The focus in Human Genetics is based on understanding Human Diseases. This includes not only their distribution, causes, and progression but also their most effective treatment regimes. Consequently, the training and research in the Department of Genetics has a clinical flavour.
Our team members have brought with them, a variety of projects. These include among other, genetic aspects of HIV; Diabetes, Psychiatric Disorders, and Pre-eclampsia.
The Human Genetics Team
Research in Human Genetics is conducted by Dr G Marx, Mrs S Schneider and Dr R Rebello, together with staff members from other faculties and an expanding group of national collaborators.
The following graduate students are currently conducting research in the field of Human Genetics:
Honours
- A total of 37 honours degree students have graduated since 2014.
MSc
- Melene Klink - focusing on HIV and kidney disease markers.
- Japie de Jager - focusing on pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics using zebrafish as an animal model.
- Teboho Motsamai - focusing on the genetics of Bipolar disorder.
PhD
- Lerato Diseko - studying the relationship between host genetic make-up and HIV in a South African population.
- T.R.P. Mofokeng - focusing on hypoglycaemia in Addison's patients on hydrocortisone replacement therapy.
Recent MSc and PhD Graduations: (2014 to present)
- Hannes Erasmus - Genetic and molecular analysis of male infertility in a private practice in South Africa. (2021)
- Kerissa Chetty - Screening for biomarkers predictive of type two diabetes mellitus in a central South African population. (2020)
- Johan de la Rey - Methylation analyses of type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM) genes in cases and controls from central South Africa. (2020)
- Lulama Nkonka - The expression profile of genes in type 2 diabetic patients, originating from the Free State. (2020)
- Chantay Susmak - The genetic analysis of the circadian rhythm associated genes and metabolic syndrome in individuals with bipolar disorder. (2018)
- Lerato Diseko - Screening for the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with Type 2 Diabetes in a South African population. (2018)
- Kimberly Peta - Mutation detection in the Endoglin gene in a family with hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia. (2018)
- Jean Kloppers - Development of a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay to detect the intron 22 inversion in haemophilia A patients. (2018)
- Nadia Laubscher - Putative genetic and environmental factors influencing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a South African sample. (2017)
- Susan Louw - The association of specific polymorphisms of aggression and impulsivity with suicidal behaviour. (2016)
- Elzette Nienaber - Screening South African females with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus for mutations in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma gene. (2016)
- Clement Malan completed his MSc on the allelic diversity of selected human neurotransmitter genes in South African ethnic groups. (2014)