Professor Wanda Markotter reappointed as Future Africa One Health Research Chair

Professor Wanda Markotter’s reappointment as the Future Africa One Health Research Chair reinforces UP’s commitment to advancing transdisciplinary science leadership in Africa.

The University of Pretoria (UP) has renewed the appointment of Professor Wanda Markotter as the Future Africa Research Chair in Health, People and Places (One Health) for a further five-year term, until April 2031.

The renewal reinforces UP’s commitment to advancing transdisciplinary science leadership in Africa and strengthening collaborative research that addresses complex challenges at the intersection of human, animal and environmental health.

“One Health has become increasingly important in addressing emerging infectious diseases, food systems, environmental change and health security,” says Prof Markotter. “The next phase of the Chair provides an opportunity to deepen collaboration, strengthen research capacity and support the translation of knowledge into policy and practice for the benefit of communities across Africa.”

Future Africa research chairs are central to the platform’s mission of developing African-led solutions to complex societal challenges. They bring together expertise from across disciplines, sectors and regions to advance transformative research, strengthen partnerships, build research leadership, inform policy and practice, and contribute to sustainable development across Africa.

Prof Markotter was first appointed to the Health, People and Places Research Chair in 2021, establishing One Health as one of Future Africa’s strategic research domains. One Health recognises that human, animal and environmental health are interconnected, and provides a framework for anticipating health threats, protecting ecosystems, strengthening food systems and building resilience.

Over the past five years, the Chair has helped shape African research priorities, strengthen research capacity and foster collaborative networks grounded in equity, ecological stewardship and community inclusion. It has also positioned Future Africa as a leading platform for research, policy engagement and innovation at the interface of health, climate and sustainability.

Prof Markotter is rated as a B1 researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF), is Director of the Centre for Viral Zoonoses at UP and holds the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation-NRF South African Research Chair in Animal Infectious Diseases (Zoonoses). She also serves as co-Chair of the One Health High-Level Expert Panel, which advises the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Organisation for Animal Health, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Since its establishment, the Chair has led and contributed to a range of initiatives that have strengthened research, policy and capacity development across Africa. Early programmes included Future Africa’s COVID-19 Research and Engagement Platform, which brought together transdisciplinary researchers to address the health, social and economic impacts of the pandemic, and the Future Africa-UNICEF partnership, which empowered young people through education, community engagement and support for emerging women scientists.

Building on these foundations, the Chair has advanced initiatives such as Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa, Food Systems Transformation in Southern Africa for One Health, the Centre for Transformative Infectious Disease Research on Climate, Health and Equity in a Changing Environment, and the Institute for Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention. Within Future Africa, the Chair also contributes to flagship initiatives such as the United Nations University Hub on Resilient Environment, Agriculture, Climate and Health in Africa, and the Lancet Countdown Africa Regional Centre, helping to strengthen pandemic preparedness, climate-health research and evidence-informed policy across the continent.

Community engagement remains central to the Chair’s work. Recent initiatives include establishing a community-based animal health programme in Limpopo, implementing a multi-point rabies vaccination campaign, supporting rural pet health services and expanding the Youth in STEM programme, which has reached more than 1 300 learners through robotics, tertiary readiness and career exposure activities.

Over the next five years, the Chair will focus on expanding research capacity, strengthening partnerships across Africa, supporting South Africa’s national One Health agenda, attracting external research funding and further integrating One Health across Future Africa’s major research programmes to help build healthier, more resilient and sustainable societies across the continent.