection of climate change, public health, and infectious diseases,” said Professor Sunil Maharaj, vice-principal for research, innovation and postgraduate education at UP.
The centre’s first major project, led by Professors Wanda Markotter of UP and Raina Plowright of Cornell, will investigate how climate extremes and land-use changes escalate viral spillover risks.
Stress in wildlife due to these factors can increase viral shedding and human-wildlife interactions, fuelling potential outbreaks
.A second project will analyse the link between climate change and tick- and mosquito-borne diseases.
Led by a team from UP’s Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and Cornell, this initiative seeks to create early warning systems for disease outbreaks, empowering vulnerable communities and healthcare systems to act proactively.
“Preventing the outbreak of disease before it occurs is the best way to protect the public’s health,” said Dr Alexander Travis, Director of Cornell Public Health and founding chair of the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health.
C-CHANGE’s efforts are anchored in breaking disciplinary silos to integrate diverse data sets spanning climate, genomic, and health sciences.
A core team led by UP’s Dr Vukosi Marivate and Cornell researchers will train others to create holistic epidemiological models accessible across disciplines.
The centre also prioritises community engagement. Researchers will collaborate with rural communities in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and New York State to ensure that solutions are co-created with those most affected by climate-driven health challenges.
“Whether in Africa or North America, rural communities often bear the greatest infectious disease burdens from climate change,” said Dr Marinda Oosthuizen, deputy dean of research and postgraduate studies at UP’s Faculty of Veterinary Science.
“By combining data and expertise across ecosystems, public health, and social dynamics, we can develop a proactive approach to disease prevention that empowers vulnerable communities.”
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