Scholars
Pieter Burger, PhD
As a Biochemist /Bioinformatisist I am naturally interested in computers, biology and chemistry. The field of computer aided drug discovery has provided me with the means to live out these life passions. I received my PhD in Bioinformatics from the University of Pretoria in 2008 entitled “Development of a dynamic receptor-based pharmacophore model of Plasmodium falciparum spermidine synthase for selective inhibitor identification.” After the completion of my PhD, I joined the Emory Institute of Drug Development Liotta/Snyder laboratory for a two year postdoctoral fellowship in the field of drug discovery at Emory University. Read More >>>
Patrick Demana, PhD
Patrick graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in Pharmacy from Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom, MSc from Rhodes University in South Africa, and a PhD degree from University of Otago in New Zealand specializing in Pharmaceutics. Prior to joining Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in 2005, Dr. Demana has been working both in academia and pharmaceutical industry for a number of years. He has worked as a Lecturer in Pharmaceutics at the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology at the University of Witwatersrand. He is currently affiliated to TUT as a senior Lecturer in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Read More >>>
Erik Kriel, PhD
Dr. Erik Kriel obtained an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Johannesburg (then Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit). After a short stint in industry working as a researcher at International Chemical Corporation (ICC) in Midrand, joined the AuTEK Biomed team as a Mintek bursar working on a biomedical research project for his PhD at the beginning of 2004 at the University of the Witwatersrand. As part of his PhD, Erik successfully synthesized a range of interesting candidates and undertook a variety of biological studies on his compounds at the University of Pretoria. The work emanating from his PhD has been presented at various international and local conferences and publications are currently in preparation. Read More >>>