Africa Health Research Institute

We are delighted to announce the AHRI Health Hack: Infectious Diseases Edition, a 48-hour competitive hackathon bringing together early career researchers, clinicians, engineers, public health experts, and industry leaders to develop innovative, data-driven ideas for South Africa’s most pressing infectious disease challenges.

This event aligns with AHRI’s mission of transdisciplinary scientific research to understand and intervene in the health and wellbeing of South African communities.

💡 What’s the problem we’re solving?

Too often, scientists, clinicians, engineers, and public health experts work in silos, missing the opportunity to co-create bold, transdisciplinary approaches to address South Africa’s infectious disease challenges. Many early-career researchers also feel unsure how to network outside their discipline or confidently pitch their ideas to funders.

This weekend is your chance to change that.

🧠 Bring your brain, your boldest ideas, and your willingness to collaborate outside your comfort zone, because this isn’t just a hackathon, it’s an idea-a-thon.

Expect to:

• Form diverse teams across disciplines and sectors
• Identify pressing infectious disease problems and co-create solutions that are both innovative and fundable in this think space
• Learn to pitch your ideas like a pro
• Build your network, creativity, and confidence, inside and outside science

💙 Why should an engineer, academic, or lab scientist care?

Because real breakthroughs happen at the edges – where disciplines meet. Whether you’re
modeling transmission, rethinking clinic design, designing a diagnostic test, identifying molecular biomarkers, or reimagining health equity, your skills belong here.

Join us!