Research leaders

Prof Basil Brooke

Associate Professor, WRIM

NRF-rating: B3

Contact:  +2711 386 6480/ basilb@nicd.ac.za

Short biography:

Professor Basil Brooke is the head of the Vector Control Reference Laboratory, Centre for Emerging Zoonotic & Parasitic Diseases, NICD, and is an Associate Professor in the Wits Research Institute for Malaria. His collaborative research work has primarily focused on an array of genetic and biometric issues related to the development, inheritance, expression, relative stability and pleiotropic effects of insecticide resistance in African malaria vector species. This work has been applied to the development of strategies designed to maintain effective malaria vector control in the face of insecticide resistance, particularly in South Africa and the greater southern African region. He is also integrally involved in the assessment of enhanced malaria vector surveillance techniques, operational procedures for malaria outbreak response, new vector control products and alternative methods of vector control. Many of these projects currently involve or have involved postgraduate student participation at the BSc Hons, MSc and PhD levels.

Main projects:

• Identifying the drivers of malaria transmission in low incidence settings
• Establishing and updating diagnostic insecticide dosages for susceptibility assessments of mosquito diseases vector populations
• Reviewing and revising the WHO Manual on Practical Entomology in Malaria

Prof Maureen Coetzee

Distinguished Professor

NRF-rating: A2

Contact:  +2782-807-3559/ Maureen.coetzee@wits.ac.za

maureenc@nicd.ac.za

Short biography:

Prof Coetzee is Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa, Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, London, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene.

She is the founder and previous director of the Wits Research Institute for Malaria, University of the Witwatersrand, and was a holder of the DST/NRF South African Research Chair in Medical Entomology & Vector Control from 2008 - 2018. Her research interests on African malaria vector mosquitoes began in 1975 and include biodiversity, biology and insecticide resistance. She has published over 200 scientific papers and book chapters in the past 40 years and received many awards, the most recent being an EMBO Kolymbari award and the SA MRC Platinum award for life-time achievements. In 2010, researchers at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA, named a mosquito subgenus after her - Aedes (Coetzeemyia). She sits on the Malaria Policy Advisory Committee of the World Health Organization. She has supervised a total of 63 post-graduates from 13 African countries in the last 25 years, 65% of them black and 44% women.

Main projects:

• Revision of the 1968 book by Gillies & De Meillon, The Anophelinae of Africa South of the Sahara.

Prof John Frean

Head, Parasitology Reference Laboratory, Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, NICD

NRF-rating: C

Contact:  +2711 555 0308/ johnf@nicd.ac.za

Short biography:

Qualified in medicine and pathology at the University of the Witwatersrand, and holds postgraduate qualifications from South African, British and Australian institutions. Currently holds senior positions in the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).  His main interests are parasitic and zoonotic diseases.

Main projects:

• The PRL currently has projects involving a regional malaria slide bank, molecular diagnostics for intestinal parasites, schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths surveillance, toxoplasmosis epidemiology, tick-transmitted pathogens, and zoonotic causes of acute febrile illness.

Prof Immo Kleinschmidt

Professor of Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Honorary Professor Wits School of Pathology

Technical Advisor, SADC Malaria Elimination Eight Secretariat

Contact:  +27 76 5621373/ +44 787 2414501 / Immo.Kleinschmidt@lshtm.ac.uk

Short biography:

Immo Kleinschmidt’s main research interest is in malaria epidemiology, with an emphasis on vector control and malaria elimination. He holds dual appointments as professor of epidemiology at the London School Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and as technical advisor for the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) Malaria Elimination Eight initiative. Immo Kleinschmidt has been the Principal or Co-Investigator on the following trials evaluating malaria vector control tools and strategies: (1) the benefit of using indoor residual spraying (IRS) in addition to long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) in Tanzania; (2) the non-inferiority and cost effectiveness of reactive targeted IRS compared to generalised mass IRS in South Africa; (3) the superiority of IRS using a non-pyrethroid insecticide plus LLINs compared to IRS using pyrethroid insecticide plus LLINs in Sudan; (4) the effectiveness of reactive focal mass drug administration and reactive focal IRS, each separately, and in combination in Namibia; (5) the effectiveness of attractive targeted sugar baits in Mali; (6) the effectiveness of new generation and bi-treated LLINs compared to standard LLINs in Tanzania and Benin; (7) the comparison of two insecticides for IRS in Equatorial Guinea, and (8) the evaluation of screening and eaves tubes in Cote d’Ivoire.

Main projects:

• Epidemiological evaluation of attractive targeted sugar baits through a cluster randomized trial in Mali;
• Evaluation of the impact of malaria border screening posts on international borders in the SADC Malaria Elimination Eight region;
• Effectiveness of new generation and bi-treated LLINs compared to standard LLINs in Tanzania and Benin.

Prof Lizette Koekemoer

Co- Director and DST/NRF Research Chair

NRF-rating: B2

Contact:  +2711 717 2424/2486 or +2711 885 5364/ Lizette.koekemoer@wits.ac.za

lizettek@nicd.ac.za

Short biography:

Prof Lizette Koekemoer is currently the co-director of the Wits Research Institute for Malaria. She is a Research Professor and a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (London). She is a member of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa, Health Professions Council of South Africa, Molecular and Cell Biology Group, and the South African Malaria Elimination Committee. She is also involved in several committees at the University of the Witwatersrand.

