Staff News

VICE-CHANCELLOR?S RESEARCH AWARD TO PROFESSOR CHARLES FELDMAN

Professor Charles Feldman from the Department of Internal Medicine was chosen by the Fellowships Committee as the winner of the 2009 Vice-Chancellor?s Research Award. Charles? research into community acquired pneumonia is well-known both locally and internationally and his work has brought great distinction to the School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty and University.

The award is worth R250 000. The purpose of the award is to stimulate research and research related scholarly activities by acknowledging and rewarding an exceptional worker who has been engaged in research and scholarly activity at the University.

Professor Feldman obtained his MBBCh at Wits in 1975, his PhD in 1991, and was recently awarded a DSc (Med) for the outstanding contribution of scholarly work he has made to his field of interest. He is a Fellow of the College of Physicians of South Africa and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, UK. His research has been in the field of community acquired pneumonia and includes both clinical and translational research. Some of the clinical research has been involved in understanding the optimal antibiotic management of the infection. The laboratory based research has focused on understanding the pathogenesis of pneumonia with the object of deriving alternative strategies that may be used as an adjunct to antibiotic therapy to improve the prognosis of patients with pneumonia. Much of this research has informed both local and international guideline recommendations for the optimal management of pneumonia.

Professor Maureen Coetzee received third prize at the 2009 Department of Science and Technology/L Oreal Women in Science awards recently.

Professor Coetzee was appointed Head of the Department of Medical Entomology in 1996 and continued as Head of the Vector Control Reference Unit at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases when the National Health Laboratory Service came into being. She currently holds a DST/NRF South African Research Chair in Medical Entomology and Vector Control at Wits.

She is, among others, a member of four steering committees of the World Health Organization, a member of the Scientific Organising Committee of the MIM/Pan African Malaria Congress, and in the recent past has been a member of the Ugandan National Academy of Science review panel on malaria vector control using DDT, a member of the Scientific Organising Committee of the XXIII International Congress of Entomology and a plenary speaker at this congress, a member of the Organising Committee of the 12th International Congress of the Society for Vector Ecology in Reno, USA; and a consultant to AngloGold/Ashanti on malaria control in Ghana.

We further congratulate Maureen and her Wits Research Team which has just discovered a new species of mosquito related to the major African malaria vector Anopheles funestus. The reference for this article is:

Belinda L Spillings, Basil D Brooke, Lizette L Koekemoer, John Chiphwanya, Maureen Coetzee, and Richard H Hunt: A New Species Concealed by Anopheles funestus Giles, a Major Malaria Vector in Africa. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2009 81: 510-515.

DR SUSAN TAGER APPOINTED NEW CEO FOR WDGMC

Dr Susan Tager has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC) with effect from 1 September 2009. This follows the retirement in June 2009 of Sarel van der Walt as the Hospital Manager. Susan has been the Academic Medical Director at the WDGMC and a member of the WDGMC executive team since 2006 and has acted as the Hospital Manager for the past two months. The role of CEO combines the former positions of Hospital Manager and Academic Medical Director and is envisaged to bring together the smooth management of the hospital, provision of clinical care of patients of the highest order, and the academic programme of specialist and sub-specialist training for the future needs of the region and country.

Dr Tager is a Wits-trained medical doctor with specialist training in neurology. Apart from limited time in clinical private practice and periods of clinical training in the UK, she has been a member of the joint staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University for several years, in the Department of Neurosciences and was the Clinical Head of Neurology at the WDGMC prior to assuming the role of Academic Medical Director at the hospital in 2006.

At the recent RW Charlton Awards for Service Excellence, the Certificate of Commendation went to Irene Janse van Noordwyk from the School of Therapeutic Sciences. Irene joined Wits in 1999 as an administrative secretary in Physiotherapy and in 2001 became Senior Administrative Secretary in the School.

Irene?s citation read: ?She is amongst the top performers in the Faculty of Health Sciences administration. She epitomises the Faculty?s vision ?to be a Faculty with a supportive, effective and service-oriented administration? and her work in addition to her normal duties, shows her full understanding of and engagement with the University?s and Faculty?s strategies for excellence.?

Irene has been instrumental in ensuring that the 2008/9 Department of Education Clinical Grant valued at
R12-million is handled and managed in the most efficient and accurate manner, displaying an impeccable sense of efficiency and responsibility.?

Photograph: Irene with the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Loyiso Nongxa, and
Professor RW Charlton

PROFESSOR BEVERLEY KRAMER APPOINTED VICE-PRESIDENT OF IF

Beverley Kramer, Professor of Anatomy in the School of Anatomical Sciences and Assistant Dean: Research and Postgraduate Support, was appointed as the Vice-President of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists at its recent General Assembly. The IF is the umbrella body for over 60 global anatomical societies. The IF is involved in overseeing teaching, terminology, research, ethics and other aspects of the anatomical sciences.

PROFESSOR KENNETH BOFFARD ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ISS

Professor Ken Boffard, (MBBCh, Wits, 1972; BSc(Hons) Aerospace Medicine [cum laude]), Professor and Clinical Head of the Department of Surgery, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, has been elected President of the International Surgical Society for 2009 to 2011. This is the first time a surgeon from Africa has been President. Ken is also the President of the Trauma Society of South Africa, was in charge of Definitive Surgical Trauma Care in South Africa, and is the editor of the DSTC Manual.

The ISS is an international surgical society that was founded in 1902 and now integrates several subspecialities of the practise of general surgery: IAES addresses endocrine surgery, IATSIC addresses trauma and intensive care, including military medicine, IASMEN addresses the multiple aspects of nutritional support and metabolic surgery, and BSI addresses breast diseases in surgery. In addition, its relationship with the ISDS (International Society of Digestive Surgery) is growing.
For further information please go to www.iss-sic.ch.

ETHEKWINI LIVING LEGENDS AWARD TO PROFESSOR PHILLIP TOBIAS

On 10 September 2009 Professor Phillip Tobias was awarded the Ethekwini Living Legends Award. This is run by the Ethekwini Municipality?s Local History Museums. It is a project aimed at recognising people who have played remarkable roles in their respective fields and to life in general. The award ceremony was held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.

On the Wednesday evening prior to the award ceremony, 9 September 2009, Professor Tobias opened the Darwin Now exhibition which is being held at the Durban Natural Science Museum (sponsored by the British Council). It was organised by the Director of the Museum, Guy Redman.