Principal Investigators
The principal investigator (PI) is responsible for directing a specific research project(s)/program(s). The PI is responsible for the overall management of research activities conducted within his/her domain and plays a leading role to:
- Plan, write submit grant applications
- Oversee scientific and technical aspects of grants and research projects/programs
- Supervise and graduate postgraduate students
- Produce peer-reviewed research outputs
- Liaise with the broader public domain to share expertise and/or research findings.
Medical Physiology Principal Investigators
Prof Faadiel Essop (PhD): Cardio-metabolic diseases, HIV-related cardiovascular diseases onset and progression, Stress-related cardio-metabolic diseases onset and progression.
Prof Hans Strijdom (BMedSc, MBChB, PhD): physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system, with a particular interest in vascular and endothelial biology. Currently investigating the interaction between HIV and cardio-metabolic changes in people living with HIV.
Emeritus Prof Barbara Huisamen (PhD)
Email: bh3@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 9688
The involvement of the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein in the development of a diabetic cardiomyopathy; The role of mitophagy during ischaemia and reperfusion of the heart in obesity related insulin resistance and the potential of melatonin to influence these processes; Fractionation of extracts of Cyclopia species and their potential anti-obesity properties (in collaboration with Dr C Pheiffer at the MRC); The possible use of substances isolated from Aspalatus linearis as anti-diabetic and cardioprotective substances (in collaboration with Dr R Johnson at the MRC)
Qualifications: B.Sc. - University of Stellenbosch (1974), major in Chemistry and Zoology, B.Sc. (Hons.) in Biochemistry (1975), M.Sc. in Medical Sciences (1976) with a dissertation on the effect of Iodine on the quaternary structure of Thyroglobulin, B.Sc. (Hons.) in Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, (1991), Ph.D. (U.S. - 1993): Dissertation on The identification, localization and characterization of binding sites specific for inositol phosphates in the myocardium.
Research Focus: The involvement of the ataxia-telangiectasia (ATM) protein in the development of a diabetic cardiomyopathy. The role of mitophagy during ischaemia and reperfusion of the heart in obesity related insulin resistance and the potential of melatonin to influence these processes. Fractionation of extracts of Cyclopia species and their potential anti-obesity properties (in collaboration with Dr C Pheiffer at the MRC). The possible use of substances isolated from Aspalathus linearis as anti-diabetic and cardioprotective substances (in collaboration with Dr R Johnson at the MRC).
Current Postgraduate Students
Hons.: Mohamed Sadam Parker, Anique Wolmarans, Garth Wentley, Stephen Southway
MSc: Sarah Harries, Joshua Matthee, Barend Groenewald, Michael Rabela, Ilze Willemse and Corné Grobler
PhD: Danelle Botha and Nonhlakanipho Sangweni
Dr Erna Marais (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: et4@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 983 9254
The role of Exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) in the protection against ischaemia/reperfusion injury of the heart; Epac's (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP) role in obesity-induced cardiovascular diseases by exerting anti- endothelial dysfunction and vasculoprotective effects; The treatment effect of Rooibos tea on vascular dysfunction and signalling mechanisms of diet-induced obese rat aortas.
Qualifications: B.Sc. degree (Biochemistry and Physiology, 1988, SU), B.Sc. Hons. degree (Biochemistry, 1989, SU), M.Sc.degree (Biochemistry, 1997, SU), Ph.D. degree (Medical Physiology and Biochemistry,2002, SU).
Research Focus: Cardiovascular disease, Ischaemic/Reperfusion injury, Obesity, Cardioprotection; Vasculoprotection; Cardiovascular signal transduction, Cell signalling (Western blotting technology), Rat heart perfusion technology; Melatonin; Rooibos; Exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) signalling .
Current Postgraduate Students
Hons.: Garth Wentley, Anique Wolmarans (co-supervisor)
MSc: Atarah Rass
(co-supervisor), Ilze Willemse
(co-supervisor), Kauthar Parker
(co-supervisor), Sara Shaboodien
(co-supervisor), Kgatla
Thato Mathapelo (co-supervisor), Corne Grobblaar (co-supervisor)
PhD: Dr Megan Rajah
(co-supervisor), Megan Cairns (co-investigator)
Dr Derick van Vuuren (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: dvvuuren@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 9390
Protein phosphorylation and the balance between kinase and phosphatase activity in myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury.
Qualifications: BSc Hons (Physiology, UNW), MSc, PhD (Medical Physiology, SU).
