​Professor Traci A. Wilgus, PhD
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center,

Columbus, Ohio, USA

Short Biography

Dr. Wilgus is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at The Ohio State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics from Ohio State University and completed post-doctoral training in the Department of Surgery at Loyola University Chicago Medical Center. She was a Research Assistant Professor at University of Illinois-Chicago before accepting a faculty position at Ohio State in 2008. Her lab studies the role of inflammation and angiogenesis in wound healing and skin carcinogenesis, and her lab also examines mechanisms of scarless healing in fetal skin. Dr. Wilgus is a member of the editorial boards for the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and Advances in Wound Care, frequently reviews manuscripts and grants for national/international funding agencies, and currently serves as Secretary for the Wound Healing Society. 

Professor Sanjay K. Srivastava

Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology,

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock,

Texas, USA

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Short Biography 

Prof  Sanjay K. Srivastava is a Distinguished Professor and Chairman of Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas, USA. He is also the Associate Dean for Sciences at the same institution. Dr. Srivastava has published around 150 papers in high impact journals, numerous abstracts and book chapters, has several patents, and is the editor of three books on cancer. His research has been continuously funded by the National Cancer Institute, NIH. Dr. Srivastava is a recipient of several prestigious awards. His research work has been featured by news agencies including BBC, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and Science News.
Dr. Srivastava’s laboratory has been working on pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, brain cancer and melanoma, and demonstrated that some of the dietary agents, such as piperlongumine, capsaicin, cucur- bitacin B, benzyl isothiocyanate, phenethyl isothiocyanate, diindolylmethane and curcumin, suppress the growth of primary, and metastatic tumors by inhibiting various oncogenic signaling pathways. The main theme of his research is directed toward understanding the mechanisms that underlie the cellular and molecular basis of cancer and evaluating novel anticancer agents against various types of cancers. Ongoing studies along these lines in Dr. Srivastava’s laboratory will identify novel targets to develop new therapies for cancer.
 

Dr Tozama Qwebani-Ogunleye

Project Director 

Institute of Traditional Medicine and Traditional Knowledge

Vaal University of Technology - South Africa

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Short Biography 

Currently, I am the Project Director at the Institute of Traditional Medicine and Traditional Knowledge at the Vaal University of Technology. My research work seek to be the forecast point for the South African Health system to assist in collecting relevant information, that is essential for authentication of traditional medicine with the aim of production for consumption. I am supervising eight postgraduate students through the National Research Foundation Thuthuka grant, nine conference proceedings, a book and seven scientific manuscripts. I was one of the 2016 Mail and Guardian top 200 young South Africans and in 2011, I was one of the recipients of the Department of Science and Technology Women in Science Awards.

Professor Hiranmoy Das

Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Pharmacy

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Texas - USA

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Short Biography

Hiranmoy Das, PhD, currently a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Dr. Das earned his Ph.D. from Calcutta University in West Bengal, India. He received his postdoctoral training from Hyogo Adult Medical Center, Hyogo, Japan and from the Department of Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Prior to his arrival at TTUHSC in Amarillo, Dr. Das served as an associate professor for the Department of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University, as an assistant professor for Case Western Reserve University’s Cardiovascular Research Institute in Cleveland, and as an Instructor in Medicine for Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Dr. Das’ current research focuses on isolating and expanding a variety of human adult stem cells and using them for the treatment of various degenerative diseases in preclinical models, like hind limb ischemia, myocardial ischemia, osteoporosis and wound healing. Dr. Das also utilizes human immune cells, specifically, gamma delta T-cells in immunotherapy, for treating various cancers (breast and ovary) using preclinical models. In addition, he investigates the role of transcriptional factor KLF2 in regulating immune cells, specifically monocytes, in rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation. Dr. Das also serves as a member of the editorial board for several peer-reviewed journals and serves on the grant review panels of various state, national and international funding agencies. Dr. Das is a member of National Academy of Inventors, USA. 

