Student Council
The SASBi Student Council (SASBi-SC) was voted in at the SASBi-SC Students’ Symposium in 2018. Since that time, the student council has participated in various activities including SciFest Africa held in March 2018 in Grahamstown. The SASBi student council has also hosted their first joint Young Researchers' Symposium with the Southern African Society for Human Genetics (SASHG) and Young Researchers' Forum (YRS) in August 2019.
The society consists of six members:
Mahtaab Hayat (Chairperson)
I am a PhD student at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. My current research area is breast cancer genetics, focusing specifically on South African black women.
I am a PhD student at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. My current research area is breast cancer genetics, focusing specifically on South African black women.
Bertha Baye (Secretary)
I am studying MSc in Bioinformatics at Rhodes University.
I am studying MSc in Bioinformatics at Rhodes University.
Natasha Kitchin (Development Officer)
I’m a Research Assistant in the Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, managing the lab of the Neuropsychiatric Genetics research group, while assisting with various departmental research projects. I’m also doing my PhD, investigating the molecular aetiology of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). I look forward to networking with others within the field which will undoubtedly help to broaden my perspective as a young scientist and may also present new collaboration opportunities.
I’m a Research Assistant in the Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, managing the lab of the Neuropsychiatric Genetics research group, while assisting with various departmental research projects. I’m also doing my PhD, investigating the molecular aetiology of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). I look forward to networking with others within the field which will undoubtedly help to broaden my perspective as a young scientist and may also present new collaboration opportunities.
Jorge da Rocha (Development Officer)
I am a PhD student at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of the Witwatersrand.
I am very interested in pharmacogenomics, and I am learning about how different populations may have varied response to medicine.
I like to help people learn about genomic science, and inspire young people to want to learn more about the world and how we can use science to make it better.
I am a PhD student at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of the Witwatersrand.
I am very interested in pharmacogenomics, and I am learning about how different populations may have varied response to medicine.
I like to help people learn about genomic science, and inspire young people to want to learn more about the world and how we can use science to make it better.
Noëlle van Biljon (Media Administrator)
I am a Masters student at the University of Cape Town. I currently work in the Biostatistics field. My research involves longitudinal modelling of brain metabolite levels from HIV positive and HIV negative children.
I am a Masters student at the University of Cape Town. I currently work in the Biostatistics field. My research involves longitudinal modelling of brain metabolite levels from HIV positive and HIV negative children.
Laura Cottino (Media Administrator)
I am a Masters student at the University of the Witwatersrand with a research focus in pharmacogenomics.
I am a Masters student at the University of the Witwatersrand with a research focus in pharmacogenomics.