DEPARTMENT OF PULMONOLOGY – RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
GRADUATED STUDENTS
MMed
- Dr H Ghammo. Prevalence and outcomes of Rheumatoid Arthritis associated interstitial lung disease at a tertiary hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A retrospective 5-year review. 2020
- Dr S Tanish. Clinical profile of Scleroderma associated interstitial lung disease at a tertiary hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A retrospective 5-year review. 2021
MMedSc
- Dr S Singh. Local Experience of Patients with Connective Tissue Associated Interstitial
Lung Disease Who Were Treated with Cyclophosphamide. 2021
CURRENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
1.Project title: Sentinel surveillance of SARS Cov-2 and other respiratory pathogens.
Sites: Mahatma Gandhi Memorial hospital and Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital
Stage: recruitment and data collection
Collaborators: Africa Health Research Institute (Prof Willem Hanekom) and Wits Research Consortium (Prof Shabir Madhi and Marta Nunes of the Vaccinology Institute).
Funder: Wits Research consortium
2.Project title: Nitazoxanide randomized control trial for the containment of Covid-19 in HIV infected subjects and others with enhanced risk (C3-RCT).
Sites: IALCH, RK Khans hospital, Durdoc hospital, Hlengisizwe clinic in Hammasdale
Stage: recruitment and data capturing.
Collaborators: University of Cape Town Lung Institute
Funder: Medical Research Council
3.Project title: Assessing asthma control and barriers to treatment and adherence.
Sites: IALCH, Wentworth hospital, Addington hospital, KwaMashu polyclinic.
Stage: BREC approval has been given. The provincial approval and gatekeeper approval is pending. It is envisaged that recruitment of research staff will be next month March and the recruitment of patients will commence in April or May 2021.
Funder: AstraZeneca
4.Project title: Multinational Lung Cancer Control Programme (MLCCP). This project is in collaboration with School of Public Health, UKZN. Two PhD and 2 master’s students have registered. We anticipate that another 4 PhD and 12 Master’s degree students will be registering shortly. One post doctorate student from Ghana will be joining the unit in May this year. Another student from Ghana has been accepted as a PhD student and will be supervised by Prof K Nyamande and Dr Themba Ginindza. Screening for lung cancer has started at 4 clinics: Woodhurst clinic in Chatsworth, Bayview clinic in Chatsworth, Lamontville clinic, Merebank clinic. Screening will be starting at another 8 clinics in Umlazi and Imbalenhle clinic in Pietermaritzburg and Sobantu clinic in Pietermaritzburg.
5.Project title: Interferon gamma in the diagnosis of extra pulmonary TB study.
Provisional approval has been granted by BREC pending a few minor queries. We are collaborating with University of Cape Town Lung institute on this study. The funder is the MRC of South Africa.
6.Project title: Point of care US Scan in the diagnosis of PTB.
Data collection has been completed and writing up is in progress.
7. Project title: The correlation of apnoea-hypopnoea index in afternoon nap. The correlation of apnoea-hypopnoea index in afternoon nap. MMed degree: Yabanathi Kibi: DUT
8. Project title: Evaluation of Post Covid-19 Sequelae Using Spirometry at Mediclinic Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal. MMed degree: Sabela Lindokuhle: DUT
9. Project title: Development of A Simple Rapid Diagnostic Test Kit for Less / Non – Invasive Early Detection of Lung Cancer Using Novel Protein Biomarkers in Sputum, Saliva, Urine and Blood Samples. PHD degree: Emmanuel Asiahah: UKZN
10. Project title: Development of safe and high-quality plant-based biosurfactant as a potential treatment and management of COVID-19. Research Collaborators: Dept of Pulmonology, UKZN; Conoche Biotech; Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and North West University.