Wisdom Akurugu holds BSc Biochemistry (Single Major) and MSc Bioinformatics degrees. Wisdom is interested in understanding genetic factors that place a person at risk of developing diseases. He has been mining human genetic exome data for variations that may protect or predispose asthmatic children on corticosteroid treatment to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal suppression (HPAS). He is using various Bioinformatics, Computational and Statistical algorithms to identify, annotate and assess the impact of the potential variants on HPAS. Wisdom is enthusiastic about contributing to the effective and efficient treatment of asthmatics on corticosteroids based on his current project. In the near future, he looks to developing Bioinformatics, Computational and Statistical competencies in analyzing large-scale robust genomic data. He is opened to collaborations in the areas of genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, structural biology, software development and teaching.

Lyndon Zass is a Project Officer at H3ABioNet’s Central Node, at the University of Cape Town, in Cape Town, South Africa. With a background in Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, he currently holds an MSc Human Genetics which he obtained from Stellenbosch University. His research focus on psychiatric genetics, and more specifically, the epigenetic underpinnings of common psychiatric disorders such as anxiety disorders and PTSD. Currently. He is currently involved in several H3ABioNet projects, focusing primarily on phenotype harmonisation and the development of an African Genomic Medicine Portal.

Pertunia Mutheiwana is currently a Curriculum Administrator for H3ABioNet. She is interested in education, especially the curriculum and psychology aspect of it. In light of this, she has the following qualifications from the University of Cape Town (UCT): Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), an Honours degree (first-class pass) in Curriculum Development, and a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology (distinction in the dissertation). She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology also at UCT. Her position as a Curriculum Administrator for H3ABionet offers her the opportunity to participate in the development of a Genomic Medicine Curriculum. Thereby, affording her the opportunity to use and refine her skills in curriculum development. Furthermore, Pertunia holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) undergraduate degree from the University of Limpopo where she specialized in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. She is a proud single mother to an incredibly awesome teenage girl who made her realize her passion for education. Pertunia uses her passion to make a difference in the lives of ordinary members of the public. For example, during her teaching career, she took an amazing leadership position and coached special needs learners to participate in a national competition which is considered by many to be for 'regular' learners only. She is proud to announce that one of her learners and herself were crowned the winners of the competition. Furthermore, she supervises UCT Honours students during their education research projects and PGCE student teachers during their teaching practice. She is also a proud owner of an educational YouTube channel called Ama & Peeps which focuses on thought-provoking conversations to create unity and change in society. Once she has completed her Ph.D., Pertunia plans to open a school to give back to her community.

Sindiswa Lukhele is a Training and Outreach Coordinator at H3ABioNet, University of Cape Town. She holds an MSc degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of the Witwatersrand. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of the Witwatersrand. In 2016, she was selected as a participant of the H3ABioNet IBT program, which harnessed her love for bioinformatics. Her interests include maternal and infant health, microbial genomics, and bioinformatics education in Africa. She has held other positions including science consultant for postgraduate genomics projects, genomics collaborator at Wits-VIDA, GBS genomics advisor for Dr Richard Chawana of Biovac, and organizing committee for the AfriBioInfoNet Bioinformatics summer school program. Through the H3ABioNet, she hopes to contribute to curriculum development for developing institutions, assist with bioinformatics integration into other sciences as well as training and skills development in Africa.

Tshinakaho Malesa is currently a Training and Outreach Coordinator at H3ABioNet. Tshinakaho completed her MSc in Genetics at University of Kwa-Zulu Natal with a background in conservation and population genetics. Previously, Tshinakaho has worked as a Technical Officer at Stellenbosch University where she managed a molecular biology laboratory and was involved in the teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students in molecular techniques. Tshinakaho is passionate about teaching, the upskilling of early career scientists and the empowerment of Black women in science. She is a global shaper and member of Tshwane Hub Global Shapers – a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on youth and community development through impactful initiatives.