
Email: 20697163@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Human Life Sciences) and BSc Honours (Medical Physiology-Cum Laude)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Establishment of a novel, insulin resistant, high throughput H9c2 cardiomyoblast spheroid model
Supervisor(s): Dr Marguerite Blignaut, Dr Nireshni Chellan and Prof. Barbara Huisman
Sara SHABOODIEN
Email: 21304637@sun.ac.za
Qualification: BSc (Human Life Science) and BSc Honours (Medical Physiology - Cum Laude)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: The novel effect of Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos) on platelet derived growth factor-induced proliferation of rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (RPASMC)
Supervisor(s): Dr Gerald Maarman and Dr Erna Marais
Hannah FOKKENS
Email: 21992649@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BMedSci Physiology and BSc Honours (Medical Physiology)
Research group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP)
Project title: Understanding the genetic basis of hypertension in an African population
Supervisors: Prof. Rabia Johnson, Dr Jyoti Sharma
Dr Steve JACOBS

Email: steve04jacobs@gmail.com
Qualifications: MBChB and BSc Honours (Medical Physiology)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Investigating the involvement of pro-inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction markers in the progression of tuberculosis to pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Supervisor(s): Dr Gerald Maarman
Yashthi RAMSUNDER

Email: 21911886@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Human Life Sciences) and BSc Honours (Medical Physiology)
Research group: Stellenbosch University Reproductive Research Group (SURRG)
Project title: The effect of stress on male fertility
Supervisor(s): Dr Bongekile Skosana
Corné GROBLER

Email: 21555168@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Human Life Sciences with Psychology) and BSc Honours (Medical Physiology)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: The activation of ATM in response to exercise: evaluation of cardiac ATM expression in a male Wistar rat model of exercise compared to no exercise fed a normal or high fat diet.
Supervisor(s): Prof. Barbara Huisamen and co-supervisor Dr Marguerite Blignaut
Candice FEBRUARIE
Email: Februariec@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Honours (Molecular Biology)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA) and VuyoLab
Project title: Molecular mechanisms of first line TB-drug induced cardiotoxicity in a differentiated H9c2 rat ventricular cardiomyoblast model.
Supervisor(s): Dr V Mavumengwana (SAMRC) and co-supervisors: Dr Lucinda Baatjies, Dr Marguerite Blignaut and Mr Kudzanai Tapfuma
Caitlin ODENDAAL
Email: 21606005@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Human Life Sciences (Biology) and BSc Hons. Physiology
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Getting to the heart of chronic stress: an assessment of the effects on mitochondrial function and dynamics
Supervisor(s): Prof. Faadiel Essop and co-supervisors Dr Gerald Maarman and Dr Danzil Joseph
Ayesha Rasheed SHAIK
Email: 20150113@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Human Life Sciences and BSc Hons Physiology
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA) and Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP)
Project title: Investigating DNA methylation of metabolic and inflammatory genes with therapeutic potential for obesity: A cohort study in South African women
Supervisor(s): Dr Tarryn Willmer and co-supervisors Dr Carmen Pheiffer and Prof. Faadiel Essop
Cassidy O'BRIEN
Email: 20880081@sun.ac.za or cassidyobrien4@gmail.com
Qualifications: Certificate in entrepreneurship, BSc (Human life sciences with psychology) and BSc Honours (Physiological sciences)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Explaining the role of nonoxidative glucose pathways in terms of stress-related rat endothelial dysfunction
Supervisor(s): Prof. Faadiel Essop
Rudzani RAMASHIA

Email: 25505963@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Biochemistry and Microbiology) and BSc Honours (Molecular Biochemistry)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Investigating the efficacy of novel curcumin derivatives on skeletal muscle insulin resistance
Supervisor(s): Dr Babalwa Jack (SAMRC), Prof. Carmen Pheiffer (SAMRC), Dr Shantel Windvolgel (SU) and Prof. Salam Titinchi (UWC)
Logan SMITH

Email: 21166978@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Human Life Sciences with Psychology) and BSc Honours (Physiological Sciences)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Establishing a specific, accurate, high-throughput and reproducible method for the ID of novel biomarkers which links chronic psychosocial stress and disease onset.
Supervisor(s): Prof. Faadiel Essop and co-supervisor Dr Danzil Joseph
Thato KGATLA
Email: 20442807@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Molecular and Life Sciences) and Honours (Physiology-Cum Laude)
Research group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Investigating the novel role of metallothioneins in Rooibos-induced cardioprotection using a cardiomyoblast model of Angiotensin-II induced hypertrophy and apoptosis
Supervisor(s): Dr Gerald Maarman and co-supervisor Prof. Rabia Johnson (SAMRC)
Sharnay NAIDOO

Email: 19358784@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Honours (Biochemistry)
Research group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP).
Project title: Ubiquinone (CoQ) ameliorates mitochondrial bioenergetics & apoptosis in an in vitro model of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity
Supervisor(s): Dr Gerald Maarman and co-supervisor Prof. Rabia Johnson (SAMRC)
Mpho MOKOAPE
Email: 25973924@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Microbiology and Biochemistry) and BSc Honours (Molecular Biochemistry)
Research Group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP)
Project title: The effect of diet composition on the intestinal barrier in models of metabolic disease development
Supervisor(s): Dr Sylvia Riedel (SAMRC) and Dr Hanél Sadie-van Gijsen