Advancing Pharmacokinetics: The ISSX Africa Workshop 2025
The International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX) hosted its first-ever workshop in Africa from March 5th to 7th, 2025, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
This event brought together researchers from across the continent to advance and foster pharmacokinetics research in Africa, and our team had the honour of attending!
We had a strong presence at the workshop, with multiple members selected to present their work, and some bringing home a prize:
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Our senior research officer, Roeland Wasmann, helped lead the pre-workshop short course in pharmacometrics hosted by Pharmacometrics (PMX) Africa.
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In the 'From Genes to Dosing: A Modelling Approach for Personalized Medicine in Africa' session, Roeland also presented on mathematical approaches to tailoring dosing regimens for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria in vulnerable populations.
Two of our PhD students, Sharon Sawe and Jose Miguel Calderin Miranda, were chosen to present in the 'New Investigators Supporting African DMPK Science: Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Presentations' session.
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Sharon presented her work on the effect of pregnancy and breastfeeding on the population pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin in South Africans with rifampicin-resistant TB.
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Jose presented his population pharmacokinetic analysis of pyrazinamide and isoniazid in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in adults with HIV-associated TB meningitis.
- Jose's outstanding work earned him the Young Investigator Oral Presentation Prize!
Our team was also well represented in the poster session.
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Ruvarashe Madzime showcased her research on the population pharmacokinetics of high-dose isoniazid in children receiving TB prevention therapy
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Jennie van Dyk presented a pharmacometric approach to defining optimal dosage strengths for nitrofurantoin and azithromycin child-friendly tablets. This was in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s Paediatric Drug Optimization initiative.
- For this work, Jennie was awarded the Young Investigator Poster Presentation Prize!
Our team reflected on the workshop’s role in fostering meaningful collaborations with researchers across Africa:
"The event was intimate, allowing us to build valuable connections and strengthen research networks within the continent. Our future is bright!"
