Stellenbosch University
Welcome to Stellenbosch University
PhD research aided by DoH scholarships
Author: Liezel Engelbrecht
Published: 20/09/2017

​The national Department of Health recently awarded three PhD scholarships under the National Health Scholars Programme to students at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS).

The scholarships, which are awarded to medical science students currently enrolled for doctoral degrees that comprise research in the fields of biostatistics or epidemiology, funds recipients for the full period of the degree, in South Africa or abroad.

The recipients are as follow: 

Dr Muhammad Osman, is a PhD student with the Desmond Tutu TB Centre in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health. His research looks at how South African TB/HIV interventions over the past decade have affected current TB outcomes.

His thesis, titled “TB-associated mortality in South Africa: longitudinal trends and the impact of health systems interventions", aims to improve South African estimates of TB mortality as it occurs before, during and after TB treatment.

Osman says he ultimately wants to use this information to predict TB mortality, which will enable the Department of Health to identify effective strategies for the future.

“My thesis will help us to better understand the burden of mortality associated with TB. Also, by improving estimates of mortality, we will be able to evaluate the effect of our healthcare system interventions better than before," he explains.

Karlien Barnard is a PhD student at the FMHS' Division of Medical Virology. Her research forms part of the Emerging Viruses Research Group at SU that investigates potentially zoonotic viruses. These viruses can spread from animals – including bats, insectivores and rodents – to humans.

“My study focusses on astro-viruses in South African bats," she says.

Astro-viruses are transmitted via the faecal-oral route, and cause acute gastroenteritis as well as other, more severe conditions.

According to Barnard, bats are reservoirs for numerous potential zoonotic diseases, however there is a paucity of literature regarding the diversity and zoonotic potential of astro-virus strains in wildlife hosts, especially in South African bats.

Barnard's study will shed light on the factors that contribute to the spread and maintenance of other rare viruses that are also hosted by bats, but are more difficult to study – such as the Ebola virus.

“I am passionate about understanding the role bats play in emerging infectious diseases. These creatures are magnificent to study, due to their unique adaptations to host various viruses without becoming sick themselves," she explains.

Dr Lisa Frigati is a paediatrician with a subspecialty in infectious diseases. She is a consultant at SU's Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, and although she will be doing her PhD at the University of Cape Town, Prof Mark Cotton, the Director of the Children's Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit at FMHS, will be her co-supervisor.

Her study, titled “HIV-infected adolescent health: Spectrum of disease and progression over time in adolescents on antiretroviral therapy (ART)", aims to describe the diverse health issues of this specific population.

“South Africa is home to 20% of the 1,8 million adolescents living with HIV, and we need to find ways of ensuring they have adequate care, especially as they transition to adult clinics.

“Children born with HIV that have grown into adults, often have chronic medical problems and may be at risk of further complications in adulthood, such as cardiovascular disease," she explains.

“The ultimate goal is to set up a best-practice clinic for perinatally HIV-infected adolescents at the Tygerberg Clinic."

Caption: Karlien Barnard, drs Lisa Frigati and Muhammad Osman.