Ms René Goliath
René Goliath is CIDRI-Africa’s Senior Research Manager; she is a qualified nurse with diplomas in general nursing, midwifery, paediatrics, nursing administration, and nursing education. She completed a BSc Hons in 1999 at the University of Manchester, and joined clinical research in 2000. She completed a Masters in Clinical Research Administration at the University of Cape Town in 2018. She has held the roles of field worker, research nurse, data-capturer, and study coordinator. She also supports regulatory affairs, clinical and staff management.
Ms Amanda Jackson
Amanda Jackson is the Data Systems Manager at CIDRI-Africa. She develops data management systems for a range of health-related research studies using RedCap, OpenClinica, FileMaker and MS Access, primarily. She co-ordinates the data unit, which is based at UCT and Ubuntu clinic in Khayelitsha, and develops and oversees data entry, processing and validation functions within the unit. She also provides data analysis support to researchers in the CIDRI-Africa. Amanda was previously a Data Manager in the Malaria Research Institute at the Medical Research Council, South Africa, where she was involved in the development of malaria information systems, survey data analysis and web-based spatial decision support systems.
Ms Nashreen Omar-Davies
Nashreen qualified as a Diagnostic Radiographer at Groote Schuur hospital in 1990, and also holds a certificate in Ultrasound Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She was initially employed as a radiographer at New Somerset Hospital. After 16 years, she resigned to care for her family. During this time she held a few locum positions at Red Cross Children’s hospital and Maitland Cottage home.
In 2012 she joined the CIDRI group as the diagnostic radiographer. She generates digital x-ray images as one of the screening tools for diagnosis of TB. In addition to her radiography duties she also oversees clinical logistics, assists with administrative duties, and facilitates the booking process for any study-related procedures at other institutions.
Dr Claire Whitaker
Claire joined CIDRI-Africa as Communications Manager in March 2018. She has a background in biological research and extensive experience as a project officer and science communicator.
Before joining CIDRI-Africa, Claire worked at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) for several years, in the HIV Prevention Research Unit as a Science Writer, and then at the Cancer Research Initiative of South Africa (SAMRC/CANSA), where she managed the grant application, review and assessment process, as well as producing and managing social media and website content. She joined the SAMRC Grants and Scholarships Administration Division as Scientific Review Officer and Science Communicator, and continued similar work in positions in the Africa Office of the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership.
Claire holds a PhD in Biology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal on the seed biology and pathology of Welwitschia mirabilis, the national plant of Namibia.