24 Jan 2025

This lecture explores current research findings which provide insight into the genetic underpinnings of psychiatric traits, providing an understanding of the genetic architecture. It will delve into the fundamental concepts of genetic epidemiology, heritability estimates, the latest advancements in genome-wide association studies, and next generation sequencing. We will discover how genetic variations contribute to the susceptibility to and manifestation of psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. This lecture will also provide insight into the complexities of gene–environment interactions and their impact on mental health outcomes.

In this richly illustrated lecture participants will find out why mammals have emerged as the most advanced backboned animals, how they have adapted their basic body plan to thrive in changing environments and what it is like to be a platypus, kangaroo, baboon or whale. Participants will also gain an understanding of mammal diversity and evolution worldwide, how they breed, care for their young, feed and defend themselves and the vital ecological roles that they play.

This lecture will provide an update on the impacts of climate change for South Africa based on the most recent scientific assessments, as well as the responses from government, businesses and households.

Homegrown and global criminals operate in South Africa. Their actions are bolstered when corrupt state officials collude with them. This lecture looks at the various ways criminals manage to infiltrate parts of the state – from the police service to the housing sector. Focus will also be on the different criminals, suspects, and accused who operate in South Africa.. This bridges gaps between areas ranging from gang strongholds and business hubs to upmarket suburbs. The lecture will point to how organised crime is woven into our daily lives.

This lecture will begin with a review of the global flags, including those related to the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine, as well as climate change. The probability of a friendly planet scenario will be weighed up against a gilded cage scenario of a divided world. Moving to South Africa, the flags to watch relating to the GNU will be summarise assessment of the positive and negative scenarios flowing out of them.

This lecture is situated within the history of the development of the Afrikaans language. Around the turn of the eighteenth century, local Muslim literates wrote Jawi, the Arabicised written form of Malayu where this writing tradition was customary. Between 1862 and 1869 Shaykh Abu Bakr Effendi al Amjadi produced Baya¯n ud-Din, translated as ‘An explanation of the religion’ in which he explained ritual practices of Islam to adherents. The text is one of the oldest extant publications produced in a distinct form of early Afrikaans.

Death is the final fate of us all. Too often this takes place in hospital settings with all the contraptions to delay this event, fuelled by fear of suffering and family pressures. When faced with the prospects of increasing incapacity and dependence on others, some may wish to have assistance to die with dignity. This lecture will explore the medical and ethical reasons for supporting the legalisation of assisted dying.

In this conversation about what it takes to review books, seasoned book reviewer Beryl Eichenberger and text editor and author John Linnegar discuss how reviewing is so much part of the art of storytelling, the potholes and pitfalls of reviewing, the part social media plays, working with publishers and book stores, and the skills that you, too, could employ to enlighten potential readers.

This lecture will examine why palliative care is a fundamental component of universal health coverage for all individuals. It will explore the values of palliative care in relation to universal health coverage, highlighting its importance not just for the healthcare system, but for individuals as well. The lecture will delve into how insufficient investment in patients’ final year of life impacts society in various ways, and will focus on experiences of death and dying.