Centre for Global Surgery
The Team
Prof Kathryn Chu, MD, MPH, FACS, FASCRS
Director and Professor of Global Surgery
Prof. Chu is a general and colorectal surgeon. She received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University. She completed her medical degree and general surgery residency at the University of California- San Francisco. She was a Fulbright scholar at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she received a Master's degree in Public Health and Developing Countries. She is an adjunct professor at University of Botswana (Department of surgery), a Board member of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and the inaugural director of the Centre of Global Surgery.
Michael Mwandri, MD, M.Med., Ph.D
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Dr. Mwandri received his Medical Doctor (M.D.) and Master of Medicine (M. Med-Surgery) degrees in Tanzania, and a Ph.D (trauma system) from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa. He has worked as a general surgeon in Tanzania, and Botswana, and as a humanitarian surgeon across Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. He is currently undertaking his postdoc at SUN. His research interests are in global surgery, humanitarian surgery, and surgical-training in LMICs and in adversity settings.
Dr. Eyitayo Owolabi, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow
Dr. Owolabi is a nurse and midwife by profession and an emerging and enthusiastic clinical researcher. She obtained her Bachelor's degree in Nursing at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Nigeria. She obtained her Master's and Doctoral degrees from the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, funded by the South African National Research Foundation. She is passionate about health promotion and disease prevention. Her research is aimed at informing better clinical practices and improved health outcomes.
Ms. Tamlyn Mac Quene, MPH
Senior Research Assistant
Ms. Mac Quene is an infectious diseases and public health professional. She received her undergraduate degree in molecular biology followed by her honour's degree in Immunology and Infectious diseases from the University of Cape Town. She completed her Master in Infectious Diseases and Public Health at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands. She has a keen interest in interdisciplinary research and work relevant to public and global health.
Ms. Lynn Bust, MPH
Senior Research Assistant
Ms. Bust is a health policy and systems specialist. She received a Bachelor of Science in Medicine, followed by a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Cape Town. She has been involved in a variety of health systems research projects, and is passionate about health equity, and improving access to health for all. Her particular interests are in universal health coverage and strengthening local capacity in health systems.
Ms. Johnelize Louw, MPhil
Doctoral student
Ms. Louw is a virology and cancer science professional. She received her undergraduate degree in Chemical Biology, followed by an honour's degree in Medical Virology. She then completed her Master of Philosophy in Cancer Science, at the African Cancer Institute. All of her degrees were completed at the University of Stellenbosch. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Health Systems and Public Health.
Dr. Anronel Stofberg, MBChB
Master's student
Dr. Stofberg is a medical doctor working in the Khayelitsha District Hospital emergency department. She received her medical degree from the University of Stellenbosch and is currently enrolled at the University of Cape Town as a Public Health master's student. She is pursuing a career in clinical research and is passionate about evidence-based medicine to improve quality of life.
Dr. Priyanka Naidu, MBChB, MSc
Research Fellow
Dr. Naidu is a medical doctor, aspiring surgeon, and clinician-scientist. She received her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, and Master of Global Surgery from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She is passionate about global surgery and committed to improving surgical care and health systems in South Africa and other low- to middle-income countries.
Dr. Rebecca Maine, MD, MPH, BS
Research Fellow
Dr. Rebecca Maine is a trauma and critical care surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at the Harborview medical center at the University of Washington in Seattle. Her research interests focus on improving access to and outcomes from surgical care, with a particular interest in systems of care, quality improvement and patients in low- and middle-income countries. Over the past 12 years she has lived and conducted research in several countries, including Ecuador, Rwanda and Malawi. Her other research interests include improving wellness and resilience in surgeons and other health care providers.
Extraordinary Staff
Prof. Justine Davies, MD, MRCP, MBChB (hons), BMSc (hons)
Extraordinary Professor
Prof. Davies is the Professor of Global Health at the Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham. Her academic interest includes producing evidence to build systems for improved and equitable access to quality health care, particularly in diseases amenable to surgery (including trauma) or in cardiovascular diseases. Her research covers disciplines from epidemiology to qualitative research, health service assessment, predictive modeling, economics, and implementation science. Currently she works with partners in Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Malawi, South Africa, and Ethiopia on projects with local institutes and academics to ensure capacity building.
The Management Committee and Governing Board
Management Committee
Prof. Kathryn Chu, Director: Centre for Global Surgery;
Prof. Taryn Young, Executive Head: Department of Global Health;
Prof. René English, Head: Division of Health Systems and Public Health;
Prof. Elmin Steyn, Head: Division of General Surgery.
Governing Board
The Governing Board plays a role in strategic direction, fostering international partnerships, fundraising and governance for the Centre.
Board members:
- Prof Kathryn Chu (Director of the Centre for Global Surgery)
- Prof Taryn Young (Executive Head: Department of Global Health)
- Prof Jimmy Volmink (The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences,
- FMHS)
- Prof. Nico Gey van Pittius (Vice Dean of Research, FMHS)
- Prof René English (Head: Division of Health Systems and Public Health)
- Prof Elmin Steyn (Head: Division of General Surgery)
- Dr Giovanni Perez (Chief Director, Metro District Health Services, Western Province
- Department of Health)
- Prof Abebe Bekele (The Dean of the School of Medicine, University of Global Health Equity)
- Prof John Tarpley (Head: Department of Surgery, University of Botswana)