Research Focus: Protein phosphorylation in the context of signalling cascades in cardioprotection against myocardial ischaemia / reperfusion injury.
Current Postgraduate Students
PhD: Nonhlakanipho Sangweni
Dr Shantal Windvogel (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: shantalw@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 9613
The modulating effects of indigenous plants (Rooibos, Honeybush and Sutherlandia) on vascular function and antioxidant enzyme activity in various animal models at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Qualifications: BSc (Physiology, Medical Microbiology); BSc Hons (Physiology); PhD (Medical Biosciences).
Research Focus: The modulating effects of indigenous plants (e.g. Rooibos, Honeybush and Sutherlandia) on vascular function and antioxidant enzyme activity in various animal models at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Current Postgraduate Students
MSc: Carmen Payne, Ilze Willemse , Kriston Basson
Dr. Gerald Maarman (PhD)
Lecturer
Email: gmaarman@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 9392
Cardio-Pulmonary physiology and pathophysiology (clinical and basic science). Underlying mechanisms of pulmonary arterial hypertension and heart failure in the context of infectious diseases (TB and HIV).
Qualifications: BSc.Hons (SU), MSc.BSc. (SU), Ph.D (UCT), NRF Y-2 Rated researcher.
Research Focus: Cardio-Pulmonary physiology and pathophysiology (clinical and basic science). Underlying mechanisms of pulmonary arterial hypertension and heart failure in the context of infectious diseases (TB and HIV).
Current Postgraduate Students
Hons.: Dinisha Giga, Jeffrey Pieterse
MSc: Carmen Payne, Kgatla Thato Mmathapelo, Sharnay Naidoo, Dr Steve Jacobs, Sara Shaboodien, Chrisstoffel Jumaar, Garth Wentley, Amy Pretorius
PhD: Siddiqah George
Postdoc.: Dr. Sanni Olakunle
Dr Hanél Sadie-van Gijsen
Senior Researcher/Principal Investigator
Email: hsadie@sun.ac.za
Tel: 021-938-9814
Qualifications: BSc (Biochemistry and Microbiology), BSc Honours (Biochemistry), MSc (Biochemistry), PhD (Biochemistry) (all from Stellenbosch University)
Research Focus: Metabolism, obesity, animal models of obesity, adipose tissue and adipose stem cells, ex vivo stem cell models of obesity and metabolism (fat and bone), anti-obesity products, nutraceuticals, Rooibos.
Current Postgraduate Students
MSc: Ms Johara Khan (Clinical Anatomy)
PhD: Ms Thembeka Nyawo (SAMRC)
South African Medical Research Council Principal Investigators
Prof Christo J.F. Muller (PhD)
Chief Specialise Scientist for MRC
Email: christo.Muller@mrc.ac.za
Tel:
+27 21-938 0824
Prof Muller focuses his research on the potential role of phenolic compounds in the prevention and treatment of metabolic conditions such as insulin resistance, dysbiosis, obesity and type 2 diabetes. He is also involved with a proteomics study to identify early markers for type 2 diabetes. These markers are currently being tested in human subjects.
Research Focus: includes Metabolic disease (pathophysiology, prevention and treatment), phytotherapeutics and early detection of type 2 diabetes.
Prof Rabia Johnson (PhD)
Associate Professor
Email: rabia.Johnson@mrc.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 0866
In her current focus area, she has published 58 articles (Scopus h-index of 20 with 1158 citation) and filed one patent application. She has built both local and international collaborations and graduated young black students from various Under-Resourced institutes. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, she has played an active role in setting up and managing the SAMRC/BRIP's SARS-Co-V2 wastewater surveillance program.
Research Focus: her main research niche is on understanding the disease pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
Dr Carmen Pheiffer (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: carmen.pheiffer@mrc.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 9380292
Research Focus: Using molecular and epigenetic mechanisms to elucidate the pathophysiology of obesity, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes, the identification of biomarkers capable of predicting disease risk, and investigating the therapeutic potential of indigenous plant extracts against these conditions.
Dr Nireshni Chellan (PhD)
Lecturer
Email: nchellan@mrc.ac.za
Tel: 021 938 0362
Research Focus: Currently, my research focus is on the development of a more physiologically relevant pancreatic beta cell model in vitro. The model will ideally reflect more of the pathophysiology seen in human type 2 diabetes, and will form an intermediate between standard cell culture and the use of sentient animals.
Dr Sylvia Riedel-Van Heerden (PhD)
Lecturer
Email: sylvia.riedel@mrc.ac.za
Tel: 021 9380844
Research Focus: The role of intestinal inflammation and immune status in the development of metabolic diseases using cell culture and animal models.
