After years of practicing as a retail and hospital pharmacist, I have found my happy place in clinical trial research.
Starting out 9 years ago working on trials with new drugs and regimens in the development pipeline for treating MDR-TB in KZN, I joined UCT research in 2021 and have been involved in Covid-19 vaccines, DS-TB, and HIV prevention trials ever since.
To experience the hope research brings to the lives and communities where TB is the #1 killer and HIV/AIDS devastates lives and communities on our doorstep and globally, working on UCT academic and global trials alongside the vibrant and passionate Vuka Team, brings me the greatest job satisfaction.
I have witnessed the first new TB drug developed in over 50 years (Bedaquiline) which was included into our local and global recommended 9-month treatment regimen for MDR-TB in 2015, a massive step forward from the previous 18–24-month regimen.
Hopefully, I get to experience the thrill of being part of breakthroughs in TB vaccines, and improvements in TB treatment and HIV preventative therapy with our current trials.
The wellness of every person we live life with matters and at Vuka Research Clinic we live that passion to make a difference!