The art of scientific writing: HATTP helps navigate the devil in the details
Ambra and Roy gave introductory lectures. Over the next two days, each attendee presented their draft grant application or manuscript and received facilitated constructive critique and suggestions for improvement from the facilitators. HATTP’s main focus is on HIV and tuberculosis research, but attendees were welcome to present drafts on a wide range of topics, including occupational health, health economics, and health literacy, which they explored further during daily networking lunches.
Attendees and their topics:
Charlotte Schutz (clinician and PhD student): “Rifampicin and isoniazid peak concentrations in hospitalized HIV-associated TB patients are suboptimal but not lower in patients who die”
Phumla Sinxadi (clinician scientist)
Steven Makatsa (PhD student): “Characterisation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific Th22 cells in HIV and TB co-infection”
Bianca Davidson (clinician scientist): “Evaluating cost effective interventions for decreasing peritonitis rate and technique failure in PD programmes in Low-Middle Income Countries”
Welile Sikhondze (clinician scientist): “TB molecular epidemiology—mutation analysis of drug resistant TB strains and feasibility of genotyping surveillance and precision medicine”
Nicci Wearne (clinician and PhD student): “Histological patterns associated with mortality and renal morbidity in renal TB-IRIS”
Richard Meldau (PhD student): “Same day tools, including Xpert Ultra and unstimulated IFN-γ, for the rapid diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis”
Malika Davids (basic scientist): “Development of a lung orientated controlled human infection model (CHIM) using live BCG and sterile PPD: a phase 1 safety, dose optimisation, and immunogenicity trial”
Lindsay Wilson (basic scientist): “Development and redox-probe functionalisation of aptamers for TB biomarkers and their incorporation into diagnostic nano-aptasensors”
Chacha Issarow (basic scientist): “Transmission and evolution of drug-resistant TB strains in a high TB and HIV prevalence setting in South Africa”
Lucretia Petersen (clinician scientist): “Towards the preferred distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) stimulus parameters in adults with MDR-TB receiving ototoxic medication”
Tracey Naledi (clinician and PhD student): “Early lessons from a combination HIV prevention programme that includes a conditional cash transfer for young women 19-24y in Cape Town, South Africa”
Jenna Patterson (PhD student): “Evidence-based vaccinology: is there evidence to introduce routine hepatitis A vaccination in South Africa”
Michal Harty (clinician scientist): “Developing a skills-based group training program to enhance communication interaction and parenting self-efficacy for caregivers of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)”
Rulan Griesel (clinician and PhD student): “Critical research questions related to dolutegravir-based ART in Africa”
Funeka Bango (clinician and PhD student): [Health Economics]
Laura Myers (clinician scientist): [adolescent SRH care; demand creation for oral PrEP provision]
Dumsile Maduna (PhD student): “The quality and variation of spirometry reads for testing lung function in children in sub-Saharan Africa”
Joy Oba (PhD student): “Hot weather effects on the health and productivity levels of outdoor workers in Western Cape, South Africa in the era of climate change”