Dr Katherine Gill

Clinical Research Lead

Affiliations

  1. Fellow, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine
  2. Desmond Tutu HIV Centre (DTHC), Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation 

Key Expertise

TB

Main Research Focus

Katherine (MBChB, MPH) has a strong interest in adolescent health, with a focus on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in young women. Her research includes exploring various strategies to prevent HIV infection, such as investigating vaccines, novel HIV prevention products, and devices. Katherine has contributed to several technical working groups and guideline development committees aimed at translating research findings into actionable policy change. She is currently based at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation in Masiphumelele.

Most Significant Paper Authored in 2025

Zoliflodacin versus ceftriaxone plus azithromycin for treatment of uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea: an international, randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3, non-inferiority clinical trial

Luckey, A., Balasegaram, M., Barbee, L. A., Batteiger, T. A., Broadhurst, H., Cohen, S. E., Delany-Moretlwe, S., de Vries, H. J. C., Dionne, J. A., Gill, K., Kenyon, C., Kittiyaowamarn, R., Lewis, D., Mueller, J. P., Naicker, V., O'Brien, S., O'Donnell, J. P., Phanuphak, N., Spooner, E., . . . Hook, E. W., 3rd. (2025)

Zoliflodacin represents a major advance in the treatment of gonorrhoea at a time when antimicrobial resistance is threatening the effectiveness of current therapies. In this large international phase 3 trial, zoliflodacin demonstrated non-inferior efficacy to the current standard regimen of ceftriaxone plus azithromycin for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea, while offering a single-dose oral treatment option. This is particularly important for improving treatment access and adherence in many settings. Zoliflodacin belongs to a novel antibiotic class (spiropyrimidinetriones) with a unique mechanism of action targeting bacterial DNA gyrase, meaning it remains active against strains resistant to existing  antibiotics and expands the urgently needed pipeline for gonorrhoea treatment.