During her 23 years research experience, Prof Koekemoer has lead multiple projects focusing on (1) malaria vector systematics, (2) insecticide resistance and the molecular mechanisms involved,  and (3) transmission-blocking strategies. She has supervised/co-supervised 65+ students, hosted few post-doctoral fellows and has successfully secure research grants from a wide variety of funders.

Main projects:

• Reduction of malaria transmission in the mosquito through drug discovery
• Research to reduce malaria transmission from outdoor biting mosquitoes through zooprophylaxis
• Increase knowledge of vector biological and genetics
• Bionomics of malaria vectors.

Prof Miles Markus

Honorary Professorial Research Fellow

Contact:  011 717 1000/ miles.markus@wits.ac.za 

Short biography:

Parasitologist (primarily medical); professional language practitioner, including translator; and ex-ornithologist. Graduate of four institutions: Imperial College London (PhD, DIC); London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (MSc); University of Pretoria (BSc Hons, MSc); and University of the Witwatersrand (BA Hons). For publications, see: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Miles_Markus

Main projects:

• Biology of Malarial Recurrence

Dr Givemore Munhenga

Principal Medical Scientist

NRF-Rating: C3

Contact:  +2711 386 6484/ givemorem@nicd.ac.za

 Short biography:

Dr Givemore Munhenga is C3 NRF rated scientist with over ten years¡¯ experience in providing expertise and overseeing research in both agriculture and public health. Dr Munhenga is employed as a Principal Medical Scientist with National Institute for Communicable and holds a joint appointment as a Lecturer within the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology at the University of Witwatersrand. His research interest is to understand entomological drivers for malaria transmission and use this knowledge in formulating malaria vector control policies through development of new techniques to complement existing malaria interventions.

Main projects:

• Development of the SIT for Anopheles arabiensis control in South Africa.
• Evaluation and optimization of mosquito surveillance systems under low malaria transmission settings
• Genetic structuring in the major malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis and implication on vector control in South Africa
• Development of an Anopheles arabiensis sex separation strain for the South African Sterile Insect Technique programme
• Into the Wild: New Models for Community Engagement with mosquito releases.

Prof Amanda Rousseau

Associate Professor

Contact:  011 717 6707/ Amanda.Rousseau@wits.ac.za 

ORCID ID:  0000-0002-9339-1797

Short biography:

Prof Amanda Rousseau completed her PhD degree and graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2000, after which she joined the CSIR (first in the Specialty and Fine Chemicals Programme and later Discovery Chemistry, Biosciences), where she was employed for a period of 10 years. In 2011 she left industry and joined the academic staff in the School of Chemistry at the University of the Witwatersrand. While retaining general interests in synthetic organic chemistry, her research focuses on the design and synthesis of compounds with the potential to display antimalarial, antibacterial, or antitrypanosomal activity.

Main projects:

• Synthesis of inhibitors of folate metabolism within the malaria parasite. This work has been extended to develop antifolates active against selected bacterial strains and Trypanosoma.
• The use of multi©\component coupling reactions to synthesize spiroindolones as potential antimalarial agents.
• Development of falciparum calcium-dependent protein kinase inhibitors containing a pyrrolo©\[2,3©\d]©\pyrimidine core Some of the prepared pyrrolo©\[2,3©\d]©\pyrimidines have also shown activity against T. brucei, and are being explored further as inhibitors of TbPTR1

Dr Shüné Oliver

Senior Medical Scientist

Contact:  +2711 386 6485/ shuneo@nicd.ac.za

Short biography:

A medical Scientist at the NICD since 2005 as well as holding a joint appointment as researcher with Wits University. Shüné maintains the insectary at the NICD and is actively involved in both conducting and leading research. She aims to combine cutting edge molecular biology techniques with basic zoology to answer key questions affecting vector control initiatives. Her primary research interests involve understanding the pleiotropic effects of insecticide resistance on mosquito life history. Her major research focuses are the effect of pollution and climate change on mosquitoes, elucidating the effects of the environment on immunity as well as investigating novel mechanisms of vector control. Over and above her research interests, she is actively involved in various aspects of academic citizenship, with a strong focus on the advancement of women in science.

Main projects:

• The effect of environmental stress on the life history of An. arabiensis.
• The effect of larval pollutant exposure on the life history of the An. gambiae complex.
• Elucidation of the immunological basis of vector competence.
• Bioprospecting of novel insecticides.
• Exploring mosquito biology as tool to combat residual malaria.