Dr Tarryn Willner (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: Tarryn.Willmer@mrc.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 0269
Research Focus: Identification of epigenetic biomarkers and therapeutic targets against obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, with a special focus on the role and regulation of DNA methylation in these diseases. My research also includes the use of cell culture and rodent models to explore the potential of indigenous plant extracts in reversing pathogenic epigenetic modifications in these diseases.
Dr Lawrence Mabasa (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: Lawrence.mabasa@mrc.ac.za
Tel: 0219380271
Research Focus: Maternal environment and health of the child. Specifically, current research is centered on identifying the influence of maternal methyl donor nutrients on fetal epigenetic programming of breast cancer risk, and to an extent, cardiovascular complications.
Dr Ruduwaan Salie (PhD)
Specialist Scientist
Email: rsalie@mrc.co.za
Tel:
Research Focus: The main focus area my work is to identify cardiovascular complications associated with the metabolic syndrome. The development of cell signaling and cardioprotective strategies to overcome cardiovascular pathologies in various animal heart failure models.
Dr Marlon Cerf (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email:
Tel:
Chronic Stress & Cardiometabolic Complications
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Prof Faadiel Essop
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Megan Cairns (PhD)
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Caitlin Odendaal (Masters)
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Ayesha Rasheed Shaik (Masters)
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Cassidy O'Brien (Masters)
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Logan Smith (Masters)
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Minette van Wyk (Masters)
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Herschelle-Lee Jager (Honours)
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Kaylee Losper (Honours)
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Ayesha Shaik – co-supervisor
HIV-related cardiovascular disease
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Prof Hans Strijdom
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Prof Faadiel Essop
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Dr Gerald Maarman
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Dr Amanda Genis
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Dr Ingrid Webster
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Dr Windvogel
Obesity-linked Cardiometabolic Diseases
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Prof Barbara Huisamen
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Danelle Botha (PhD)
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Joshua Matthee (Masters)
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Ilze Verona Willemse (Masters)
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Michael Rabela (Masters)
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Barend Groenewald (Masters) -- co-supervisor
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Corne Grobler (Masters)
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Mohamed Sadam Parker (Honours) -- co-supervisor
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Anique Wolmarans (Honours)
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Garth Wentley (Honours)
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Dr Windvogel
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Kriston Basson (Masters) [SURRG]
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Jasmine Andrews (Honours)
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Prof Faadiel Essop
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Mia Lombard (Honours) -- co-supervisor
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Dr Hanel Sadie-Van Gijsen
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Dr Marguerite Blignaut
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Barend Groenewald (Masters)
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Mohamed Sadam Parker (Honours)
Chemotherapy-induced cardiovascular disease
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Prof Barbara Huisamen
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Sangweni Nonhlakanipho (PhD)
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Prof Hans Strijdom
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Charnay Cunningham (PhD) -- co-supervisor
Ischemia-reperfusion Therapies
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Prof Barbara Huisamen
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Stephen Southway (Honours) -- co-supervisor
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Dr Erna Marais
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Sara Shaboodien (Masters)
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Dr Derick van Vuuren
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Dr Marguerite Blignaut
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Stephen Southway (Honours)
Therapeutic Development
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Prof Hans Strijdom
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Hannah Fokkens (Masters)
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Marc Lipshitz (Honours) -- co-supervisor
Epigenetics & Cardiometabolic Diseases
Other
(not sure which heading they fall under)
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Prof Hans Strijdom
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Thembeka Nyawo (PhD) -- co-supervisor [SAMRC]
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Jacques van Heerden (Masters) [Department of Medicine]
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Dr Gerald Maarman
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Carmen-Marie Payne (Masters)
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Sara Shaboodien (Masters) [RPASMC]
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Dr Steve Jacobs (Masters)
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Thato Kgatla (Masters)
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Sharnay Naidoo (Masters)
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Chrisstoffel Jumaar (Masters)
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Dinisha Giga (Honours)
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Dr Marguerite Blignaut
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Candice Februarie -- co-supervisor [VuyoLab]
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Dr Amanda Genis
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Dr Windvogel
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Rudzani Ramashia (Masters)
- Amy Pretorius (Honours)
Additional Staff/Research Members
Dr Amanda Genis
Senior Research Assistant
Email: amanda_g@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 9072
Qualifications: BSc Psychology (UNISA); HSc Psychology (UNISA); MSc Medical Physiology (US); PhD Medical Physiology (US)
Research Focus: Effect of HIV proteins and ART on endothelial function.
