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07 January 2018
Photo Charl Devenish
Dr Anneke van der Spoel van Dijk is invested in contributing
to the global effort of stopping TB by 2035.
The work of Dr Anneke van der Spoel van Dijk investigates the spread of TB in the Free State population using techniques such as next generation sequencing, spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR typing. Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk, a senior medical scientist in the Department of Medical Microbiology at the University of the Free State (UFS) also looks at drug resistance in her research. This work informs decisions about how best to treat patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
She employs rapid molecular techniques to track one of Africa’s most serious diseases, tuberculosis (TB).
Drug resistance
Scientists assist the National Health Laboratory Service and Department of Health in trying to refine the diagnostic tools to identify these cases earlier. Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk explains: “Until recently, it took up to two years to fine-tune treatment decisions for patients with MDR-TB. Patients get a cocktail of anti-TB drugs, but it takes time to find the right combination. Re-infection and relapse (patients stopping treatment for several reasons) add to the diagnostic and treatment management challenges.
Enormous impact
“Now doctors can reduce the time needed for diagnostic certainty to about seven days, while new drugs allow reduction of treatment from more than 18 to nine months. This can have an enormous impact on the life of many patients.”
Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk’s work forms part of research in the faculty looking at resistance development in TB strains. She is currently also doing her doctoral thesis on the differences and incidence of MDR-TB among adolescents versus adults. Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk says: “It is a complicated picture, but we hope to unravel it to support better diagnostic tools and patient care.”
As part of the National Health Laboratory Service, her department is playing an important role in TB diagnostics and the training of scientists and future pathologists. “Our work is contributing to the global vision to stop TB by 2035,” Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk says.
Internationally-acclaimed law expert, Johan Lubbe, speaks at Prestige Lecture Series
2014-03-27
The Faculty of Law recently hosted Johan Lubbe to present a lecture as part of their Dean’s Prestige Lecture Series entitled “The globalized workplace – challenges for employers and lawyers”. The lecture took place at the CR Swart Auditorium. Lubbe is a Shareholder in Littler Mendelson PC and US Practice Co-chair in International Employment Law.
Lubbe discussed the challenges of globalisation and the legal implications faced by multinational employers. His expertise include advising foreign companies that do business in the United States (US) on the requirements of US workplace law. He is a leading employment lawyer who is well versed in labour and global employment law and provides strategic advice to multinational employers.
The audience of approximately 58 comprised of students, lawyers and university staff as well as prominent members of the legal fraternity, including Judge Lex Mphathi.