  Dr Jaishree Raman

Principal Medical Scientist and Head of Laboratory for Antimalarial Resistance Monitoring and Malaria Operational Research (ARMMOR)

Contact:  +2711 386 6374/ jaishreer@nicd.ac.za 

Short biography:

Upon the completion of her post-doctoral fellowship in Sweden, Dr Raman joined the Malaria Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council. During her 10 year tenure there she established and led a successful research programme focusing on understanding the emergence and spread of antimalarial drug resistance across southern Africa. Data generated by the laboratory informed antimalarial drug policy in South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. In 2014, Dr Raman¡¯s research programme moved to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, where in line with national policy, research activities within her laboratory are directed to towards assisting South Africa achieve its malaria elimination goal. In addition to running a robust antimalarial resistance surveillance programme, the laboratory, in collaboration with national and international partners, is investigating novel techniques and technologies aimed at improving malaria case detection and treatment practices within southern Africa, with the aim of accelerating the region towards malaria elimination.

Main projects:

• Assessing the emergence and spread of antimalarial drug resistance markers across southern Africa
• Identifying the parasitological drivers of residual malaria transmission in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga
• Determining the relatedness of malaria parasite isolates from malaria eliminating districts within South Africa to inform intervention selection
• Identifying and eliminating residual foci of malaria transmission in South Africa
• Assessing the impact of border malaria surveillance units on local transmission in northern KwaZulu-Natal and selected districts in Mpumalanga

Dr Maria Kaiser

VCRL/WRIM

Medical Scientist

Contact:  011 386 6483 / mariak@nicd.ac.za

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4795-2848

Short biography:

Maria Kaiser is a medical scientist at the VCRL, CEZPD, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, and has a joint staff position with the University of the Witwatersrand (WRIM). Her work as a post-doctoral fellow involved conducting research on the sterile insect technique as part of a project towards assessing the feasibility of using the technique against the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in South Africa. Maria has experience maintaining and establishing anopheles mosquito colonies, and has considerable experience conducting fieldwork for malaria vector surveillance and detection of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. She currently supervises an honours student, and co-supervises one masters student and one PhD candidate. Maria has authored/co-authored 11 research articles to date. 

Main projects:

• Identifying the drivers of residual malaria transmission in low incidence settings
• Investigating heritability of certain mosquito traits
• Understanding the effect of the serotonergic pathway on the physiology and behavior of Anopheles vector species

Yael Dahan-Moss
Department: Vector Control Reference Laboratory
Position/ role: Medical Scientist
Contact: 011 386 6483
yaeld@nicd.ac.za
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3792-9708

Short biography:
Dr. Yael Dahan-Moss is a medical scientist at the Vector Control Reference Laboratory (VCRL) situated at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and has a joint lecturer appointment at the WITS Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand. Yael started at VCRL as a postdoctoral fellow in 2012 and became a staff member at VCRL in 2016. Her research interest include several different routes of understanding the underlying molecular factors influencing the physiological biology and behaviour of Anopheles vector species, which is necessary information for the development of sustainable malaria vector control strategies.

Main projects:
? Understanding the effect of the serotonergic pathway on the physiology and behavior of Anopheles vector species.
? Determining the differential gene expression between the An. funestus male and females
? Understanding the role of heat shock factor in the physiology of the An. funestus species

Prof Krijn Paaijmans

Assistant Professor

Contact:  +1 480-965-2139/ kpaaijma@asu.edu 

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4837-2818

Short biography:

Krijn Paaijmans is a disease ecologist with a strong interest in how the biology and ecology of parasites, viruses and insect vectors shape the distribution and intensity of infectious diseases (such as malaria and Zika). His translational research aims to better inform disease control and prevention programs with the ultimate aim to reduce disease morbidity and mortality. Professor Paaijmans and his team study the biology and behavior of disease vectors (e.g. mosquito development, blood-feeding behavior and vector competence) to design new tools and/or strategies for mosquito surveillance and control. To illustrate, his team - together with various partners around the world - is currently developing and piloting a novel vector control approach that uses high power pulsed electric fields to prevent mosquitoes from biting their human host.

Main projects:

• Malaria elimination entomological monitoring
• Insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors
• New tools for vector monitoring and control
• Climate (change) and vector-borne diseases

Prof Robyn van Zyl

Co-Director of WRIM

Pharmacology Head

 WRIM Pharmacology Research Director

Contact:  +2711 717 2271/ Robyn.vanZyl@wits.ac.za

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3778-7578 

Short biography:

Personal Professor Robyn van Zyl is currently the co-director of the WITS Research Institute for Malaria, which is an exciting undertaking that has further strengthened collaboration and malaria research at WITS, nationally and internationally. 

Prof van Zyl undertook her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, with her PhD in Pharmacology investigating iron metabolism in the malaria parasite. Her passion for malaria has continued for over 20 years with more than 50 publications, grants and invited presentations, along with graduating more than 150 postgraduate PhD, MSc and BHSc (Honours) students. Her main research focus as a pharmacologist, parasitologist and toxicologist involves various aspects of malaria, complemented with toxicological, mechanistic, insecticidal, novel compound and clinical investigations.

As head of the WITS Pharmacology Division, Prof van Zyl contributes to both Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology research, and serves on various research and undergraduate committees.

Main projects:

• The Chemotherapeutic Properties Of Novel Synthetic And Natural Compounds
• The Insecticidal Properties Of Novel Synthetic And Natural Compounds
• Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about the management of malaria & toxicity of insecticides