Research Built Over
Two Decades.
Open to Everyone.
Epicentre began in a field in KwaZulu-Natal, studying HIV. Today, the same infrastructure that same labs, nurses, and PCR platforms. is open to anyone who walks through our doors.
"Every person who walks through our doors, or orders a kit, deserves accurate health information and genuine respect. We do not make assumptions about bodies, identities, or relationships. That is not a policy. It is how we work."
, Cherie Cawood, Founder & CEO, Epicentre Research NPC
From Field Research
to Your Front Door
Epicentre was founded in 2001 by Cherie Cawood with a single conviction: that community-based health research could change outcomes in South Africa. Our earliest work was done in workplaces, helping employers understand the HIV burden among their staff and plan evidence-based responses. That founding model evolved into our corporate wellness work and laid the groundwork for what came next.
Between 2014 and 2017, Epicentre co-led the HIV Incidence and Prevalence in South Africa (HIPSS) study in the uMgungundlovu District of KwaZulu-Natal, in partnership with CAPRISA and UKZN, with the study design published in BMC Infectious Diseases. From 2018 to 2025 we served as a primary evaluator of the DREAMS programme, a PEPFAR-supported HIV prevention initiative for adolescent girls and young women, with findings in JAMA Network Open, AIDS, and Frontiers in Public Health. During the pandemic we contributed to South Africa's national COVID-19 seroprevalence surveys with SAMRC and NICD.
Over time we realised that the same infrastructure we used for clinical trials. SANAS-accredited laboratories, registered nurses, GCP-certified processes. could serve patients directly. Not to dilute the research, but to fund it. Every blood test at an Epicentre walk-in lab helps sustain the nonprofit work behind it.
We're transparent about this because we think it matters. When you test with us, you're not just getting results. you're part of something bigger.
Epicentre Research NPC
Our registered nonprofit entity. Conducts population-level epidemiological studies and diagnostic device evaluations with CAPRISA, NICD, WHO, FIND, CDC/PEPFAR, UKZN, and SAMRC. Published across BMJ Open, JAMA Network Open, PLOS Global Public Health, BMC Infectious Diseases, and other peer-reviewed journals.
Epicentre Aids Risk Management (Pty) Ltd
Our commercial entity, through which walk-in laboratory testing, home test kits and corporate wellness services are provided. Three branches in Hillcrest (Durban), Observatory (Cape Town), and Parktown North (Johannesburg). No referral required. Revenue funds the NPC research above.
Epicentre Home Kits
Self-collection test kits for sexual health, gut health, and hormone testing, delivered to your door with prepaid return postage. Same lab infrastructure, same quality results. No clinic visit needed.
Built Different. By Design.
Most labs are built for speed and volume. Ours was built for research rigour, and we never let go of that standard.
Research-Grade Infrastructure
Our labs use the same SANAS-accredited platforms and GCP/GCLP-certified processes behind our peer-reviewed publications. That's a certification requirement, not a tagline.
Results You Actually Understand
Every test includes a clear, readable report. Most panels come with an ODx functional health report and a standard lab report your doctor will recognise. you don't have to choose.
No Referral, No Gatekeeping
You don't need a doctor's permission to understand your own health. Walk in, book online, or order a home kit. Access to health data should be a right, not a privilege.
Nonprofit with a Purpose
Every test you run with us contributes, directly and indirectly, to epidemiological research that shapes health policy across South Africa. We're a research organisation that also runs labs.
Two Decades of Evidence
The Team Behind the Work
A small, dedicated team spanning two decades of epidemiological fieldwork, laboratory science, and patient care.
Cherie founded Epicentre in 2001 with the conviction that community-based research could change health outcomes. Over two decades she has led epidemiological studies across sub-Saharan Africa, built partnerships with WHO, NICD, and CDC/PEPFAR, and grown Epicentre from a field team into a nationally recognised research and testing organisation.
A senior researcher with two decades of experience in field operations and programme implementation, David ensures quality and compliance across Epicentre's projects.
Aimee combines her psychology and health marketing background to lead operations and partnership development in Cape Town, driving digital innovation and community engagement.
A genetics graduate and functional health enthusiast, Juliette develops testing workflows and trains staff to ensure a positive client experience.
Johan brings a strong background in logistics and project coordination, ensuring efficient lab operations and timely delivery of results.
A Medical Bioscience Honours graduate and project manager, Inge supports research and lab operations with precision and scientific insight.
A Safe Space.
No Exceptions.
Healthcare environments have historically failed LGBTQIA+ patients through assumption, judgment, or simply not knowing how to ask the right questions. We work hard to be different.
Our team is trained in affirming, nonjudgmental care. We ask about biology only when it's clinically relevant. and we explain why. Your gender identity is your own. Our job is to give you accurate results in a space where you feel respected.
We offer anonymous STI testing for patients who prefer it, and our home test kit service is available to anyone nationwide without requiring a clinic visit. All records are kept strictly confidential.
Affirming Staff
Trained in nonjudgmental patient interaction. We ask what's clinically needed. nothing more.
Anonymous STI Testing
No name required on your result if you prefer. Fully confidential options available at all branches.
Test From Home
Our home kit service means you never have to enter a clinic if that feels uncomfortable. Same results, same care.
Hormone Panels for All Bodies
We test the biology that's present. not the biology we assume. Panels tailored to your actual profile.
The Science Behind the Service
More than 100 research studies in peer-reviewed international journals, alongside the validation of over 50 rapid diagnostic devices. The full list is on our publications page. This is the foundation our walk-in labs are built on.
Three Branches.
One Standard.
Walk in without an appointment at any branch, or order a home kit delivered anywhere in South Africa.
Hillcrest, 3610
Observatory, 7925
Parktown North, 2193
Ready to Take Control of Your Health?
Walk in, book online, or order a home kit. No referral. No waiting room drama.