Doctoral Students |
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Mr Victor Mabasa Email address: [email protected]
Victor Mabasa obtained his BSc (Biotechnology), BSc (Hons) and MSc in Medical Virology at the University of Pretoria. His MSc study investigated noroviruses in hospitalised children and the environment and in addition characterised histo-blood group antigen binding profiles of South African norovirus strains. He is currently finalising his PhD study titled: Genetic diversity and viability of human norovirus strains detected in selected wastewater samples from Tshwane district, South Africa.
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Masters Students |
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Ms Karabo Salemane Email address: [email protected]
Karabo Salemane is an MSc (Medical Virology) student at the University of Pretoria. Her current research focuses on the surveillance and molecular characterisation of noro- and hepatitis E viruses in wastewater and surface water across South Africa. She holds a BSc in Chemistry and Microbiology and a BMedSc (Hons) in Medical Microbiology and Virology from the University of the Free State. She has gained valuable experience as a Research Assistant on various projects, including the Water Research Commission (WRC) funded project looking at the detection and characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 in South African rivers. Her passion for understanding the epidemiology and diversity of viruses in the environment drives her work. Overall, she is committed to advancing our understanding of the role of viruses in human health and the environment, and to using this knowledge to improve public health and wellbeing.
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Miss Kerri-Anne van Gaalen E-mail address: [email protected]
Kerri-Anne van Gaalen has a bachelor’s degree in BSc Genetics and an Honours degree in Microbiology where she completed a project entitled “Diversity of fungi from grass samples retrieved from cattle farms in the Eastern Cape of South Africa”. Currently, she is doing her MSc in Medical Virology, working under the supervision of Professor Janet Mans. Her current project involves establishing a workflow for gastroenteritis virus surveillance, and norovirus whole genome characterisation by next-generation sequencing technologies.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerri-anne-van-gaalen-b95613270/ |
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Mr Ryle Walter Email address: [email protected]
Ryle Walter has a degree in Microbiology from the University of Pretoria as well as an honours degree in Medical Virology from the University of Pretoria. His honours research was focused on screening surface water for adeno- and rotaviruses. He is currently in his final year of his master’s degree within the department. The title of his master’s project is “Diversity of enteroviruses detected in sewage samples and stool specimens from Gauteng province, South Africa”. His research interests include molecular biology, virological surveillance and epidemiology.
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Ms Lercalya Balakrishna Email address: [email protected]
Lercalya Balakrishna is a first-year MSc Medical Virology student at the University of Pretoria. Her project focuses on detecting and characterising human adenovirus and human rotavirus found in stool specimens and wastewater samples across South Africa. She holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Medical Virology and completed her undergraduate BSc (Microbiology) degree majoring in Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Pretoria.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lercalya-balakrishna-a493b0261 |
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Ms Gabriella Grobler Email address: [email protected]
Gabriella Grobler completed her undergraduate degree at the University of the North-West, majoring in Microbiology and Biochemistry. She completed her honours degree at the University of Pretoria in Medical Virology. She is currently undertaking her MSc degree in Medical Virology at the University of Pretoria. Her focus is on the immune response of young children infected with human norovirus. She works as a research assistant for the Medical Virology Department, mainly conducting enteric virus screening and phylogenetic analyses. |
Honours Students |
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Ms Katlego Ndaba E-mail address: [email protected]
Katlego Ndaba has a BSc degree in Life Sciences from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and majored in Biology and Biochemistry. She is currently enrolled at the University of Pretoria, in the department of Medical Virology as an honours student with a research project is focused on genotyping of human adenovirus from respiratory specimens. The purpose of this study is to address the gap in the knowledge regarding the genotypes of human adenoviruses causing respiratory infection in the Tshwane region, Gauteng, South Africa. |
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