School of Medicine

BIOSKETCH
Dr Nomonde Mvelase (née Dlamini) is the newly appointed Head of Discipline of Medical Microbiology. She obtained her MBChB from the then University of Natal in 2002. She entered the Microbiology Registrar Programme in 2006 and qualified as a specialist, obtaining her FC Path (Microbiology) in 2010. She additionally holds a Diploma in HIV Management (CMSA), an MMed, and a PhD from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. With a career as a pathologist spanning over 15 years, Dr Mvelase has worked at a regional laboratory, a provincial NHLS management office, and, more recently, at a provincial tuberculosis (TB) laboratory.Dr Mvelase has a strong research interest in the diagnosis and management of drug-resistant TB and has made significant contributions to TB control in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). She played a key role in the rollout of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay in the province, providing scientific and technical guidance, and was a founding member of the KZN Drug-Resistant TB Forum, which brings together key stakeholders to address TB-related challenges. She has also been instrumental in training clinicians across KZN in the management of complex TB and HIV-related infections.Throughout her research career, Dr Mvelase has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and has successfully supervised several postgraduate students. Her PhD research focused on the challenges of diagnosing drug-resistant tuberculosis, particularly the phenotypic and genotypic discrepancies related to rifampicin resistance and proposed improved diagnostic approaches. Her PhD findings contributed to the revision of the World Health Organization’s policy on rifampicin resistance testing in 2021. Awarded the NRF Thuthuka Grant Post-PhD, Dr Mvelase is now implementing her research findings, aiming to integrate a drug-resistant TB diagnostic algorithm into routine laboratory practice to improve diagnostic accuracy and expedite treatment.