profile of personnel
University Pretoria (UP)

Prof Marion Meyer
Citizenship: SA
Qualification: PhD

Experience
Prof Marion Meyer is the Head of the Department of Botany at the University of Pretoria. His main research focus is on the isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from traditional medicinal plants. He is currently concentrating on the isolation of medicinal compounds from plants used to treat tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases. He has 20 registered postgraduate students (2003), published 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds three patents.

Contribution to project
Isolation and identification of secondary compounds with activity against TB and malaria. Screening of extracts and compounds against TB and malaria.

Prof AI Louw
Citizenship: SA
Qualification: DSc (Agric)

Experience
Prof Abraham Louw has a DSc (Agric) degree in Biochemistry from the University of Pretoria and joined this Department in 1985 first as senior lecturer and as full professor since 1994. Prior to this he was a research associate at the Public Health Research Institute of the City of New York (1968-1971) investigating cholesterol regulatory mechanisms and a Specialist Scientist at the CSIR investigating the structure-activity relationships of snake venom cardiotoxins. He spent two Sabbaticals, one at Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA (1993-1994) and another at the University of Manchester Institute for Science and Technology (UMIST), Manchester, UK (2001). He is heading the malaria research group in the Department since 1997, focussing mainly on the structure-activity properties of selected malaria parasite proteins to identify parasite-specific properties useful for therapeutic intervention strategies. The molecular biology, bionformatics and protein structural modelling facilities of the department of Biochemistry were initiated and established in the malaria research program. The structural modelling research program was selected in 2003 by the DST-appointed Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Bioinformatics Network (NBN) as a strong focus area of the University and recommended for DST funding. He is a founder member of the SA Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1973) and the Federation of African Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1996) and served in various positions in the executive committee of the SASBMB (Vice-President and President: 1995-2000). He has super/ co-supervised the successful completion of the studies of 14 PhD and MSc students since 1995 and is currently supervising the research studies of another 11 PhD and MSc students. He has published more than 50 papers in internationally accredited, peer-reviewed journals and made 42 and 73 presentations at international and national conferences, respectively, either as papers or posters.

Contribution to project
Discovery of the mode of action and metabolic targets of non-cytotoxic, anti-plasmodial plant compounds by employing gene expression profiling methods (SSH, SAGE or DNA microarrays and proteomics) and bioinformatic analyses as well as the routine screening of malaria parasite DHFR gene-complemented yeast systems with the same compounds for anti-folate activities. The SSH method has been established in the department whereas most (not all) of the essential capital infrastructure (DNA microarray, Proteomics, Structural; Modeling and Bioinformatics Facilities) of about R30 million (which include a new building), has been installed or is on order for installation during 2003. Strong links between UP, the CSIR and the University of the North have been established.

Dr Namrita Lall
Citizenship: Indian, Permanent resident of South Africa since 1997
Qualification: PhD

Experience
Dr Namrita Lall is a lecturer in the Department of Botany at the University of Pretoria. She recently received a "UNESCO L'OREAL For Women In Science" award for her research on tuberculosis. This fellowship is only awarded to ten women in the world. She specializes in the extraction and identification of compounds from medicinal plants used to treat tuberculosis and other bacterial infections. She investigated the antimycobacterial properties of the roots of Euclea natalenisis. She also isolated naphthoquinones and tested them at MRC for their antimycobacterial property under the collaborative supervision of the consortium members. The concentration of compounds in the plasma of mice, in a preliminary pharmacokinetic evaluation was done at UP using High performance liquid chromatography. A comparative analysis of the concentration of naphthoquinones was done in different species of plants belonging to the Ebenaceae family. The growth stage of plant at which there is maximum accumulation of naphthoquinones is also being investigated. A pilot study to investigate the efficacy of compounds and crude extract was done in mice at MRC. She has twelve postgraduate students currently, published 13 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is the inventor of one patent.

Contribution to project
Scientist and responsible for the investigation of Pelargonium species for their antimycobacterial properties.