Division of Medical Physiology
??????????????????????????Staff - ?Extraordinary Appointments
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Prof Prabhakara NAGAREDDY??
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Professor
Email: prabhakara-nagareddy@ouhsc.edu
Tel: +1-405-271-8001 (Ex 44737)?
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?Research Group: Inflammation in Cardiometabolic Disease Research Group (Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Dept. of Internal Medicine, The 中国体育彩票 of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), Oklahoma City, USA / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa
?Research Focus: ??The research in Prof. Nagareddy's laboratory is broadly focused on elucidating the pathological basis of the so- called “cardiovascular risk factors” such as diabetes, obesity, high salt diet and cigarette smoking to the cardiovascular/ cardiometabolic disease. We are specifically studying the role of neutrophil-derived alarmins such as S100A8 and S100A9, that are emerging as key signaling molecules in regulating inflammation both in acute and chronic conditions. We are also developing, validating, and repurposing various agents (e.g., pharmacological inhibitors) to reduce inflammation by specifically targeting neutrophil secretome and improve outcomes in cardiovascular (e.g., atherosclerosis, heart failure) and metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes, obesity, insulin resistance).?
Prof Christo MULLER
Associate Professor
Email: Christo.Muller@mrc.ac.za
Tel: ?+27 21-938 0824
>>Curriculum Vitae
Prof Gerhard VAN DER HORST
Research Group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC??? / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa
Research Focus: ?Metabolic disease (pathophysiology, prevention and treatment), phytotherapeutics and early detection of type 2 diabetes.
Prof Gerhard VAN DER HORST
Professor
Email: gvdhorst7@gmail.com
Tel: +27 21 554-5578/ +27 82 202 3560
Research Group: Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 Reproductive Research Group (with Prof Stefan du Plessis and Dr ?????Bonge Skosana) and Comparative Spermatology Group, 中国体育彩票 of the Western Cape (with Dr Liana Maree and Dr Retha Kotze).
Research Focus: Human spermatology with a focus on infertility and comparative spermatology with a focus on development of advanced techniques such as Computer Aided Sperm Analysis and recently development of three-D tracking of sperm and sperm flagellar analysis at high frame rates (>160fps). These techniques with several other sperm functional tests are complimentary in understanding sperm biology, sperm quality and the potential of sperm to fertilize the oocyte.
Prof Rabia JOHNSON
Associate Professor
Email: Rabia.Johnson@mrc.ac.za?
Tel: +27 21 938 0866?
>>Curriculum Vitae?
Research Group: Cardiometabolism and Hypertension (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC) / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa ??
Research Focus: ?Her main research niche is on understanding the disease pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. In her current focus area, she has published 58 articles (Scopus h-index of 20 with 1158 citation) and filed one patent application. She has built both local and international collaborations and graduated young students from various under-resourced institutes. Since the start of the 中国体育彩票 pandemic, she has played an active role in setting up and managing the SAMRC/BRIP’s SARS-Co-V2 wastewater surveillance program.
Dr Marlon CERF
Senior Lecturer
Email: marlon.cerf@mrc.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 0818
Research Group: Developmental programming (diabetes and cardiovascular disease) (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC) / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa ?
Research Focus: Marlon has a research background in non-communicable diseases and developmental programming. His focus is on diabetes and the endocrine pancreas studying islet morphology (beta- and alpha-cell dynamics), key islet cell transcription factors, glucose sensing and insulin signaling factors, and lipid profiles. He also has a strong interest in cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases. Marlon has published mainly in the fields of islet biology, nutrition, physiology and pediatrics and has served on several journal editorial boards.
Dr Jyoti SHARMA
Senior Lecturer
Email: jyoti.sharma@mrc.ac.za
>>Curriculum Vitae???
Research Group: Cardiac Metabolism (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC) / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa ?
Research Focus: ?My research is focussed on investigating the functional and clinical significance of genetic variants that contribute towards multifarious treatment outcomes in a South African cohort with uncontrolled hypertension (UHTN). I am also involved in investigating the cardioprotective effect of polyphenols against cardiac dysfunction.
?Dr Nireshni CHELLAN
Senior Lecturer
Email: nchellan@mrc.ac.za
Tel: 021 938 0362
Research Group: Beta Cell Group (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC) / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa
Research Focus: ??Currently, my research focus is on the development of a more physiologically relevant pancreatic beta cell model in vitro. The model will ideally reflect more of the pathophysiology seen in human type 2 diabetes, and will form an intermediate between standard cell culture and the use of sentient animals.
Dr Sylvia RIEDEL-VAN HEERDEN
Senior Lecturer
Email: sylvia.riedel@mrc.ac.za
Tel: 021 9380844?
>>Curriculum Vitae
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Research Group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa ?
Research Focus: ??The role of intestinal inflammation and immune status in the development of metabolic diseases using cell culture and animal models.
Dr Tarryn Willmer
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Tel: +27 21 938 0269?
Research Group: Epigenetics Group (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC) / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa ?
??Research Focus: Identification of epigenetic biomarkers and therapeutic targets against obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, with a special focus on the role and regulation of DNA methylation in these diseases. My research also includes the use of cell ?culture and rodent models to explore the potential of indigenous plant extracts in reversing pathogenic epigenetic modifications in these diseases.
Dr Lawrence MABASA
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Senior Lecturer
Email: Lawrence.mabasa@mrc.ac.za?
Tel: 0219380271
?Research Group: MRC: Heart Group (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC) / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa ?
Research Focus: ??Maternal environment and health of the child. Specifically, current research is centered on identifying the influence of maternal methyl donor nutrients on fetal epigenetic programming of breast cancer risk, and to an extent, cardiovascular complications.
Dr Babalwa JACK
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Senior Lecturer
Email: Babalwa.Jack@mrc.ac.za
Tel: +27 21 938 0336
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Research Group: Epigenetics Group (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC) / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa
Research Focus: O?besity and associated metabolic disorders. I am mainly focusing on adipose tissue metabolism and the pathophysiology of adipose tissue dysfunction, exploring potential therapeutic targets, and investigating the role of plant extracts, natural compounds, and synthetic molecules as potential therapeutics for obesity.
Dr Kwazikwakhe GABUZA?
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Senior Lecturer
Email: Kwazi.Gabuza@mrc.ac.za
Tel: 021 938 0515
>>Curricul?um Vitae??????
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Research Group: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, SA MRC / Centre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa
Research Focus: ??Noncommunicable diseases and their role in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatitic liver disease (MASLD) (pathophysiology, model development, biomarker identification, and treatment). The use of noninvasive preclinical in vivo imaging for cross-functional biological and physiological research using the Vevo F2 for small to larger animals.
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