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Health Sciences
Canadian Institute of Health Research and the South African
Department of Science and Technology for investigating
the link between breast-feeding practices and newborn
infant immune activation status, which may mitigate EPI
responses. Understanding the link between HIV-induced
inflammation and autoimmunity, where peripheral tolerance
has been broken, is also a new direction within the Division.
NHLS activities:
The combined functions of the Laboratory
for Tissue Immunology (LTI) and the Clinical Immunology
and Allergy Laboratory are responsible for providing
NHLS activities. The LTI is responsible for HLA class I and
class II typing for solid organ and bone marrow/stem cell
matching. The Laboratory also performs cross-matching
and pre-formed antibody testing for renal transplantation.
Accreditation of LTI with the European Federation of
Immunogenetics (EFI) was awarded for a further three years
in 2012. The Clinical Immunology and Allergy Laboratory
performs routine diagnostic testing for autoantibodies
and different allergies. The DOI plays a leading role in the
Immunology Expert Committee, which has formulated a
new workload model for immunology services within the
NHLS. The major task for the Expert Committee over
the next year will be to formulate a national immunology
curriculum so that immunology can become a registered
specialist discipline.
Teaching:
The Division has an active teaching component
in the medical undergraduate syllabus and provides
cutting edge lectures on the basics of the immune system
and integrates immunology concepts and principals with
the case studies and problem based learning approach
by the Faculty. More advanced courses are offered at
the postgraduate level through the Honours in Infectious
Disease and Immunology programme and the short
semester Research Immunology Course for postgraduate
students. The Division also holds workshop on infectious
disease and immunology and specifically train students
from other countries in Africa on advanced immunology
related techniques and cutting-edge science.
International Links: There are very strong links between
staff in the Division with international collaborators on all
continents in both basic and applied research.
Divisional Statistics
Permanent & Long Term Contract Staff
(UCT/NHLS)
Professors
2
Associate Professors
1
Lecturers
2
Research Staff
7
Technical Staff
6
Technical Support Staff
5
Administrative Staff
2
Total
25
Students
Postdoctoral
12
Doctoral
19
Master’s
10
Honours
5
Total
46
Staff Research Fields
Academic Staff
Professor Clive Gray PhD
Wernher Beit Chair and HODv Immunology
Full member of the IIDMM; B rating by NRF; Research
Profile: Immunology of HIV infection and specific T cell
responses during acute infection.
Professor Frank Brombacher, PhD
Professor of Immunology
UCT Fellow; SARCHi Chair, Director of an MRC Unit; ICGEB
Coordinator & Group leader, Member of IIDMM; A1-rating
by NRF; Research profile: Immunology of infectious
diseases, including Tuberculosis, African Trypanosomiasis,
Leishmaniasis, Bilharzia and other Helminth infections.
Associate Professor Muazzam Jacobs, PhD
NHLS Medical Scientist and UCT Senior Lecturer; Full
member of the IIDMM. Researchprofile: Understandinghost
pathogen interaction and associated immune mechanisms
that bring about protection against tuberculosis infection.
Dr Barbara Nurse, PhD
NHLS Medical Scientist. Research profile: T cells in allergic
diseases: Cytokine responses to allergen and mTB protein
in atopic asthmatic children; Immune changes underlying
successful immunotherapy; Investigation of the role of T
cells in drug-responsive and extensively drug-resistant
(XDR) tuberculosis.
Dr William Horsnell PhD
UCT Lecturer in Immunology. Associate member of IIDMM.
C2 NRF rating. Convener of IDI Honours postgraduate
degree. Research profile: Immunity to helminth infections.
Maternal and co-infection immunity. Acetylchoine signalling
in the immune system.