The South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative was established in 2001. It is located within the prestigious Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine of the University of Cape Town. SATVI is the largest dedicated TB vaccine research group on the African continent.

Greg Hussey is the director of SATVI, while Willem Hanekom leads the laboratory team and Hassan Mahomed the clinical team. These teams receive support from dedicated administrative and grants management, data management, regulatory, statistical and IT personnel. Our field site in Worcester, located 120km from Cape Town, is managed by Elmarie Simon.

SATVI's long-term aim has been to develop capacity to conduct registration standard trials of novel TB vaccines. We have therefore embarked on clinical, epidemiological and immunological research critical for clinical testing of new TB vaccines. We have conducted a number of very large field trials and epidemiological cohort studies of the type needed to test efficacy of new TB vaccines. Thousands of participants have been involved. More recently we have initiated a phase I and II trials of multiple novel TB vaccines.

The clinical team consists of a group of highly trained study clinicians and epidemiologists who manage the research projects. Our field site is located in a poor rural area covering an area of about 12,000 square km. TB is highly endemic in the region, which has one of the highest rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, a group of about 80 field staff based at the Worcester project office with satellite offices in Robertson and Ceres do the actual field work of recruitment, enrolment and follow up of participants. Surveillance, professional development and data management are key support activities at the field site. At the local TB hospital, Brewelskloof Hospital, we have a dedicated 15 bed "case verification" ward, for admission of infants and children with suspected TB.