Dr Lindi Masson

Lindi has been involved in women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health research for over 15 years. She heads research groups at Burnet Institute and the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa. The focus of her work is to understand risk factors for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and adverse birth outcomes in women and girls. Her work aims to use this knowledge to develop affordable and feasible tools to improve sexual and reproductive health, particularly in resource-limited settings. 

Lindi has experience leading clinical studies in resource-limited settings, developing point-of-care diagnostic tests and biotherapeutics, as well as characterising vaginal microbiome and immunological profiles using approaches such as metaproteomics, culturomics, luminex and flow cytometry. 

• 2012: Ph.D. in Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT); 2007: M.Sc. (Med) in Pharmacology, UCT;
• 2004: B.Sc. (Med)(Hons) in Pharmacology with Distinction, UCT;
• 2003: B.Sc. in Microbiology and Genetics with Distinction in Microbiology and Genetics, UCT

• 2019–present: Honorary Research Associate, University of Cape Town;
• 2019-present: Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Monash University;
• 2015-present: Honorary Scientist of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)

• 2023-2024: Burnet Institute Alastair Lucas Prize for Medical Research;
• 2017-2020: Carnegie Corporation Developing Emerging Academic Leaders Award;
• 2016: Colin Kaplan Award for the young researcher with the highest impact research in Medical Virology at UCT;
• 2016: UCT Faculty of Health Sciences Early Career Best Paper in Basic Sciences 2015;
• 2014-2019: South African National Research Foundation Research Career Advancement Award;
• 2014-2016: Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative (Wellcome Trust) Fellowship;
• 2008-2013: Poliomyelitis Research Foundation Scholarships;
• 2011: Carnegie Corporation Research Award; CROI Young Investigator Award; Second place for oral presentation given at the UCT Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences Annual Research Day;
• 2010: XVIII International AIDS Conference Travel Award; Third place for oral presentation given at The World IUSTI Conference;
• 2009: South African AIDS Vaccine Conference Travel Award;
• 2008-2009: Benfara Bursary; KW Johnston Bursary; Harry Crossley Scholarship;
• 2008: HIV Pathogenesis Keystone Symposium Travel Award; University of Columbia – South African Fogarty AIDS Short-Term Training Scholarship;
• 2006: Marion Beatrice Waddell Scholarship;
• 2005-2010: South African Medical Research Council Scholarships;
• 2004: Benfara Scholarship;
• 2003: Dean’s Merit List; Class Medal for Molecular Microbial Genetics; Class Medal for Molecular Virology and Advanced Microbial Genetics; UCT Merit Scholarship;
• 2002: Dean’s Merit List; 2001: UCT Entrance Merit Scholarship.