Carnegie Clinician Scientist Symposium welcomes four new research fellows

Presentations by four fellows focused on some of the most topical health issues facing South Africa today, such as the research done by Dr Nimmisha Govind of the Division of Rheumatology, University of the Witwatersrand who discussed a paper entitled "Genotyping of Risk Loci in Black South Africans with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) using the Immunochip: An Association study". With RA being a common autoimmune disease with a strong genetic risk, Dr Govind confirmed the known association of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class II genes and RA in black South Africans.

Dr Martin Brand of the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, presented his research entitled: "Potential Novel Approaches to Risk Identification in Advanced Peripheral Arterial Disease" that focused on identifying cardiovascular factors in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) that may increase their risk of developing critical lower limb ischaemia (CLI) with poor outcomes.

Dr Nirti Maharaj, of the Division of Cardiology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, discussed "Speckle tracking echocardiography in an African population", a technique to assess myocardial mechanics.

The final presentation was by Dr Susan Williams, a Fellow from the ophthalmology division of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, who presented her paper on "The genetics of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in Black South Africans". POAG is a major cause of irreversible visual loss in South Africa, yet early detection and treatment can prevent visual loss. Dr Williams study showed that screening for mutations in the MYOC gene has important implications for the management and counselling of black South African patients with POAG and their families.