Dr Lungile Sitole, one of the *Mail & Guardian top 200 young South Africans in 2015 and a recipient of a ‘Women in Science’ (WISA) award from the Department of Science and Technology in 2014, received her PhD degree in Biochemistry at the University of Pretoria’s recent Spring graduation ceremonies.

As the title of her PhD indicated, ‘Spectroscopic evaluation of HIV positive sera reveals metabolic signatures of infection’, Dr Sitole is involved in research to try and unlock new methods for monitoring HIV disease progression and individual responses to treatment. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Johannesburg.

In 2009, Dr Sitole completed her MSc (cum laude) in organic chemistry at Jackson State University’s School of Science, Engineering and Technology in Mississippi, USA. Before tackling her PhD she worked as a researcher for the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Read more about her on the link http://200ysa.mg.co.za/blog/dr-lungile-sitole/

*Every year, the Mail & Guardian scours the country to find noteworthy and newsworthy young South Africans to profile in its annual 200 Young South Africans publication.