Post Doc
Dr Taahirah Boltman
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Email: 27780171@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Medical Biosciences (UWC); BSc Medical Biosciences (Hons); MSc Nanosciences (Cum Laude (UWC); PhD Medical Biosciences (UWC)
Research Focus: Altered mitochondrial function and HIV-associated
cardiometabolic disease in populations from South Africa and
Kenya (MITO-SAKen).
Host: Prof H. Strijdom
Dr Olakunle Sanni
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Email: Kunlesola2810@gmail.com
Qualifications: BSc (Biochemistry), Msc (Medical Biochemistry), PhD (Biochemistry).
Research Focus: Pulmonary Artery Pressures in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Study (Investigating the inflammatory, endothelial, and mitochondrial pathways that underpin the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension post-tuberculosis).
Host: Dr. Gerald Maarman
PhD
Danelle Botha
Email: 19198639@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Human Life Sciences; cum laude), BSc Hons (Medical Physiology, cum laude), MSc (Medical Physiology; cum laude).
Project: Investigating a potential role for ATM protein kinase in the ER stress response in cardiovascular pathology.
Supervisor: Prof B. Huisamen, Dr M. Blignaut, Dr D. Van Vuuren.
Nonhlakanipho Sangweni
Email: 23050780@sun.ac.za / nonhlakanipho.sangweni@mrc.ac.za
Qualifications: MSc Biochemistry (distinction).
Research Group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform
Research Project: Prevention of Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity: A mechanistic study.
Supervisors: Prof R Johnson (SAMRC), Prof B Huisamen, Dr L Mabasa (SAMRC) and Dr D van Vuuren.
Megan Cairns
Email: 20212224@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Biology) in Human Life Sciences (SU); BSc Hons in Physiological Sciences (SU); MSc in Physiological Sciences (SU, cum laude).
Research Project: Investigating the effects of chronic stress on cardiovascular function.
Supervisors: Prof. MF Essop and Co-supervisors: Dr. D Joseph (SU) and Dr. M Vlok (SU).
Charnay Cunningham
Email: 17184207@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: Bsc Medical Bioscience, BSc (Hons) Medical Bioscience (Cum Laude), MSc Nanoscience (Cum Laude).
Research Project: The effect of particle therapy on tumour angiogenesis.
Supervisors: Prof. Hans Strjidom (SU), Dr. Amanda Genis (SU), Dr. Charlot Vandevoorde (iThemba Labs), Dr. Julie Bolcaen (iThemba Labs).
Ilze Verona Willemse
Email: 15171701@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Humanlife sciences with Physiology Genetics and Microbiology), BSc Hons (Medical Physiology), PGCE
Project: Asphalathus linearis as a possible SGLT2-inhibitor: Investigating the anti-hypertensive effects of Green Rooibos extracts.
Supervisors: Prof B Huisamen, Dr E Marais and Dr S Windvogel
Thembeka Nyawo
Email: 18244777@sun.ac.za
Research Project: Evaluation of mitochondrial and molecular derangements in cardiac adipose tissue during type 2 diabetes and relationship with cardiovascular risk
Supervisors: Dr C Pheiffer (SAMRC), Prof R Johnson (SAMRC) , Prof H Strijdom and Dr H Sadie-van Gijsen.
Siddiqah George
Research Project: The effects of prolonged fructose consumption on mitochondrial function of cardiac and skeletal muscle.
Supervisors: Dr G Maarman
MSc
Joshua Matthee
Email: 19382650@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Human Life Science); BSc (Hons) (Medical Physiology)
Project: Aspalathus linearis as possible SGLT2 inhibitor - its effects on myocardial mitochondria.
Supervisor: Professor B Huisamen, Dr M Blignaut
Michael Rabela
Email: 20872267@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Chemistry and Biochemistry), BSc (Hons) Biochemistry
Project: Obesity, cardio-metabolic diseases and ageing of the vasculature - the role of ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase.
Supervisor: Prof B Huisamen; Co-supervisors Dr M Blignaut
Barend Groenewald
Email: 20697163@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Human Life Sciences (SU); BScHons Medical Physiology (cum lauded) (SU)
Research Group: Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA)
Project title: Establishment of a novel, insulin resistant, high throughput H9c2 cardiomyoblast spheroid model.
Supervisors: Dr M Blignaut, Dr Chellan & Prof B Huisman
Sara Shaboodien
Email: 21304637@sun.ac.za
Qualification: BSc (Human Life Science), BSc Hons. (Medical Physiology - Cum Laude)
Project: The novel effect of Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos) on platelet derived growth factor-induced proliferation of rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (RPASMC)
Supervisor: Dr G Maarman and Dr E Marais
Dr Steve Jacobs
Email: steve04jacobs@gmail.com
Qualifications: MBChB (Stellenbosch), BSc Hons (Medical Physiology)
Project title: Investigating the involvement of pro-inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction markers in the progression of tuberculosis to pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Supervisors: Dr G Maarman
Corné Grobler
Email: 21555168@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Human Life Sciences with Psychology), BSc Hons (Medical Physiology)
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.
