Prof Blumenthal. Ryan, MBChB (Pret), MMed (Med Forens) Pret, FC For Pat h (SA) Dip For Med (SA) PhD (Wits) Senior specialist forensic pathologist and associate professor at the University of Pretoria’s Department of Forensic Medicine. 

His chief field of interest is the pathology of trauma of lightning (keraunopathology). Lightning medicine forms part of wilderness medicine. Wilderness medicine is about providing emergency care in remote settings. Wilderness medicine is important when considering climate change and the impact global weather systems have on humans, especially in resource-limited and resource-depleted communities.

He has published widely in the fields of electrocution, suicide and other areas involving the pathology of trauma. His chief mission in life is to help advance Forensic Pathology Services both nationally and internationally. Blumenthal has published 38 articles in peer-reviewed Journals. He has contributed Chapters to six international textbooks. He has written four books for the public. He is currently an NRF-C2 rated scientist. 

His book 'Autopsy - Life in the trenches with a forensic pathologist from Africa' (Jonathan Ball Publishers) launched August 2020 became a non-fiction best-seller in South Africa. It is currently in its seventh print and is being translated into Russian.

His eight-part documentary “Lightning Pathologist” (Channel 180 DSTV) aired 9 November 2020 to 20 November 2020, and was viewed by over 2.2 million people.

His new book – Risking Life for Death – Lessons for the Living from the Autopsy Table (Jonathan Ball Publishers) launches 12 July 2023.

Miss Shanna-lee Bester, is a 27-year-old fifth-year medical student at the University of Pretoria. With a strong academic background and a passion for healthcare. Her goal is to not only make a positive difference in the field of medicine but in the lives of her patients alike.

Currently, Shanna-lee has the privilege of serving as the Chairperson of the Tuks Student Surgical Society, where she leads a team of medical students and aspiring surgeons in organizing educational and practical events to enhance their knowledge and skills in the surgical field. Additionally, she holds the position of Head of Events for TURF, where they collaborate with fellow students to foster a culture of research and innovation.

Before embarking on her medical journey, she successfully completed a BSc degree in Human Physiology, Genetics, and Psychology, followed by a BSc Honours in Neurophysiology. This background has further fuelled her aspiration to pursue research alongside her medical career, with a particular interest in Paediatrics and Gynaecology.

Shanna-lee believes in the power of research to improve patient care and outcomes, and she is determined to contribute to advancements in these fields. Her goal is to blend clinical expertise with research to provide the best possible care for future patients.

Beyond her academic pursuits, she finds joy in maintaining an active lifestyle. Shanna-lee is an avid CrossFit enthusiast and enjoys hiking with her dog. In her downtime, she loves cooking and enjoying new experiences and cuisines with friends.

Nobuhle Vanessa Gxekwa is a 5th year medical student at the University of Pretoria and an aspiring clinician-scientist. She has had the privilege to serve as the Vice-Chairperson of the Pulse Medical Student Executive Committee in 2021 and 2022 as well as a MBChB peer mentor. Her interaction with the students within the Health Sciences Faculty has allowed her to participate in impactful projects one which stands out is the Food Parcel Project which since its inception has made a tremendous contribution to the Faculty.

Having an international bursar has given her the opportunity to be a finalist of the 1st annual Queens Young Leaders Award, which granted her a position as an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society. This allows the opportunity to engage in sessions with young leaders from around the world, where they collectively work towards finding solutions to the pressing issues faced by our respective societies. She was also recently awarded the Michael Geoghegan Global Student of the year award by the Madrinha. Trust (UK).

Nobuhle currently holds a BSc in Health Sciences where she majored in Physiology and Psychology. Her passion for research was further ignited during her participation in a project at the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRi) under the Basic Translation Research division where she co-authored a publication "The SARS-COV-2 Seroprevalence among Oncology Patients". Motivated by this experience, she has taken on the role of becoming the Head of TURF where her main goal is to dispel the misconceptions around research among undergraduate students by fostering a culture of research that is accessible and inclusive to students, while making research more tangible and exciting while illustrating its real-world applications. Her ultimate goal is to become an esteemed clinician-scientist that will leave an indelible mark in the field of medicine and society as a whole.

Prof Nyakudya is a Medical Physiologist based at the University of Pretoria where he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and School of Medicine. He is a BSc Hons, MSc Medicine (Physiology) and a Doctoral degree (Ph.D) in Medical Physiology graduate from Wits University. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences Education and an MSc in Health Science Education from Wits University. His pre-clinical medicine research focus is on the neonatal programming and the developmental origins of health and metabolic disease. He makes use of neonatal and adult animal models to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy of alternative and complementary medicines, administered during the critical windows of developmental plasticity, against diet-induced metabolic dysfunction.

Prof Nyakudya is a member of several national and international scientific societies. He has authored and co-authored several journal articles in national and international accredited journals as well as a book chapter. To date, Prof Nyakudya has supervised several MSc students and PhD students who are at various stages of their studies.