Interferon - Thumbi Ndung'u
Professor Thumbi Ndung’u: Deputy Director - Africa Health Research Institute, Professor - University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Adjunct Professor - Harvard University, Director - SANTHE
His Research: Among other projects, Thumbi’s lab studies the rare people who control HIV naturally - they remain HIV free without antiretroviral drugs even though they are exposed to HIV. How their bodies do this could hold a key to developing a vaccine or new therapies to fight HIV infection
Thumbi has trained more than 50 scientists - masters students, PhDs, and post-doctoral fellows - and has contributed to more than 200 scientific articles. The SANTHE programme, which he directs, and his involvement in the African Academy of Sciences DELTAS programme, builds on his interest to train African scientists and develop world class African research infrastructure and skilled scientists.
His Superpowers: virus cloning, T cells, monoclonal antibodies, tenacity, patience and working well with people
Interferon’s Name: Interferons are proteins made by cells infected by viruses. They signal to other cells in the body, sounding the alarm that a virus is present. Interferons activate the immune system and interfere with the virus replicating and spreading. The response is good for fighting off the virus but interferons also lead to fever and flu-like systems that you feel when sick.
His Heroes: His parents, who ran a coffee farm in Kenya, instilled the values of hard work, honesty, and integrity. “I try to live by these values, be good to people, hard working and take advantage of opportunities”
His Top Tip: Thumbi values the mentors he has had through his career and has learned from them all. George Kinoti, at the University of Nairobi, was a task master. He was very tough but very fair. Don Harn was his mentor when he first went to Harvard. Don was incredibly patient, Thumbi had never done any lab work, but he saw Thumbi’s potential and gave him many opportunities. His PhD supervisor, Max Essex, was incredibly insightful, generous and patient and helped Thumbi secure his first scientific leadership role at the Harvard-Botswana AIDS Initiative. Bruce Walker, his most recent mentor and a current collaborator, is very supportive and gives ongoing advice and feedback.
Find a mentor, someone who is going to believe in you and help you. If you take the opportunities that are presented, you will go far!
Connect: Twitter @Thumbi_Ndungu @SANTHE
In isiZulu
USolwazi Thumbi Ndung’u: I-Dep ihlala ingenayo i-HIV ngaphandle kwemishanguzo ye-antiretroviral nakuba isengozini ye-HIV. Ukuthi imizimba yabo ikwenza kanjani lokhu kungabamba ukhiye ekwenzeni umuthi wokugoma noma amakhambi amasha okulwa nokutheleleka nge-HIV
UThumbi uqeqeshe ososayensi abangaphezu kwama-50 - abafundi abenza izifundo ze-masters, PhDs, kanye nozakwethu abangemva kodokotela - futhi ube nesandla kuma-athikhili esayensi angaphezu kwama-200. Uhlelo lwe-SANTHE, aluqondisayo, nokuzibandakanya kwakhe ohlelweni lwe-African Academy of Sciences DELTAS, kwakhela phezu kwentshisekelo yakhe yokuqeqesha ososayensi base-Afrika kanye nokuthuthukisa ingqalasizinda yocwaningo lwase-Afrika esezingeni lomhlaba nososayensi abanamakhono.
Amandla Akhe Amandla: i-virus cloning, ama-T cell, amasosha omzimba angama-monoclonal, ukuqina, ukubekezela nokusebenza kahle nabantu
Igama le-Interferon: Ama-Interferon angamaprotheni enziwe amaseli angenwe amagciwane. Bakhombisa izimpawu kwamanye amaseli emzimbeni, bekhala i-alamu yokuthi kunegciwane. Ama-Interferon enza amasosha omzimba asebenze futhi aphazamise igciwane liphindaphindeka futhi lisakazeke. Ukusabela kuhle ekulweni negciwane kodwa ama-interferon abuye aholele emkhuhlaneni kanye nezinhlelo ezinjengomkhuhlane ozizwayo lapho ugula.
Amaqhawe Akhe: Abazali bakhe, ababenepulazi lekhofi eKenya, bagxilisa izindinganiso zokuzikhandla, ukwethembeka, nobuqotho. “Ngizama ukuphila ngalezi zindinganiso, ngibe muhle kubantu, ngisebenze kanzima futhi ngisebenzise amathuba”
Icebiso Lakhe Eliphambili: UThumbi uyabazisa abeluleki abenabo emsebenzini wakhe futhi usefunde kubo bonke. UGeorge Kinoti, eNyuvesi yaseNairobi, wayengumpetha wemisebenzi. Wayeqinile kodwa elungile. UDon Harn wayengumeluleki wakhe lapho eqala ukuya eHarvard. U-Don wayenesineke ngendlela emangalisayo, uThumbi wayengakaze enze noma yimuphi umsebenzi waselabhu, kodwa wabona ikhono likaThumbi futhi wamnika amathuba amaningi. Umphathi wakhe we-PhD, uMax Essex, wayenokuqonda ngendlela emangalisayo, ephana futhi enesineke futhi wasiza uThumbi ukuthi avikele indima yakhe yokuqala yobuholi besayensi ku-Harvard-Botswana AIDS Initiative. UBruce Walker, umeluleki wakhe wakamuva kanye nomhleli wamanje, uyameseka kakhulu futhi unikeza izeluleko eziqhubekayo kanye nempendulo.
Thola umeluleki, umuntu ozokholelwa kuwe futhi akusize. Uma uthatha amathuba avezwayo, uzoya kude!
Xhuma: Twitter @Thumbi_Ndungu @SANTHE