Clinical hemorheology and coagulation group
We focus on blood
coagulation, circulating inflammatory markers and how these play a role in
inflammatory conditions like Type 2 diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriases
and neuro-inflammatory conditions like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's
disease. In this group, we strive to do impactful research, that will both add
comprehensive and novel academic knowledge to the field of physiology, and to
translate my research findings to result in a societal benefit, where the
research innovation results in pioneering transformations to human health. The
coherence of the group’s research is that biophysical and biochemical
pathophysiology seen in erythrocytes, platelets and fibrin packaging, are a
significant accompaniment to a variety of (inflammatory) diseases and the reason
for hypercoagulability and aberrant rheology is in part due to circulating
bacterial inflammagens. The technological innovation is to use viscoelastic,
biomarker and structural readouts, to develop cost-effective nanobiosensors for
early detection of disease risk.
CARDIO-METABOLIC research group
The research
focus is lifestyle-associated diseases including cardio-metabolic diseases,
diabetes and links with communicable diseases and psychosocial stress. These
diseases remain the foremost causes of death, disability and morbidity in South
Africa. In Dr Joseph's newly established research group they will investigate
the infectious and cardio-metabolic diseases double burden, with focus on 1)
cardio-metabolic factors that drive detrimental outcomes in SARS-CoV-2
infections and resultant COVID-19; and 2) novel links between HIV and
cardio-metabolic diseases. Collaborations within the department, CARMA and
elsewhere, allows further exploration into topics involving the
cardio-metabolic links with psychosocial stress and with chemotherapeutic
toxicity.
CANCER RESEARCH GROUP
The specific focus of our
research is to explore new avenues of chemotherapy and adjuvant treatments that
would favour the use of lower chemotherapy concentrations with less side-effect
to normal healthy cells, while maintaining satisfactory levels of cancer cell
death.
Neuro Research Group
The Neuro Research Group
(NRG) combines cell biology, cell physiology, microscopy and biochemistry
approaches to dissect and investigate the relationship between protein
degradation through macroautophagy and cell death susceptibility in
neurodegeneration and brain cancer (gliomas). The lab focuses on macroautophagy
(MA), chaperone mediated autophagy (CMA), cellular metabolism, mitochondrial
morphology and function, tubulin and transport systems, the cytoskeleton and
ATP consumption. Central to our approach is a dynamic perspective on the cell's
function and its stress response using, in addition to standard molecular
tools, high-end microscopy techniques.
muscle Research Group
Our research on the
cellular and molecular aspects of muscle regeneration after injury is focused
on human muscle cells, small laboratory animal models and cell culture,
including primary muscle-specific stem cells. We study acute and long-term
adaptations in humans to delayed onset of muscle soreness, with or without
training interventions or change in nutritional intake. The immune system is
intimately involved during muscle injury and inflammation, and we attempt to
understand the positive and negative influences of specific immune cells and of
oxidative stress. The analysis of exercise adaptations and muscle biopsies link
this field of human life sciences to the research done by cellular and
molecular physiologists.
cardio-oncology research group
Our research group focusses
on understanding the side effects of cancer chemotherapy in the heart induced
by a class of drugs known as anthracyclines. These side effects are commonly
referred to as cardiotoxicity, a term that literally means "toxic to the
heart". We study the molecular mechanisms that govern cardiotoxicity and
its transition to heart failure by utilising both in vitro and in vivo models
to simulate this condition.
INTEGRATED METABOLISM RESEARCH GROUP
This research group mainly
investigate the links between mild systemic inflammation and metabolic diseases
of lifestyle. Some studies are focussing
on diabetes, dysregulation of inflammatory markers in obese states, Parkinson’s,
and red blood cell fatty acid composition in these disease states. The role of body composition in predicting
health risks and outcomes also forms part of the groups interest in the human
physiology as an integrative unit.
BIO-INSPIRED DRUG DELIVERY (BIOIDD) RESEARCH GROUP
In recent years, the
emphasis in drug development has been the design of new delivery systems,
rather than new drugs. Physiological characteristics of diseases bring about
both challenges and opportunities for targeted drug delivery. Bio-Inspired
strategies are being increasingly used for the design of advanced drug delivery
systems. The BioIDD research group works at the interface of physiology,
biochemistry, pharmaceutics and nanotechnology. The focus of the BioIDD
research group is to harness the characteristics of physiological systems to
tailor precision drug delivery systems for both communicable and
non-communicable diseases.
CARDIAC CONDUCTION GROUP
This group focuses on electrical abnormalities
of the heart. Disorders of the cardiac conduction system, often identified by
characteristic features on the electrocardiogram (ECG), predispose affected
individuals to cardiac events including syncope, cardiac arrest and, in the
worst case, sudden cardiac death. This research takes a closer look at specialised proteins and processes that are key
for a rhythmical heartbeat. We use a wide variety of molecular techniques in
different cellular models including human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)
derived cardiomyocytes.
