K-RITH – Kwazulu-Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV

K-RITH (Kwazulu-Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV) is a tuberculosis and HIV research institute in Durban, South Africa. The Institute is a collaboration of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. K-RITH’s 7-story research facility is situated on the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine Campus at UKZNand opened on 9 October 2012.

K-RITH’s Mission is to conduct basic science research on the human biology of tuberculosis, HIV, and HIV/TB co-infection and to develop new tools to control diseases. KwaZulu-Natal has high rates of TB, multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDRTB), HIV, and HIV/TB co-infection. K-RITH will encompass scientists from around the world, being both a local and global institution. By having a research institute in an area where people are directly affected, the science conducted can have real-life applications, and encourage science to residents of the area.