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Hire Dr. Ramokone l.

South Africa

USD 30 /hr

Medical Scientist-researcher, Lecturer, Supervisor. Grant and article writing, dissertation and thesis examiner.

Profile Summary

My research interested are in vaccine preventable diseases, vaccinology and cancer causing viruses. In recent years, i have focused on the epidemiology of HPV infection and HPV related diseases, cervical cancer screening tests and methods, genetic diversity of HPV and factors associated with HPV acquisition and development of HPV related diseases. I teach post graduate students on Molecular biology, Advanced Virology, and basic Microbiology. I am also involved in training and supervising Intern Medical Scientist in the National Health Laboratory Service and Intern Scientists from the National Research Foundation. In my early career I investigated HPV prevalence among the different anatomical carcinomas, e.g. penile, anal and cervical, in the South African population. The main aim was to determine the epidemiology of HPV infection in different cancers, and also investigate the causative HPV type of the cancers. This was to determine if the available HPV vaccines will be able to prevent HPV infections in our population, thereby preventing the development of cancers. The work included investigation of the causative HPV type using laser microdissection method and quantitative HPV testing to isolate individual lesions and test for HPV infection. Our recent research focused on finding better screening tests, methods and devices that can be used to improve cervical cancer screening program. This included HPV DNA, HPV viral load and HPV mRNA testing, and using tampon self-collected samples for HPV testing and liquid based cytology. I also investigated HPV infections in a number of anatomical sites to establish the prevalence of the virus and the involvement of the virus in the development of different lesions from anorectal canal, cervix, and oral cavity of MSM, dental patients, women and HIV patients. Presently we are also investigating other makers that would assist in identifying women at risk of developing cervical abnormal lesions and therefore treated and managed in time before development of cervical cancer. Skills I have grant writing skills, research skills, supervision, mentoring skills, time management skills. By dealing with students and managing the lab i had to learn problem-solving skills to be productive. Teamwork and collaboration are very key elements in the field of research, harnessing expertise of others and sharing your expertise speaks success in research and progress. Through management of grants and management of research projects i have acquired project management skills. Education i am currently doing International Master of Advanced Studies in Vaccinology with the University of Lausanne in Switzerland which started in 2018 to be completed in 2020. I obtained a Joint Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Virology and Medical Science, University of Limpopo (Medunsa campus), South Africa 25 September 2014 and University of Antwerp, Groenenborgelaan campus, Belgium, 21 August 2014. I have a Master of Science in Medical Virology from the University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus. My Honours degree obtained from the University of Venda was in Microbiology at the same University i studied my Bachelor of Science and graduated in 2003.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Medical Sciences
• ☆ Epidemiology
• ☆ Cancer Research

Services

• Writing
• Research

Writing Clinical Trial Documentation, Technical Writing, Newswriting

Research Secondary Data Collection

Work Experience

Principal Medical Scientist

National Health Laboratory Service

September 2019 - Present

Principal Medical Scientist

National Health Laboratory Service/Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

August 2019 - Present

Senior Scientist

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

January 2017 - Present

Senior Scientist

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

June 2017 - August 2019

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

October 2014 - December 2016

Part Time lectururer

University of Limpopo Faculty of Health Sciences

January 2012 - August 2014

Research assistant

University of Limpopo Faculty of Health Sciences

January 2008 - August 2014

Education

International Master of Advanced Studies in Vaccinology

University of Lausanne

January 2018 - Present

PhD Medical Science and Medical Virology (Virological Pathology)

University of Limpopo Faculty of Health Sciences

January 2009 - September 2014

PhD

University of Limpopo, Medunsa campus

January 2010 - August 2014

MSc Medical Virology

University of Limpopo, Medunsa campus

February 2006 - April 2009

MSc Medical Virology (Virological pathology)

University of Limpopo Faculty of Health Sciences

February 2006 - December 2008

BSc Honours in Microbiology

University of Venda

January 2005 - February 2006

BSc Honors (Microbiology)

University of Venda

January 2005 - December 2005

BSc Microbiology and Biochemistry (Microbiology)

University of Venda

January 1998 - May 2003

BSc

University of Venda

January 1998 - June 2002

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

(2019). HPV testing on vaginal/cervical nurse-assisted self-samples versus clinician-taken specimens and the HPV prevalence, in Adama Town, Ethiopia . Medicine.

Zacharie Ndizeye, Ray Borrow, Davy Vanden Broeck, Ramokone Lisbeth Lebelo, Johannes Bogers, Ina Benoy, Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden(2019). Prevalence and genotype-specific distribution of human papillomavirus in Burundi according to {HIV} status and urban or rural residence and its implications for control . {PLOS} {ONE}. 14. (6). p. e0209303. Public Library of Science ({PLoS})

(2019). Prevalence and genotype-specific distribution of human papillomavirus in Burundi according to HIV status and urban or rural residence and its implications for control . PloS one.

(2018). Molecular characterization of hepatitis B virus X gene in HIV-positive South Africans . Virus genes.

(2017). Efficacy of antiviral drug AV2 in the treatment of human papillomavirus-associated precancerous lesions of the uterine cervix: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial in Kinshasa, DR Congo. (KINVAV study) . Contemporary clinical trials communications.

(2016). High prevalence of active and occult hepatitis B virus infections in healthcare workers from two provinces of South Africa . Vaccine.

(2015). Laser micro-dissection and qPCR for identifying specific HPV types responsible for malignancy in penile lesions . Journal of medical virology.

(2015). Detection, genotyping and quantitation of multiple hpv infections in south African women with cervical squamous cell carcinoma . Journal of medical virology.

(2014). Hepatitis B virus infection in post-vaccination South Africa: occult HBV infection and circulating surface gene variants . Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology.

(2014). Evidence for a change in the epidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection after nearly two decades of universal hepatitis B vaccination in South Africa . Journal of medical virology.

(2013). Diversity of HPV types in cancerous and pre-cancerous penile lesions of South African men: implications for future HPV vaccination strategies . Journal of medical virology.