Background

Lindi has been involved in HIV and genital microbiome and immunology research for over 10 years. She completed her Ph.D. in Medical Virology at UCT in South Africa in 2012, followed by a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, also at UCT.

Since then, she has received multiple research grants from local and international funding agencies, including two National Institutes of Health RO1 awards and a Carnegie Emerging Academic Leaders award.

Lindi’s key collaborators include researchers at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), FHI 360 (US), Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (South Africa), Seattle Children’s Hospital (US), Virginia Commonwealth University (US), University of Manitoba (Canada) and the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa.

She is currently leading or co-leading two clinical cohort studies and a translational research study in South Africa. The primary focus of this research is to understand the socio-behavioural and biological factors associated with HIV acquisition risk in South African women and to develop tools to reduce this risk.

Appointments

• 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)

Positions

• 2020-present: Senior Research Fellow, Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute
• 2019: Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator, Division of Medical Virology, UCT
• 2014-2018: Lecturer and Principal Investigator, Division of Medical Virology, UCT
• 2012-2014: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Division of Medical Virology, UCT
• 2012: Scientific Consultant, FHI 360 (USA) and Institute for Tropical Medicine (Belgium)
• 2007: Scientific Officer, Division of Medical Virology, UCT
• 2005: Microbiology tutor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UCT

Qualifications

• 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

Awards

• 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
• 1999: Merit award for academic achievement with distinctions in Art and Biology; Academic Colours (Diocesan School for Girls)

Projects (4)

Current (4)

• A GIFT (Genital Inflammation Test) for HIV Prevention
  Developing a biomarkers point-of-care test to identify women with genital inflammation who are at high risk of HIV acquisition
• Depo Provera and Beyond
  Understanding the Impact of Lower Dose Medroxyprogesterone Acetate and Long-Acting Contraceptives on Female Genital Tract Microbiome and Immunology
• Mucosal injury from sexual contact (MISC)
  Understanding the biological and socio-behavioural risk factors for HIV acquisition in South African adolescents.
• The role of female genital tract microbial function in inflammation and HIV infection risk.
  Using metaproteomics and in vitro models to evaluate the influence of microbial function on inflammation and HIV risk.