Vira - Yanga Mdleleni
Yanga Mdleleni: PhD candidate at HPP-UKZN (HIV Pathogenesis Programme - Univesity of KwaZulu-Natal, SANTHE trainee, World Economic Forum Durban-Global Shapers, Department of Science and Technology in India Developing countries research awardee, National Research Fund Doctoral Scholarship recipient, Founder of Nguta Foundation for Youth Empowerment #HPVeducation #cervicalcancerprevention #vaccineswork
Her research: Yanga studies HIV and HPV, the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer. Pathogens often take advantage of weakened immune systems and breached defences. It’s almost as if they are working together. In the case of HIV, it kills CD4 immune cells, and then other pathogens, such as TB, can get a foothold and thrive. For HPV, it inflames the mucosa and that could make it easier for HIV to infect someone. What we do know is that HIV+ women are more susceptible to HPV infection, and increased risk of developing cervical cancer.
How the two viruses interact is at the heart of Yanga’s research. Using samples from women that have generously agreed to be part of medical research, she is looking at how the amount and type of HPV virus relates to the risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions and HIV.
To answer her question, she studies two groups of women; HIV+ women who already have advanced HPV infections, presenting with pre-cancerous lesions, and those who start out HIV- but because there is, unfortunately, so much HIV in South Africa, some of these women become HIV+. These samples allow Yanga to quantify the amount and type of HPV in each woman (both HIV+ and HIV-). Yanga can then determine the effect of both HIV and HPV on the immune system and how that relates to the type and amount of HPV the woman has, and their risk of developing cervical cancer.
Thankfully there is a vaccine for HPV, and country-wide programmes to vaccinate young people. In many countries HPV has already dramatically declined due to vaccination, however for the majority of women HP- caused cervical cancer is a serious concern and how it interacts with HIV an important question to answer.
Her Heroes: Her mother, Professor Thumbi Ndung’u, Dr Wendy Dhlomo, and Professor Mosa Moshabela
Top Tip: Never limit your dreams based on your surroundings. You can be anything you wish to become, stay motivated, work hard and God will take care of the rest.
We asked every scientist to rank, from most to least important, what they think are the most important characteristics to succeed in science. Yanga thinks it’s:: Hard work, curiosity, communication and creativity
What else do you need?: Compassion, courage, a positive mind-set
Her scientific strengths: Collaborations, presentations and grant writing.
Her Superpowers: 1) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 2) microscopy 3) youth empowerment and community engagement
Connect: Twitter@Yanga_md Instagram@Yanga_md
In isiZulu
Yanga Mdleleni: Ungumfundi owazuza i-PhD e-HPP-UKZN (HIV Pathogenesis Programme - Univesity of KwaZulu-Natal, SANTHE trainee,wazuza indondo yabacwaningi bamazwe asafufusa ye- World Economic Forum Durban-Global Shapers, Department of Science and Technology , waphinde wathola nomfundaze we-National Research Fund Doctoral Scholarship , Founder of Nguta Foundation for Youth Empowerment #HPVeducation #cervicalcancerprevention #vaccineswork
Ucwaningo lwakhe: U-Yanga utadisha i-HIV ne- HPV, i-human papillomavirus, ibanga i-cervical cancer. Ama-pathogen ajwayele ukuzuza kumasosha omzimba angenamandla nangakwazi ukuzivikela. Izifo kucishe kube sengathi zisebenza ngokubambisana. Uma i-HIV ingena emzimbeni, ibulala ama-CD4 immune cells, ngokwenza lokho izifo ezifana ne-TB zingangena kalula zande. Uma kungena i-HPV emzimbeni, ishisa yonke i-mucosa ekemzimbeni, lokho kudala ukuthi kubelula ukuthi i-HIV ingene emntwini futhi inyusa amathuba okuthola i-cervical cancer.
Ucwaningo luka-Yanga lugxile ekutholeni ukuthi lama-virus asebenzisana kanjani. Ngokusebenzisa amasampuli aphuma kwabantu besifazane abavolontiye ngezinhliziyo ezimhlophe ukuba yingxenye yocwaningo, ubheka ukuthi inani elingakanani nokuthi inhloboni ye-HPV exhumene nobungozi bokuthola i-cancer ne-HIV. Ukuphendula lombuzo, utadisha amaqembu amabili ahlukene abantu besifazane. Eqembini elilodwa kukhona abesifazane abane-HPV esiqala ukukhombisa izimpawu nzokuthi bangase babe nama-cancerous lesions, bese kuthi kwelinye iqembu kubekhona abesifazane abaqala bengenayo i-HIV kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bagcina benayo. U-Yanga ube eseyakwazi ukubona umthelela we-HIV ne-HPV emasosheni omzimba nokuthi kuhlobene kanjani nenani le-HPV umuntu wesifazane analo emzimbeni kanye namathuba okuba ne-cervical cancer.
Ngenhlanhla kukhona umgomo ovikela kwi-HPV futhi kunezinhlelo ezigoma intsha umhlaba wonke. Emazweni amaningi inani le-HPV selinciphile ngenxa yokugoma kodwa iningi labesifazane abane-cervical cancer ebangwe yi-HPV basayinkinga edinga ukulungiswa ukuze kubonakale ukuthi ibambisana kanjani ne-HIV.
Amaqhawe Akhe: Umama, Professor Thumbi Ndung’u, Dr Wendy Dhlomo, no-Professor Mosa Moshabela
Ithiphu yakhe: Ungadedeli indawo okuyona ikuvimbe ekufezeni amaphupho. Ungaba yinoma yini oyifisayo, hlala ukhuthazekile uthembe ukuthi uMdali uzokusiza
Into oyidingayo ukuze uphumelele: Ukusebenza kanzima, ilukuluku nobuhlakani
Okunye okudingayo: Uzwelo, isibindi nomqondo uhluzekile.
Amandla akhe njengososayensi: Ukusebenzisana nabantu nokwenza ama-presentations.
Ama-superpowers akhe: 1) i-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 2) i-microscopy 3) ubusha
Xhumana no-Vira: Twitter@Yanga_md Instagram@Yanga_md