Professor Tivani Mashamba-Thompson, Deputy Dean of Research and Postgraduate Studies in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria, has joined a team of a global health experts as a distinguished member of the external advisory board for the Point of Care Technologies for Nutrition, Infection and Cancer for Global Health (PORTENT) center led by David Erickson, the Sibley College Professor of Mechanical Engineering in Cornell Engineering, and Dr. Saurabh Mehta, the Janet and Gordon Lankton Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, which is housed jointly in the College of Human Ecology and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, USA.

The PORTENT Center, backed by National Institutes of Health (NIH) POCTRN+ network, is at the forefront of advancing point-of-care technologies for nutrition, infection, and cancer in global health. Its mission is to support the development, deployment, clinical validation, and commercialisation of these critical technologies, particularly in regions where improved diagnostics can make a substantial worldwide impact.

Focusing on the primary needs of the most vulnerable both in the United States and internationally, PORTENT boasts a unique international network comprising clinical, training, and device development facilities. This exceptional setup spans across four continents – North America (New York City, United States), Africa (Uganda), South America (Ecuador), and Asia (India), facilitating global validation of technologies across diverse populations. Prof Mashamba-Thompson’s and REASSURED-d@UP’s contribution to the PORTENT center has secured South Africa as one of the participating countries in important transdisciplinary research focus on engineering, testing and commercializing point-of-care diagnostic devices that will have international reach.

The external advisory board, curated with individuals possessing extensive experience in global health implementation, technology development, and domain-specific expertise, is tasked with guiding the center's strategic endeavours. Prof Mashamba-Thompson will contribute to advancing the development and optimal implementation of point-of-care diagnostics in all the participating countries. Her appointment adds a wealth of knowledge and insight to this esteemed advisory body.

Cornell University is a world-class research institution with campuses in Ithaca, New York and New York City (USA). Known for the breadth and rigor of its curricula, Cornell ranked #13 in 2024 QS World University Rankings. The recognition of Mashamba-Thompson's expertise by such a high-ranking institution is commendable. Professor Sunil Maharaj, University of Pretoria's Vice Principal for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education, and Prof Tiaan de Jager, Dean of Faculty of Health Science, congratulated her for the global recognition she had received and her contribution to the advancing University of Pretoria's internationalization.