Jemima du Plessis is the administrator in the Research and Development (RAD) Unit in the School of Clinical Medicine. She plays a supportive role in activities related to research and development. Jemima supports MMed students in the faculty who are enrolled in the Research Methodology module and assists the Head of the Unit with the administrative duties related to that module. She facilitates the monitoring, capturing, and processing of research outputs of the School of Clinical Medicine and the Faculty of Health Sciences, a responsibility that is of great importance to our institution. Additionally, she assists SOCM researchers with research ethics submissions on RIMS. Jemima can be described as a supportive, reliable, observant, enthusiastic, hardworking, and practical person. She derives great satisfaction from helping others. For appointments with the BRAINꙌ[ave] team, contact Jemima du Plessis at duplessisJ@ufs.ac.za.

Dr Claire Armour (Barrett) is a Specialist Physician who leads the Research and Development Unit at the School of Clinical Medicine. She is enthusiastic about developing capacity, building collaborations, and increasing research output in an ethical way that promotes the wellbeing and health of humankind. She is passionate about anaemia and patient blood management (PBM), which she believes is an important global public health concern and is involved in the international PBM arena. Dr Armour (Barrett) can be described as dynamic, driven, ethical and compassionate. While outcomes are important, people and team are more important to her and believes in leading by example. Dr Claire Armour (Barrett) can be contacted at BarrettC@ufs.ac.za.

Sr Marinda Karsten is a Registered Nurse who joined the Department of Cardiology as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Universitas Cardiology Research Unit, in that capacity she has worked with participants enrolled in clinical trials and has vast experience in the administrative duties related to contract research and clinical trials. Sr Karsten has since moved to the Research and Development Unit in the School of Clinical Medicine, where she applies her skills in a hands-on way, supporting researchers and students with research-related activities. Additionally, she supports researchers with identifying service providers, obtaining research related quotations, correspondence, and RIMS submissions. Sr Karsten can be described as a responsible, independent, and reliable worker and gets along easily with people. Sr Marinda Karsten can be contacted at KarstenM@ufs.ac.za.

George Muller is a health sciences educationalist who joined the School of Clinical Medicine in 2023. He applies his knowledge of health science education and prehospital emergency medicine, in a practical way in the School of Clinical Medicine. He assists the Department of Anaesthesiology in providing pedagogically grounded lectures while focusing on programme and curriculum enhancement through content delivery, alignment, and assessment. Incorporating new technological innovation and advancements within structured learning theories is important to him, thus bridging the gap between generational relevance in education. He is pioneering continuous professional development (CPD) programmes in the SOCM. George can be described as innovative, energetic, committed, and forward-thinking. George Muller can be contacted at MullerGF@ufs.ac.za.

Isabella du Preez is passionate about higher education and quality teaching and learning. Her focus is curriculum and instructional design, this means that she focused not only on what students learn, but how they learn in the 21^st century. Isabella has a student-focused approach to the analysis, design, development, implantation and evaluation of learning material. She wears several hats in the unit – where she monitors MMed research progress and innovates the learning environment to ensure that learning is engaging and effective. Through her work on the extended learning platform, she aspires to reduce the disparity in medical education between the Global North and Global South. Isabella can best be described as an out-the-box thinker, approachable, spontaneous, systematic, and focused. Isabella du Preez can be contacted at duPreezIM@ufs.ac.za.

Johan Botes boasts two decades of experience empowering students to excel in their research endeavours. From guiding them through meticulous protocol development to refining dissertation structures and polishing manuscripts for publication, he ensured successful navigation of the research journey. His dedication extends beyond publication, actively promoting visibility by listing information on online platforms and supporting the record submission on the RIMS platform, which boosts the school’s overall research profile. Beyond manuscript guidance, his expertise extends to crafting award-winning scientific posters. Johan's keen eye for graphic design has helped numerous researchers secure accolades at national and international conferences, further amplifying the school’s research impact. Johan Botes can be reached at BotesJ@ufs.ac.za.