Editorial
As I write this, the 2nd South African AIDS Conference in Durban has just come to a close - and I am proud to say that the MRC has made a significant and valuable contribution, even winning an award for the best presentation in the epidemiology, prevention and public health track.

During the conference, it was also announced that the MRC is launching an HIV and AIDS Lead Programme, which will coordinate the body of MRC- funded research around this disease. Dr Gita Ramjee, director of the HIV Prevention Research Unit, has been appointed to its helm. More about her and her unit's work in the next issue of MRC News. Still on the theme of HIV and AIDS, the story on page 4 describes a surprising discovery about the way migration contributes to the spread of the disease, and looks at what needs to be done. We also look at ethics in the health research context, and specifically at the MRC's Guidelines on Ethics for Medical Research: HIV Preventive Vaccine Research.

Our lead story this issue (page 2) is about running shoes: the MRC's Exercise Science and Sports Medicine Research Unit has recently discovered that, far from preventing running injuries, specialised running shoes might actually be causing them.

As is usual with MRC News, the focus is on good health, with articles on the importance of carbohydrates in a healthy diet (page 6), healthy ageing (page 16) and the effect of a mother's mental and emotional wellbeing on her unborn child (page 8). We also celebrate the life and work of Nonthuthuzela Somdyala, who joined the MRC seven years ago and is now in charge of the population- based rural cancer registry in the former Transkei region (page 19).

Lastly, changes in the way research is funded have led to the development of a new industry - that of research innovation - which takes new discoveries to the market place. The good news is that South Africa, and the MRC in particular, is on the crest of this wave. I spoke to Prof Tony Bunn, director of the MRC's Innovation Centre and himself an innovator, about these developments. Read more on page 26.

Here's to a warm and cozy winter for all MRC News readers. And be advised: The best evidence says ... that antibiotics are not much use for sore throats!

Yours in health
Elmien Wolvaardt
MRC News editor

PS: The MRC really shone at this year's prestigious NSTF Awards, also known as the 'Oscars' of science. Congratulations to our three category award winners, Prof Vikash Sewram of the PROMEC Research Unit, Prof Priscilla Reddy of the Health Promotion Research Unit and Prof Paul van Helden of the MRC/US Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology. They were two out of a total of ten MRC finalists - and in these awards, being chosen as a finalist is an achievement in its own right. The other finalists were: Prof Peter I Folb, Prof Walter F Marasas, Dr Krisela Steyn, Dr Rachel Jewkes, Prof Debbie Bradshaw, Dr Naeema Abrahams and Prof Jack Moodley. Congratulations to you all.