UKZN’s HIV Pathogenesis Programme (HPP), a centre for research excellence based at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, applauded the hard work of two of its students who were awarded Master’s degrees in Virology during the College of Health Sciences Spring 2023 Graduations.
Ms Wenzile Ntshangase and Ms Sanam Maharaj were supervised by HPP scientists, Drs Paradise Madlala and Jaclyn Mann, respectively.
Ntshangase’s project aimed to characterise the genetic and functional variation in central nervous system (CNS) and plasma derived HIV-1 subtype C LTR and associate this with markers of disease progression such as viral load among tuberculous meningitis (TBM) co-infected individuals.
The findings add to the pool of data generated by other researchers seeking to characterise the exacerbated viral load in the CNS of TBM individuals.
Ntshangase said she was grateful to receive an HPP bursary that funded her research from start to finish as she was raised by her late grandparents in Vryheid: ‘My resilience and patience paid off.’ She added that she was fortunate to be part of the research centre.
Ntshangase completed her BSc majoring in Biochemistry and Genetics and BSc Honours in Biochemistry at UKZN. Her honours project, which focused on prolonged wound healing in diabetic physiology, sparked her interest in research and development.
Born and raised in a small suburb on Durban’s Dolphin Coast, Maharaj said her journey to the scientific world began with her Bachelor of Medical Science in Anatomy. She was awarded her Honours in Medical Microbiology summa cum laude, confirming that she belongs in the Health Sciences.
In 2021, Maharaj registered for a Master of Medical Science degree in Virology at the HPP. She received scholarships from UKZN, the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRF). Her study investigated whether envelope (Env) infectivity and co-receptor usage varies between HIV-1 subtypes that are circulating in East and West Africa. ‘Env is essential to HIV-1-host attachment, making it an important factor in infectivity. Co-receptor usage also significantly influences the disease progression rate and possibly subtype prevalence of HIV-1,’ she said.
The study found that circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) possibly have higher infectivity than other subtypes, and that co-receptor usage, even in the rarer CRF subtypes, appears to be predominantly chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) usage. The results contribute new knowledge which is essential for the development of an effective vaccine, cure, or other regimen against the virus.
Maharaj said completing her master’s degree with an average of 74% taught her a wide array of skills which she plans to use during her career in the medical sciences.
The students were congratulated by HPP’s Scientific Director and world-class scientist, Professor Thumbi Ndung’u.
Words: Lunga Memela
Photographs: Sethu Dlamini