Dr Dorah Diale
Deputy Director: Clinical Trials 
Medicines Control Council 
National Department of Health

Short Biography

Dr Dorah Diale is a Deputy-Director Clinical Trials Unit at the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, South Africa.  She obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at Rhodes University; Masters in Business Leadership at UNISA (SBL); Bachelor of Pharmacy from University of Limpopo and currently undertaking Masters of Philosophy: Medical Law and Ethics (UP).  Her key role is to manage and oversee the review of clinical trial applications and bioequivalence studies for the use of unregistered medicines as well as other research applications for registered medicines, to ensure that adherence to regulatory, legal and ethical requirements and principles. 
Dr Diale, served as a Pharmaceutical Policy Specialist where she undertook the activity of developing and reviewing the Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List for Primary Health Care level, Hospital level, and Tertiary Levels.  She also worked as a Manager Education and Training: Quality Assurance and a Manager overseeing the registration and Continuous Professional Development of Pharmacy Professionals.   Dr Diale is a member of the African Vaccine Regulatory Forum Working Group and also a member of the University of Pretoria Health Research Ethics Committee. 

Dr Babalwa Jongihlati

MBChB, MBA, Dip HIV Man.
Regional Clinical Lead
Pfizer Laboratories (South Africa)
85 Bute Lane, Sandton, South Africa

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Short Biography 

I am a qualified medical practitioner (MD, medical doctor), with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) and MBA degrees, from the University of Cape Town in 2002 and GIBS, 2013 respectively. In 2006, I obtained the HIV Management Diploma from the College of Medicine of SA and have obtained various industry certificates since 2006. 
I have been involved in the pharmaceutical and clinical research industry as a pharmaceutical physician for a decade.
I have worked as a Medical Advisor and later appointed as Head: Medical Affairs at Adcock Ingram, where I provided leadership and overall strategic direction to the Medical Affairs team responsible for South Africa, India and other English speaking African countries. My role at Adcock also involved medical management and oversight of bioequivalence and bioavailability clinical studies.
I have also worked for Sanofi in the role of Regional Medical Advisor, responsible for the medical management and oversight of global phase I – IV clinical studies in the Northern Europe region (The Netherlands, UK, Belgium, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa). I have managed global clinical studies in the following therapeutic areas: Cardiovascular & Thrombosis, Psychiatry, Neurology, Diabetes and Metabolic diseases, Pain, Malaria and other Infective diseases and Oncology. At Sanofi, I was also responsible for clinical safety and pharmacovigilance oversight of global phase I – IV clinical studies, responsible for safety reporting to the Health Authority and Ethics committees.
I am currently responsible for the medical oversight of all high-risk clinical trials within the Africa region for Pfizer.

Mr Felix Made

Biostatistician

National Institute for Occupational Health

South Africa

Short Biography

Felix received his Masters of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of the Witwatersrand, and is a currently a Biostatistician for the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH), Gauteng Region. Prior to joining the NIOH, Felix worked as a Biostatistician for the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) under the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) involving cardiovascular disease projects in 15 African countries in collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand. While working for the SBIMB, he also got involved with Africa Wits-INDEPTH partnership for genomic research projects (AWI-Gen).

Felix is currently a PhD in Biostatistics fellow in the University of the Witwatersrand. His PhD research is centred around the use of Bayesian Hierarchical models in categorisation of coal dust exposure according to occupational exposure limits in South Africa. Felix is also currently involved as a statistics advisor for a clinical trial project about the efficacy of Moringa supplement for HIV positive individuals in collaboration South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University 

Dr Eugene J. Ndebia
Senior-Lecturer / Epidemiologist 

Dept of Human Biology
Faculty of Health Sciences
Walter Sisulu University

Short Biography

Dr Eugene Jamot Ndebia has more than 12 years’ experience in the training of medical students and research. Dr Ndebia is currently a Senior lecturer at Walter Sisulu University in the department of Human biology, Division of Physiology. He received his Bachelor of Sciences (BSc.), Master of Physiology (MSc) in University of Yaoundé I (Cameroon) and Ph.D. in Health Sciences from Walter Sisulu University (South Africa). He is also a University of WITS trainee in Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Dr Ndebia research focussed in elaborating biomarkers of oesophageal cancer and the role of non-acid gastro-oesophageal reflux in the aetiology of oesophageal cancer. He is also working on the safety and validation of natural substances in physiological disorders such as inflammation, ulcer, arteriosclerosis and pain. Various research projects of Dr. Ndebia are funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) as well as Medical Research Council (MRC). Dr Ndebia published so far more than 20 articles in peer-reviewed journal and attended several conferences both local and international. Dr Ndebia is an active member of the Physiological Society of Africa (PSSA), Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) and serves as reviewer for many journals