IDM CPD-Accredited Seminar Program 2025

5 March 2025 | 14:00 - 15:30
Wolfson Pavilion Lecture Theatre, IDM Building

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Speakers

Prof Ntobeko Ntusi is the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) effective 1 July 2024. He joins the SAMRC from the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital where he was the Chair and Head of the Department of Medicine. He is a distinguished and highly respected figure in the medical community as a key global opinion leader. His lifelong passion for evidence-based healthcare, health systems research, noncommunicable disease multimorbidity, and universal health coverage has positioned him as a trailblazer in medical research.

Prof Linda-Gail Bekker is the Director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre at the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, UCT and Chief Executive Officer of the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation. Prof Bekker is a physician, scientist and infectious disease specialist. Her research interests include programmatic and action research around antiretroviral roll out and TB integration, prevention of HIV in women, youth and MSM. She is PI of the NIH (USA) funded UCTCTU and is actively involved in the work of the four associated clinical research sites and four DAIDS networks. Bekker serves on numerous international scientific and advisory committees. She is a A+ rated scientist, has published >700 peer-reviewed papers.


Prof Wendy Burgers is a Professor and Deputy Director of the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) at the University of Cape Town (UCT). She is a viral immunologist, studying the human immune response to infections. She established and directs the Cellular Immunology Platform at UCT, a hub for clinical immunology research, vaccine evaluation (preclinical and clinical) and capacity building, for new and existing pathogens and future epidemics and pandemics. In the past her research group has focused on understanding the cellular immune response to HIV and TB. She is a member of the USAID-funded BRILLIANT Consortium, co-leading the Laboratory and Vaccine Design program, that seeks to harness and catalyse African scientists to contribute to an African-led effective HIV vaccine.