Brian Allwood
Pulmonologist
Professor Brian Allwood is a pulmonologist and academic at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, where he leads the pulmonary hypertension service. He trained at the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Cape Town, and holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (Clinical Research) as well as a PhD examining the relationship between tuberculosis and the subsequent development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In 2017, he was awarded the Discovery Foundation Fellowship to Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard, where he gained specialist training in pulmonary vascular diseases.
His primary research focus is post-tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD), with a particular interest in the pulmonary vascular complications that can follow TB infection. Recognising the need for dedicated international collaboration in this area, he initiated and chaired the 1st International Post-Tuberculosis Symposium in Stellenbosch in 2019, and has since steered the 2nd and 3rd editions of the symposium in 2023 and 2025. He remains strongly committed to advancing solutions for respiratory diseases of particular relevance to the continent.
Rein Houben
Professor of TB Epidemiology (Co-PI)
Rein Houben trained in epidemiology and currently co-leads the LSHTM TB Modelling group. His work has had a broad focus, including the re-discovery of the spectrum of mycobacterial infection and TB disease (including asymptomatic disease), modelling tools to inform TB policy decisions and structural determinants including nutrition, climate health and poverty. Current projects look to use existing and new tools to better estimate burden trends, provide care for TB survivors and develop approaches for community screening.
Siyan Yi
Associate Professor
Siyan Yi is an Associate Professor and NUS Cambodia Program Leader at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore; Director of the KHANA Centre for Population Health Research in Cambodia; and Adjunct Professor at Touro University California. He holds an MHSc and PhD in Community and Global Health from the University of Tokyo and has previously worked at Japan’s National Center for Global Health and Medicine, University of South Australia, and Stanford University. His research focuses on community-based implementation research to improve healthcare access and outcomes in HIV, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and sexual and reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries. He leads several randomized controlled trials in Cambodia and Lao PDR, including i-MoMCARE, COMMIT, HAI-PC, and CAD. Siyan Yi contributes to global health initiatives and technical working groups, advancing evidence-based strategies for health system strengthening and service delivery in resource-limited settings.
Graeme Hoddinott
Associate Professor
Graeme Hoddinott trained in psychology and has 20 years’ experience as a socio-behavioural scientist in public and global health. He is a senior lecturer in global health at the University of Sydney, an associate professor of paediatrics and child health (extraordinary) at Stellenbosch University, and an African Academy of Sciences ARISE fellow at the University of Namibia. His research has a broad focus on tuberculosis, especially on patient/survivor experiences (including health-related quality of life, stigma, and acceptability of care), and community and health-system processes for TB care optimisation. He focusses on family-centered approaches to care, especially for children and adolescents/young adults.
Alison Lupton-Smith
Physiotherapist
Alison Lupton-Smith is a qualified physiotherapist with a PhD from the University of Cape Town (2017) and an MPhil in Health Professions Education from Stellenbosch University. She has extensive clinical and research expertise in both paediatric and adult cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, critical care, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Her work focuses on improving outcomes for individuals with chronic respiratory disease and survivors of critical illness, with a strong emphasis on holistic, person-centred care. Alison contributes actively to the advancement of physiotherapy and allied health through her involvement in several national and international committees. She is an associate editor for both the Southern African Journal of Critical Care and the South African Journal of Physiotherapy. A committed educator and researcher, Alison is passionate about generating and sharing knowledge. She has published and presented her work widely, both nationally and internationally.
Lauren Tavener-Smith
Economist
Lauren Tavener-Smith is an economist and senior research project manager in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University. Her work focuses on the social and economic dimensions of health and development, with experience in global health, social protection, housing, and water and sanitation. Within the post-TB research project, she leads work on the long-term economic impacts of TB, as well as research into survivor preferences using Discrete Choice Experiments, aiming to inform more integrated and responsive models of post-TB care.
Dillon T Wademan
Sociobehavioural Scientist
Dillon Wademan is a senior socio-behavioural scientist at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre, whose research portfolio encompasses the spectrum of tuberculosis care, from treatment and prevention to the emerging area of post-TB health. His extensive work utilizes qualitative, participatory, ethnographic and community-centred methods to understand the psychosocial and structural determinants influencing TB risk, treatment experiences, and long-term outcomes. His current work employs qualitative methodologies to understand the lived experiences and long-term care needs of TB survivors, with the goal of informing the development of evidence-based post-TB care models.
Saadiq Moolla
Pulmonologist
Saadiq Moolla is a clinician researcher with a broad range of interests in pulmonology. His current research focus extends to post-tuberculous lung disease. He has a particular interest in technology where his work aims to bridge the gap between clinical practice and innovative digital tools to improve patient care and health systems.
Luthando Vazi
Specialist Physician
Luthando Vazi is a specialist physician deeply committed to clinical research and improving care for patients with post-tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD). He is pursuing a PhD focused on developing diagnostic parameters for post-TB lung disease. His research aims to inform clinical practice and future trials for comprehensive post-TB care.
Jordan Sasha Lakey
Biokineticist
Jordan Sasha Lakey is a biokineticist and PhD candidate at Stellenbosch University. Her research, titled “Exploring the Relationships Between Pulmonary Physiology and Functional Performance in Adult TB Survivors in the Western Cape: Towards Optimal Exercise Prescription in Resource-Limited Settings”, focuses on understanding post-TB lung disease and identifying practical methods to assess and classify exercise limitations in TB survivors.
Sothearith Eng
PhD Candidate
Sothearith Eng is a PhD candidate at the University of Tsukuba’s Department of Global Public Health in Ibaraki, Japan. Having graduated with a Master of Public Health from the same university, his academic journey is marked by a commitment to addressing pressing health challenges. With experience as a research assistant at the KHANA Center of Population Health Research in Cambodia, Sothearith Eng has actively contributed to tuberculosis (TB) projects, demonstrating a keen interest in TB public health issues in Cambodia and other high-burden countries.
Sovanvorleak TEP
Research Officer
A general medicine graduate from the University of Puthisastra in Cambodia (2012-2020) with a Master of Public Health from the School of Health Innovation, Kanagawa University of Human Services in Japan (2021-2023), Sovanvorleak is a research officer coordinating the project in Cambodia.
Grace Sehlangu
Respiratory Technologist
Grace Sehlangu is a respiratory technologist and research assistant at Stellenbosch University. She works in post-TB research, with a focus on advanced lung function testing and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Grace also has experience in sleep studies and is passionate about improving respiratory health through research and clinical practice.