Division of Molecular Biology & Human Genetics
Mycobacteriology: Host-Pathogen Mycobactomics
Members
Principal Investigator
Prof. Samantha Sam
pson
Prof Sampson is a tuberculosis (TB) researcher with expertise in mycobacterial genetics, microbiology, immunology and animal models of TB. Prof. Sampson obtained her PhD from Stellenbosch University, and undertook post-doctoral training at the Harvard University School of Public Health and Imperial College London (where she held a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowship). Upon being awarded a SARChI Chair in Mycobactomics, she returned to South Africa to establish a research group focused on TB host-pathogen interactions within the SA MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research (www.samrc.ac.za/research/intramural-research-units/tuberculosis) in the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics. She chairs the Institutional Research Ethics committee for Biological and Environmental Safety (ethics commitee for biological and environmental safety) and is Director of the VALIDATE network. (www.validate-network.org)
Email: ssampson@sun.ac.za
Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-sampson-47b5634/
Life outside the lab Dogs and dog sports!
Researchers
Dr. Nastassja Kriel 
The isolation and characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis persister cells
Dr. Kriel's research centers around understanding the genes and pathways associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis persister formation. Persister infections prevent the sterilization of infections and have the potential to reactivate following treatment and cause disease. Using a variety of omics technologies, Dr Kriel's research aims to provide a global overview of persister regulatory pathways required for persister formation.
Dr. Zimvo Obasa
Nanoparticle-based host-directed therapies for eradication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mice
Zimvo's post-doctoral research project focuses on assessing in vivo responses to and efficacy of novel nanoparticle (NP) formulations as a host-directed therapy for the eradication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in C3HeB/FeJ (Kramink) mice. Utilizing the Kramnik mouse strain provides a valuable opportunity to assess the influence of NPs on immuno-pathology (and vice versa). Knowledge gained from this project could ultimately contribute to improved TB control strategies, specifically more effective drug treatment regimens.
Email
| maqeda@sun.ac.za
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LinkedIn
| https://www.linkedin.com/in/zimvo-obasa-phd
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Life outside the lab
| Baking / Taking long walks on the beach / Cleaning
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Dr Liezel Smith
Nanomedicine strategies for communicable and non-communicable brain disorders
Dr Smith is a distinguished researcher dedicated to addressing the critical gap in treatments for brain disorders. Her research focuses on the utilization of phytomedicines and phytochemicals, delivered via nanoparticles, as potential therapies for both communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis meningtis, and non-communicable diseases, including gliobastoma and Parkinson's disease. By emphasizing the enhancement of drug delivery to the brain and incorporating murine studies. Dr Smith employs a diverse array of molecular techniques. Her work is poised to make a significant impact on the field of drug delivery and therapeutics for brain disorders.
Email
| Liezels@sun.ac.za
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LinkedIn
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Life outside the lab
| My family/ Spending time at the ocean/ Cooking and Baking
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Raymonde Bamboukou Bekale
PhD Students
Su-Mari du Plessis
Biomimetic nanoparticle-based host-directed therapy (HDT) for the eradication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Su-Mari's PhD aims at investigating the immune-stimulating effects of polymer-based and metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with curdlan and mycolic acids. Curdlan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide known to stimulate an antibacterial response and mycolic acids are the dominant class of lipids found on the surface of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Curdlan and mycolic acids are added to the surface of MOF NPs, where they are able to alter the shape of MOF NPs, allowing the NPs to closely mimic Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This will allow Su-Mari to investigate the biomimetic ability of NPs by investigating the stimulated antibacterial immune response. By upregulating the immune response, Su-Mari intends to create a host-directed therapeutic anti-TB approach that focuses on the processes that contribute to mycobacterial killing, instead of killing the bacteria itself.
Esther Uwimaana
Functional characterization of T-cell immunogenicity of PPE_MPTR proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Esther obtained her Master of Science in Immunology and Clinical Microbiology at Makerere University, Uganda. Esther joined the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics in 2021 as a PhD student where she intends to characterize the T-cell immune response to PPE_MPTR proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Supervisor
| Prof. Samantha Sampson
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Co-supervisor
| Prof. Andre Loxton / Dr. Nastassja Kriel |
Email
| euwimaana@sun.ac.za
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Life outside the lab
| Spending time with friends / swimming / hiking / travelling |
Julian Coetzee
Investigating heterogeneity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis as related to clinical outcomes
Julian obtained his BSc and BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology from the University of Western Cape and his MSc from Stellenbosch University in 2017, 2018 and 2021 respectively. His research currently aims to develop and validate models reporting on clinically relevant Mycobacterium tuberculosis phenotypic heterogeneity. There is anecdotal evidence of bacterial heterogeneity, but the importance hereof for TB treatment response, immune responses, and disease outcomes remains unknown. Julian will investigate this by utilizing bone marrow-derived macrophage stress models, flow cytometry and omics to measure the heterogeneity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis populations. This work provides insight into heterogeneity with Mycobacterium tuberculosis populations, with the ultimate goal of helping identify markers related to treatment response and improved treatment approaches.
