Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences abounds with talented individuals and the Discovery Foundation has recently awarded fellowships to a handful of these curious minds.
The fellowships will support their work and academic careers and contribute to knowledge accumulation, which will be ploughed back into South African communities. The research will address relevant local challenges, such as pulmonary hypertension, gender-based violence and the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as the effectiveness of a referral process for third-line antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
What follows is a snapshot of these passionate researchers and some of the issues they will be exploring:
Dr Brian Allwood, consultant pulmonologist, Division of Pulmonology
What: The Discovery Foundation Massachusetts General Hospital Fellowship, Boston.
Allwood will be working and conducting research at this renowned American hospital for a year, starting on 1 May 2017.
Why: To observe medicine being practiced in a different context and gain exposure to world opinion leaders in their specialty. According to Allwood both pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are neglected diseases in South Africa. Only a few local pulmonologists are experienced in the modern management of these diseases.
“During the past two years we initiated both an ILD and a pulmonary hypertension service at Tygerberg Hospital. These conditions are often difficult to diagnose accurately and treat effectively. I’m hoping to gain knowledge, skills and experience that I can share with other South Africans, as well as initiate research about these conditions in our local context.”
Allwood researched post-tuberculosis lung disease for his PhD and hopes to apply the knowledge he will gain to conduct further research in this specialty. “The diseases overlap and post-tuberculous disease frequently presents as pronounced lung fibrosis (such as the interstitial lung diseases) as well as pulmonary hypertension.”
Bottom line: “I think this is an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m very grateful to the Discovery Foundation. I know the experience will expand my world view and hopefully allow me to see things in a different way.
Dr Sadiyva Sheik, Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Department of Global Health
What: Discovery Foundation Academic Fellowship (MMed)
Why: Sheik will investigate the effectiveness of a third-line ARV referral programme. “I want to determine what proportion of adult patients in the Western Cape who meet the criteria for third-line ARV treatment are actually referred, and what factors are associated with non-referrals,” she explains.
“South Africa has entered a new era in its HIV programme in which the provision of third-line antiretroviral therapy has become a necessity. Being the first public sector programme to provide access to third-line therapy comes with the realisation that this has never been done before, and that the rest of the world will learn its lessons from our successes or failures. This means there is a need to assess whether the model used to enable access to third-line therapy for individuals who meet the criteria, is indeed working.”
Bottom line: “I’ve always been drawn to the field of public health because I feel I can have a bigger impact on the health of South Africans by working at a community level. I hope this study will help improve access to third-line ARV therapy for those who need it.”
*Other Discovery Foundation Academic Fellowships (MMed) were awarded to Dr S Baboolal (Divsion of Ophthalmology), Dr N Menze (Department of Psychiatry) and Dr S Nhlabati (Department of Psychiatry).
Dr Eileen Thomas, consultant psychiatrist for Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at SU and Tygerberg Hospital
What: Discovery Foundation Academic Fellowship (PhD)
Why: Dr Thomas’ research forms part of a larger, longitudinal study undertaken by the Medical Research Council. It examines the potential role of adiponectin, a hormone excreted by body fat tissue, in predicting the development of post-traumatic stress disorder and metabolic diseases in female rape survivors in South Africa.
“We already know that adiponectin is involved in several endocrine functions and that hypo-adiponectinemia is associated with metabolic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” she explains.
“Preclinical studies in PTSD animal models have indicated that low levels of adiponectin or dysfunction of its gene-receptors also predict the development of PTSD and respond to treatment. In this study I will be exploring the use of adiponectin as a biomarker to predict the onset, severity and timing of PTSD, as well as the development of metabolic diseases.”
According to Thomas the research focuses on key priority public health areas in South Africa, including gender-based violence, non-communicable diseases and mental health, and may pave the way for the development of novel treatment for PTSD.
Bottom line: “This study will benefit the Faculty by further fostering collaboration between disciplines such as genetics, psychiatry and medicine and hopefully attract other students to pursue doctoral studies at our university.”
*Dr J Hellig of the Division of Endocrinology was also awarded a Discovery Foundation Academic Fellowship for Masters by Dissertation.
*The Department of Psychiatry received a Sub-Specialist Training Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry for Dr MT Parker (fellow).
