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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.
Chairperson of UFS Council appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal
2016-06-17
Judge Ian van der Merwe
Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council, has been appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal as from 1 July 2016. His appointment, together with that of Judge Connie Mocumie, was announced by the office of President Jacob Zuma last week.
Both judges will act in the Supreme Court of Appeal this month until their appointments come into effect next month.
“The university is excited and proud that its Chairperson of Council has achieved such great heights in the legal profession. Judge Van der Merwe brings enormous calm, deliberation and wisdom to the governance of the institution, and the UFS regards itself as privileged to have a man of his stature in the leadership of Council,” said the Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Jonathan Jansen.
Judge Van der Merwe is an alumnus of the UFS and was elected as Chairperson of the Council on 20 November 2009, and re-elected on 16 November 2012. He was re-elected to serve for a third term on 11 September 2015.
Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27(0)51 401 2584 | +27(0)83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
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