Dr Thabiso Miya

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr Thabiso Miya is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Pan African Cancer Research Institute (PACRI) under the leadership of Prof. Zodwa Dlamini. He joined PACRI in September of 2022 and has published various book chapters and reviewer papers since then. His current research project is titled “Targeting the aberrant splicing signatures in prostate cancer with HIV using splicing disruptor drugs”. This project aims to identify and evaluate alternate splicing profiles in HIV-associated prostate cancer and target these changes in disease-specific splicing signatures using protein arginine methyltransferases and splicing factor kinase inhibitors. Dr Miya holds the following qualifications: BSc. in Molecular and Cell Biology (Wits), Hons. in Molecular and Cell Biology (Wits), and PhD. in Genetics and Developmental Biology (Wits). Due to outstanding results, his MSc project was eventually converted to a PhD which he completed in 2021.

Dr Juanita Mellet

Postdoctoral Fellow

BSc (Pretoria), BSc Hons (Witwatersrand), MSc (Pretoria), PhD (Pretoria)

Juanita Mellet completed her PhD in 2019 under the supervision of Prof Michael Pepper at the Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM), Department of Immunology, University of Pretoria. Her PhD involved studying various aspects of umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and HIV. This formed the basis of her interest in the clinical application of HSPCs, particularly expansion of these cells and their use in gene therapy, both of which are at the forefront of modern medicine. She is presently a postdoctoral fellow at the ICMM, working on neonatal encephalopathy with suspected hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (NESHIE) project. This project, with its various clinical and molecular components, has further developed and expanded her interests in identifying unique molecular signatures in various biological systems across areas of basic and clinical research, with a specific focus on therapeutic applications.

Dr  Thabo Hamiwe 

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr Thabo Hamiwe is a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Medical Microbiology, UP under the mentorship of Prof Marthie Ehlers. Her primary area of focus is on the genomics and transcriptomics of the high mortality lung pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis and other chronic lung diseases.Dr Hamiwe has been involved in multiple collaborations over the course of her research career that include the University of Leicester, the SeqAfrica Consortium, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Rand Water. Her scope of research includes, antimicrobial resistance, virulence, genomics and the One Health approach, with regards to World Health Organization priority bacterial pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Salmonella spp. Her research has been presented at multiple national and international scientific conferences, where she has been awarded for her work and has published in accredited scientific journals. Dr Hamiwe is passionate about infectious diseases research and is dedicated to combating antibiotic resistance and improve infection control measures to ensure better patient outcomes in these communities.

Dr Chantelle Howlett-Downing

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr Chantelle Howlett-Downing, is a UP School of Health Systems and PublicHealth Alumni. She is currently completing her postdoctoral fellowship. Her interests are in the intersection between environmental exposure and health effects. These include respiratory as well as diseases related to inflammatory etiology. The tools used to determine causal and associative links between exposure and outcome is rapidly developing with use of technology and statistical tools. She is excited to be part of large multi-national and cross disciplinary teams to perform evidence studies which in turn can inform policy and ensure general wellbeing.

Ms Sanele Mathibela

RESCOM Postgraduate Student Representative - School of Medicine

Sanele Mathibela is an MSc student in Human Physiology, specialising in cancer drug development. Her project is titled “Assessing the in vitro effects of cannabinoids in combination with cisplatin on cervical cancer cell lines.” Her project is an integration of her passion for cancer research and medical cannabis farming. She is honoured to serve as a postgraduate representative for both the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Committee (RESCOM) and the Faculty Transformation Committee. It is her mission to ensure that the voices of postgraduate students are heard and their needs are addressed. She aspires to contribute to the advancement of medical science for the betterment of society

Dr Tshepiso Mfolo

RESCOM Postgraduate Student Representative - School of Dentistry

Dr. F.C. du Toit

Lecture (Department Of Physiology)

Dr. F.C. du Toit is a respected lecturer in the Department of Physiology, Division of Biokinetics and Sport Science at the Faculty of Health Sciences. As a registered independent Biokineticist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), he brings over 15 years of expertise in the sport and rehabilitation sectors. Dr. du Toit utilizes his extensive professional network to enhance his patients' physical wellbeing and quality of life through personalized scientific assessments and exercise-based rehabilitative treatments. His work focuses on preventing and managing medical conditions while optimizing performance in both athletic and occupational contexts. His dedication to integrating scientific knowledge with practical application underscores his commitment to advancing health and performance outcomes. Passionate about advancing the field, Dr. du Toit is dedicated to educating future professionals and contributing to cutting-edge research in biokinetics. His commitment to both academic excellence and practical expertise underscores his role as a leading figure in his field