Prof. Koleka Mlisana
Prof. Koleka Mlisana has over 40 years indepth experience in health sciences and is a Microbiologist by training and an Executive Manager of Academic Affairs, Research, and Quality Assurance at the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS). Prior to this she was the Head Of Department (HOD) for Medical Microbiology at University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) based at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH); and also served a term as a member of the NHLS Board.
She is also a Co-Chairperson of South Africa’s COVID-19 Ministerial Advisory Committee. Prof. Mlisana has also been a member of the Board of the South African Medical Research Council and currently serves on the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC). She served as the Project Director of the tenofovir gel trial in eThekwini under the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), as well as the Head of HIV Pathogenesis and Vaccine Research Programme.
Prof. Mlisana is also passionate about nurturing and mentoring young scientists whom she considers as the next generation of leaders in science. Her contribution in the South African health sector is very meaningful and she is a living legend in her own right.
She holds a PhD, MMedPath (Micro) and an MBChB from the University of Natal.