Current Postgraduate Students
PhD: Charnay Cunningham
Dr Ingrid Webster
Technical Officer
Email: iwebster@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 9386
Qualifications: BSc (Physiology, Genetics and Biochemistry); Honours Physiology; MsC Medical Physiology; PhD Medical Physiology.
Research Focus: EndoAfrica, HIV and endothelial function.
Dr Marguerite Blignaut
Part-time Researcher
E mail: marguerite.blignaut@gmail.com
Qualifications: BSc. Animal Biotechnology (SU), BSc. Hons Genetics (SU), MSc. Genetics (SU), PhD Medical Physiology (SU).
Research Focus:
My research focus on the characterisation of molecular pathways as well as mitochondrial function and dynamics, focussing specifically on Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated protein kinase, as a potential biomarker and treatment target in cardiovascular disease, using in vitro cell-based studies, ex vivo animal models and microscopy.
Current Postgraduate Students
Hons.: Jasmine Andrews (co-supervisor), Stephen Southway, Mohamed Sadam Parker
MSc: Joshua Matthee (co-supervisor), Bernie Groenewald, Corne Grobler (co-supervisor), Michael Rabela (co-supervisor)
PhD: Danelle Botha
Stellenbosch Campus
Dr Balindiwe Sishi (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: bsishi@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 8083153
The Cardio-Oncology Research Group (CORG) investigates the side effects of the chemotherapeutic drug Doxorubicin on the heart.
Qualifications: B.Sc. degree (Human Life Science), B.Sc. Hons. degree (Physiological Sciences), MSc. degree (Physiological Sciences ), Ph.D. degree (Physiological Sciences) (all from Stellenbosch University).
Research Focus: The group's interests lie in understanding the basic mechanism of cardiovascular damage induced by Doxorubicin by paying particular attention to Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Endoplasmic Reticulum and Oxidative Stress, Protein Degradation systems, Calcium dysregulation, and microRNA expression within this context.
Current Postgraduate Students
Hons.: Siyabonga Matanda (2022). 2023 Hons - yet to be determined
MSc: Kay-Leigh Mostert, Carmen Van Leeuwen, Jhade Bredenkamp, Fatima Salie, Fatimah Lakay (co-supervisor)
Dr Danzil Joseph (PhD)
Lecturer
Email: danzilj@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 8083154
Lifestyle-associated diseases including cardio-metabolic diseases, diabetes and links with communicable diseases and psychosocial stress are research interest areas.
Qualifications: B.Sc. degree (Human Life Science), B.Sc. Hons. degree (Physiology), Ph.D. degree (Physiology) (all from Stellenbosch University).
Research Focus: Our research group aims to investigate the infectious and cardio-metabolic diseases double burden, with focus on cardio-metabolic and molecular factors that drive detrimental outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variant interactions with human cells. Collaborative projects further explore topics involving the cardio-metabolic links with psychosocial stress and with metabolic aspects of chemotherapeutic toxicity.
Current Postgraduate Students
Hons.: Andrea Laubscher (2022)
MSc: Tara Michaels, Fatimah Lakay, Jacomi Breytenbach (co-supervisor), Logan Smith (co-supervisor), Caitlin Odendaal (co-supervisor), Cassidy O'Brien (co-supervisor)
PhD: Megan Cairns (co-promotor)
Dr Theo Nell (PhD)
Senior Lecturer
Email: tnell@sun.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 8083147
The “Human as Unit" is the focus. We focus on diseases of lifestyle mainly in which metabolism plays the central role but integrated with other physiological systems and also interdisciplinary systems.
Physiological associations are investigated in an epidemiological as well as molecular/cellular approach. The research group has a very high socio-health impact with a pragmatic focus. The research blends well in the social impact vision and mission of the University of Stellenbosch, and Faculty of Science.
Qualifications: B.Sc. degree (Physiology & Microbiology, NWU), B.Sc. Hons. degree (Physiology, NWU), M.Sc.degree (Nutrition, SU), Ph.D. degree (Nutrition, NWU), MSc Medical Science degree (Clinical Epidemiology, US).
Research Focus: Metabolic Syndrome, Inflammation, Body Composition,
Current Postgraduate Students
Hons.: Jessica MacKenzie 2022 (Supervisor)
MSc: Jacomi Breytenbach (Supervisor),
PhD: Marthinus Janse van Vuuren (Promotor)
