Celebrating Fogarty Fellow Avuyonke Balfour's PhD Graduation

From left: Prof Graeme Meintjes, Dr Avuyonke Balfour and Prof Muki Shey

Avuyonke recently completed his PhD, becoming the first in his family to attend university and achieve this milestone. His research explored the role of MAIT cells in resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among healthcare workers with high and prolonged exposure to tuberculosis.

His PhD began just months before the COVID-19 pandemic, which paused participant enrolment for nearly a year. When the study resumed, progress remained slow due to lockdown restrictions and social distancing, leading to further delays.

Despite these challenges, his work contributes meaningfully to our understanding of natural resistance to TB infection. Stay tuned for the upcoming manuscripts.