Supervisor
| Prof. Samantha Sampson
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Co-supervisor
| Prof. Bavesh Kana / Dr. Nastassja Kriel
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Email
| jcoetzee@sun.ac.za
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LinkedIn
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Life outside the lab
| Hiking / Baking / Cooking / Outdoor chilling / Dogs
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Pamela Ncube
Pamela completed her BSc in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, BSc Honours in Microbiology, and MSc in Molecular Biology through Stellenbosch University in 2015, 2016, and 2021 respectively. In her honours, she investigated the diversity of Cladosporium (a fungus believed to exacerbate asthma and upper respiratory infections) in indoor environments in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces. In 2019, she was a shared MSc student with the Host-Pathogen and Animal TB research groups, and her research focused on the characterization of Mycobacterium bovis persister formation in the South African wildlife population from 6 different locations including Kruger National Park and Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. As a PhD student, she is further building more knowledge of her MSc work. Her PhD project aims to validate the in vitro acid stress model applied to M. bovis during her MSc, explore the macrophage infection models, and examine molecular mechanisms involved during these stress conditions. Understanding M. bovis persister formation will build a foundation in understanding whether latency (an asymptomatic state of tuberculosis) exists in animals.
Raadhiya Mathee
MSc Students
Diana Maritim
Identification of genes associated with Mycobacterium smegmatis persister formation
Diana obtained her bachelor's degree in forensic science at Kenyatta University, Kenya, and joined the division in 2023 as a master's student. Her research project seeks to identify genes associated with Mycobacterium smegmatis persister formation using Himar1 transposon mutagenesis. The project will improve our understanding of bacterial persistence and provide possible targets to guide the future development of TB treatment strategies.
Supervisor Dr. Nastassja Kriel
Co-supervisor Prof. Sam Sampson
Email dmaritim@sun.ac.za
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/diana-maritim-a561a8275
Life outside the lab A scout / Football (Chelsea) fan / Nature lover
Llewellyn Buys
Investigating the formation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) persisters in macrophages and their destruction using drug-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles
Llewellyn did his undergraduate degree at UWC ( University of the Western Cape) in biotechnology from 2020 - 2022. This was followed by his Hons (2023) at Stellenbosch within the Division of Immunology. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree that aims to assess the clearance of Mtb persisters using drug functionalised magnetic nanoparticles.
Supervisor Dr Zimvo Obasa
Co-supervisor Dr. Liezel Smith / Dr. Kudzanai Tapfuma
Email lbuys@sun.ac.za
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/llewellyn-oswald-buys-256089272
Life outside the lab Spending time watching sport (preferably swimming, cricket) / Spending time with family
Chipo Manda
Elre Taai
Past Students
Angelique Heyneke
Diana Maritim
Shamsuddeen Yusuf Ma'aruf
LABORATORY
Caitlyne McMurchie
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Email caitlyne@sun.ac.za
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlyne-young-4b144a148/
Life outside the lab My son, Kai / being in nature / doing anything active / arts & crafts
Tayla Juliet Smith
Efficacy of biomimetic nanoparticles against Mycobacterium tuberculosis ΔleuDΔpanCD persister populations
Tayla joined the Host-Pathogen Mycobactomics Research group as an honours student in 2021. In 2022, Tayla started her MSc degree where she intends to use a macrophage infection model to assess whether treatment with biomimetic nanoparticles will lead to the elimination of persister cells within the macrophage. She is also exploiting the nature of the double auxotroph Mycobacterium tuberculosis ΔleuDΔpanCD using a nutrient deprivation model to assess its ability as an in vitro persister model.
Erin McMaster
VALIDATE Programme Manager
Dr Suereta Fortuin
Programme Coordinators
Sune Dyers
Providing administrative support for The African Bioinformatics training program, the DAAD scholarship program as well as the Genomic Surveillance to control Pathogen infections in Africa (GenPath) project.
Email sdyers@sun.ac.za
Life outside the lab Enjoy hikes, visiting wine farms, spending time with family and friends
Zahn de Bruyn
Providing administrative support for the NIH-funded project : Nanoparticle-based host-directed therapies for eradication of Mtb (Sampson, Reineke, Dube) and Validate programme.
Email zdebruyn@sun.ac.za
Life outside the lab Enjoy cycling, hiking, art and reading
