PHRU Staff
The PHRU has 400 fulltime staff, with more posts expected to be filled as new projects begin. The unit is committed to developing capacity and training all research staff.
Executive Directors |
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Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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Executive committee |
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Dr. Avy Violari- Is a deputy Director and head of the Paediatric Division of the Perinatal HIV Research Unit. She is involved in several international clinical trials developing new strategies for the treatment of HIV and its complications for infants infected with HIV. |
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Dr. Neil Martinson- Current research interests include: the economics of health care and TB. He runs Zuzimpilo-an ARV fee-for-service clinic in downtown Johannesburg. He has also published on male circumcision and has an interest in the social marketing of circumcision. His predominant research interest is TB and its intersection with HIV, He is a Deputy Director at the PHRU. |
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Helen Struthers- Is PHRU’s USAID project director. She has her master’s degrees in applied mathematics and in business management. Her interests are in the social aspects of HIV in particular men, men who have sex with men amongst others. |
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| Sarita Lalsab- Is the Director of operations at PHRU. With her scientific and business background she continues to utilize her skills in the smooth running of the unit. She is busy completing research on non-profit research organizations and hopes that this type of work will add value to the non-profit sector in South Africa. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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Dr. Coceka Nandipha Mnyani- Is an obstetrician and gynecologist by training, and is the Director of Women’s Health at the PHRU. She is mainly involved in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) program in the unit, working closely with the Gauteng Department of Health. Her main research interests are in PMTCT and teenage pregnancies. |
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Busisiwe Nkala- Is the Director for the Adolescent Program of the Perinatal HIV Research Unit. She has been involved in a number of HIV prevention studies, holds a Diploma in General nursing and Midwifery and obtained a BA in Social Work from the University of Witwatersrand. Her interests are in building capacity through working with project teams in the identification and training of project coordinators, community liaison officers, counselors and field workers. |
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Susan Kekana- Is the Senior Project director for the PMTCT and CCMT programs. She has been actively involved in the Department of Health for the past 20 years working closely with HIV programs including policy development. She also has been involved in developing the partnership between Gauteng government and other stakeholders in the HIV/AIDS sphere. |
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Precious Modiba- Is the Director for Project Accept which is a community based VCT initiative. She has a background in health systems research and her interests are in community participation, HIV prevention and health policy implementation. |
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Dr. Guy De Bruyn- Is the programme director for HIV prevention studies. He trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases and public health/epidimology prior to joining PHRU. His major research interests are HIV vaccines, HIV prevention, the immunity aspects of vaccinology and HIV infection and diseases. |
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Dr. Lerato Mohapi- Is the Director of Adult Treatment and Research at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit. She has been involved in the field of HIV since 1990 working initially in Prevention and then in HIV treatment since 1997.She has been involved in 30 HIV treatment clinical trials in all phases up to date and runs a large HIV Treatment Access Program at PHRU. |
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Dr. Ravindre Panchia- Is a medical doctor with a BSc Honors Degree in genetics. His interests include all aspects of clinical and HIV medicine. Currently he occupies the positions of director of research support and CIPRA program officer. He also deals with data management, statistics and regulatory control of PHRU. |
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Glenda Gray- Glenda Gray is a paediatrician, one of the executive directors of the PHRU and an associate Professor in the department of Paediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is an international expert in HIV and has overseen most of the HIV vaccine trials run in South Africa. Her expertise is in clinical epidemiology, the conduct of large scale HIV clinical treatment, HIV vaccine, HIV prevention and mother to child transmission trials." Together with James McIntyre, they were awarded the 2002 Nelson Mandela Health and Human Rights Award, for pioneering work done in PMTCT, and the IAPAC Hero in Medicine Award.
Prof James McIntyre- Prof James McIntyre is one of the Executive Directors of PHRU and an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of the Witwatersrand. Professor. McIntyre founded the Perinatal HIV Research Unit with Professor Glenda Gray in 1993, which has developed into one of Africa's largest AIDS research centres working in HIV prevention, treatment and care, and vaccines. James is an expert in PMTCT and his interests lie in MSM and woman’s health. James leads the CIPRA-SA "Safeguard the household" collaborative South African research program, funded by the US National Institutes for Health.
