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UCT RESEARCH REPORT 2012
f. Pilot project examining the efficacy and CSF drug
penetration of cART in patient with neurological HIV-
associated disease. Dr’s Thienemann, Vermaak and
Decloedt (Pharmacology)
Dementia:
A longitudinal study of cognitive impairment in
the elderly, with an emphasis on the role of inflammation
in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. The study
includes imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance
spectroscopy (MRS) of the brain and volumetric MRI
analyses of various brain regions.
Neurogenetics:
Aclinical andcounsellingservice forpatients
with Huntington disease and familial spinocerebellar ataxia
(SCA) with a study to find an appropriate SNP to target for
SCA1 gene silencing and to knock down the expression of
mutant Ataxin1.
Multi-media teaching:
The use of clinical encounter
simulations is being explored.
Drug trials:
The division is active in phase 3 drug trials for
Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
Divisional Statistics
Permanent and Long-term Contract Staff
Associate Professors (Full-time)
4
Senior Lecturers (Full-time)
1
Lecturers (Part-time)
2
Total
7
Postgraduate Students
B.Sc Hons
2
M. Sc.
4
PhD
1
M. Med (Psychiatry)
1
M. Med (Family Med)
1
MA (Neuropsychology)
2
Research Fields and Staff
Associate Professor A. Bryer
Stroke; neuro-genetics.
Dr E. Lee Pan
Health systems information technology; multi-media
teaching.
Associate Professor J. Heckmann
Myasthenia gravis; HIV neurological disease, HIV
neuropathy, neuro-immunology; neuro-genetics.
Dr L. Tucker
Epilepsy
Dr K. Bateman
Tuberculous meningitis
Contact Details
Postal Address: E8, New Groote Schuur Hospital,
Observatory, 7925
Telephone: +27 21 404 3197/8
Fax: +27 21 406 6251
E-mail: alan.bryer@uct.ac.za
Department Of Medicine
Division Of Clinical Pharmacology
Head of Division: Professor Gary Maartens
Divisional Profile
The major research thrusts of the division are focused on
drugs for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. The research in
these fields is broad and encompasses drug discovery,
pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenomics, clinical trials,
pharmacoepidemiology,
and
pharmacoeconomic
evaluation. The analytical laboratory plays a key research
role with small animal models for drug discovery and in
patient samples for drug concentrations. A largemulticentre
malaria clinical research group headed by Professor Karen
Barnes has secured substantial funding from the Gates
Foundation and the Global Fund – this programme is at
the forefront of translational malaria research in Africa. The
MRC South African Traditional Medicines Research Group
is a drug discovery programme: Professor Kelly Chibale,
Dept Chemistry, UCT and Professor Peter Smith from our
division are co-directors. Compounds with antimalarial,
antibacterial (including antitubercular) and antifungal
activity are identified and optimised from plants used in
traditional medicine. The analytical laboratory has recently
been awarded funding from NIH as an International
Pharmacology Specialty Laboratory. Professor Helen
McIlleron heads our clinical pharmacokinetic group, which
conducts a series of pharmacokinetic studies evaluating
antitubercular drugs, antiretroviral drugs, and the interaction
between them in adults and children with funding from
the Wellcome Trust, NIH, and MRC. Our collaboration
on population pharmacokinetics with Uppsala University
is ongoing and we have a pharmacometric laboratory to
perform these complex analyses.