Back To Blog

Interview: From a pig farm in Zim to star HIV researcher- Prof LGB reflects on her remarkable journey

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

Inside Professor Linda-Gail Bekker’s office a bookshelf is stacked with titles on general medicine, HIV and tuberculosis. Against the bookshelf, a mannequin leans dressed in a white doctor’s coat, sparkling tiara and pink Venetian mask, with a stethoscope protruding from her pocket. Known to colleagues as LGB, Bekker is one of South Africa’s top HIV researchers. Biénne Huisman chatted to Bekker about her remarkable career, finding new ways to reach young people, her love of both art and science and the thinking behind the slogan “get ripped, get prepped”.

Read More

OPINION: A new African HIV Control Working Group to propel African voices in the global HIV response

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest, TB

It is estimated that over 65% of the global HIV burden is in sub-Saharan Africa. Now, in an attempt to propel African voices and perspectives in the next phase of the HIV response in Africa, a group of Africans established an African-led HIV control working group (HCWG). They are all experts from the continent who have come together to develop consensus perspectives on the long-term sustained control of HIV and prioritise the systems and capabilities to achieve it. Drs Yogan Pillay and Izukanji Sikazwe explain the thinking behind the new working group and set out their objectives.

Read More

Growing the beta variant – young scientist remembers the day they danced in the lab

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare Workers, Latest

During South Africa’s COVID-19 hard lockdown, rising star scientist Dr Sandile Cele spent his Christmas holidays in a laboratory. Soon the 35-year-old became the first to successfully grow the beta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the lab. Biénne Huisman spoke to Cele about how he did this, the string of accolades he received since, and his leap from a modest upbringing to the global scientific stage.

Read More

Cutting-edge cancer treatment may have potential for HIV

Posted in: Latest

Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have mainly been making headlines as a cutting-edge form of cancer treatment. Recently, however, presentations on CARs have been given at HIV conferences. Elri Voigt asks what CARs actually are and how they might one day be used to treat HIV.

Read More