Supervisors: Prof. B. Huisamen and co-Supervisor: Dr. M. Blignaut
Candice Februarie
Email: Februariec@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Hons Molecular Biology
Research group: VuyoLab
Project title: Molecular mechanisms of first line TB-drug induced cardiotoxicity in a differentiated H9c2 rat ventricular cardiomyoblast model.
Supervisors: 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); BSc Hons. Physiology
Project title: Getting to the heart of chronic stress: an assessment of the effects on mitochondrial function and dynamics
Supervisor:
Prof MF Essop and Co-supervisors: Dr G Maarman; Dr D Joseph
Ayesha Rasheed Shaik
Email: 20150113@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Human Life Sciences (SU), BSc Hons Physiology (SU).
Research group: 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.
Supervisors: Dr T Willmer (SAMRC) and Co-supervisors: Prof C Pheiffer (SAMRC) and Prof MF Essop (CARMA).
Cassidy O'Brien
Email: 20880081@sun.ac.za or cassidyobrien4@gmail.com
Qualifications: Certificate in entrepreneurship, BSc human life sciences (with psychology), Hons physiological sciences.
Project title: Explaining the role of nonoxidative glucose pathways in terms of stress-related rat endothelial dysfunction.
Supervisors:
Prof. MF Essop
Rudzani Ramashia
Email: 25505963@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Biochemistry and Microbiology), BSc Hons (Molecular Biochemistry)
Project title: Investigating the efficacy of novel curcumin derivatives on skeletal muscle insulin resistance.
Supervisors: 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, BSc (Hons) Physiological Sciences .
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: Prof MF Essop; Co-supervisor: Dr Danzil Joseph
Thato Kgatla
Email: 20442807@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc (Molecular and Life Sciences), Honours (Physiology, Cum Laude)
Project title: Investigating the novel role of metallothioneins in Rooibos-induced cardioprotection using a cardiomyoblast model of Angiotensin-II induced hypertrophy and apoptosis
Supervisors: Dr Gerald Maarman and co-Supervisor: Prof R Johnson (SAMRC), Dr Erna Marais
Sharnay Naidoo
Email: 19358784@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Honours (Biochemistry)
Research group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP).
Project: Ubiquinone (CoQ) ameliorates mitochondrial bioenergetics & apoptosis in an in vitro model of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.
Supervisors: Prof R Johnson, Dr G Maarman
Chrisstoffel Jumaar
Email: 27421309@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BHSc. Medical Laboratory Science (Distinction) (CPUT)
Project Title: Investigating the usefulness of a novel plasma 5-marker host biosignature to identify pulmonary arterial hypertension in a post-tuberculosis context in a South African cohort.
Supervisors: Dr G Maarman
Hannah Fokkens
Email: 21992649@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BMedSci Physiology (UKZN), BSc Hons Medical Physiology (SU)
Research group: BRIP Cardio-metabolic group
Project Title: Understanding the genetic basis of hypertension in an African population.
Supervisors: Prof R Johnson, Dr JR Sharma , Prof H Strijdom (co-supervisor)
Jasmine Andrews
E-mail: 26746328@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Medical Bioscience (UWC), BSc (Hons) Med Phys (SU)
Project Title: Investigating the links between chronic stress and autophagy in hepatic and cardiac tissue from female Wistar rats.
Supervisor: Prof MF Essop; Co-supervisor: Ms Megan Cairns
Anique Wolmarans
E-mail: 21785716@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Bioschemistry and Physiology, BSc (Hons) Medical Physiology
Project Title: The effect of Cannabis and Psilocybin on the brain.
Supervisor: Prof B Huisamen; Co-supervisor: Dr Lihle Qulu
Garth Wentley
E-mail: 21670951@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Human Life Sciences, BSc (Hons) Medical Physiology
Project Title: Delineating the novel effects of melatonin in differentiated C2C12 myotubes in the presence and absence of pathology
Supervisor: Dr G Maarman
Stephen Southway
E-mail: 21214328@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Human Life Science, BSc (Hons) Medical Physiology
Project Title: Evaluating the biphasic effect of metformin in a 3D cardiomyoblast model of insulin resistance.
Supervisor: Dr M Blignaut
Amy Pretorius
E-mail: 22201831@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Medical Bioscience (UWC), BSc Hons Medical Physiology
Project Title: Comparing the effectiveness of Imatinib and Melatonin against Endothelin-1-induced proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
Supervisor: Dr G Maarman
Kheya Mokoena
E-mail: 23149108@sun.ac.za
Qualifications: BSc Human Life Science, BSc Hons Biochemistry
Project Title: Is mitochondrial dysfunction a putative marker for cardiometabolic disease in people living with HIV?
Supervisor: Prof H Strijdom; Co-supervisor: Dr Ingrid Webster