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HPP Graduates Four PhD and Five Masters Students in 2013

May 21, 2013

 

 

On April 18, 2013, the HIV Pathogenesis Programme (HPP) graduated nine students  - four PhD and five Masters students - from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

The students are:

• Ravesh Singh, PhD
  Study title:  Regulation of TRIM E3 Ligases and Cyclophilin A and the Impact on HIV-1 Replication and Pathogenesis

• Eshia Moodley-Govender, PhD
  Study title: Cellular Immunity, immune activation and regulation in HIV-1 infected mother-child pairs: What are the determinants of protective immunity?

• Dshanta Naicker, PhD
  Study title: Effects and Mechanisms of Interleukin-10 Promoter Polymorphisms on HIV-1 Susceptibility and Pathogenesis

• Vinod Patel, MD, PhD
  Study title: Utility of newer and novel technologies for the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis

• Nasreen Ismail, Master of Medical Medicine
  Study title: Characterization of HLA-B*4201-Restricted Responses in HIV-1 Clade C Infection

• Pamla Govender, Master of Medical Medicine- Cum Laude
  Study title: Characterisation of the CD161+CD4+ T cell population in HIV and MTB infected individuals

• Akilimali Ngomu, Master of Medical Medicine
  Study title: The role of Leukocyte Immunoglobulin (Ig)-Like Receptors (LILRs) in Mtb/HIV co-infection

• Serron Wilson, Master of Medical Science- Summa Cum Laude
  Study Title: Impact of p2/NC Cleavage Site Polymorphisms on HIV-1 Subtype C Viral Fitness

• Sinaye Ngcapu, Master of Medical Science
  Study title: Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors-associated Mutations in the RNase H Region of HIV-1 isolates in South African Adults and Children failing Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Three of the PhDs revealed new mechanisms of HIV-1 immune control by the body and laid a foundation for how to boost the immune system to overcome HIV through vaccination or novel therapies. Another has validated laboratory and clinical approaches for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis meningitis which, if implemented, will reduce costs and save lives.

These nine new South African graduates join their colleagues in the fight to improve the health and well-being of their countrymen. They are living proof of the goal of HPP to produce and empower world-class African researchers and doctors.