Our Alumni

Dr Lisha Jeena (MBChB) is a medical doctor, graduate from Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine at the University of  KwaZulu Natal and completed her internship at Dora Nginza Hospital in Port Elizabeth. She holds a master’s degree in International Health and Tropical Medicine from the University of Oxford and is currently pursuing a PhD focused on Clinical Medicine. Her research interest is in HIV immunology combined with its clinical implications, particularly in adolescents and children this will form the basis of her research during the DPhil.

Lisha founded the UKZN Medecins Sans Frontier’s student organisation and pioneered health screening initiatives in underprivileged communities. Her passion for community work has continued, having been part of the founding committee and now a Deputy Director of the Africa Impact Finance Initiative. She aspires to use public health and clinical laboratory skills to pursue a career in clinical trials and program implementation in sub-Saharan Africa.
Jeena’s interest in research was nurtured by the research placement program at CAPRISA which she applied to as a first-year undergraduate student. Under the mentorship of Prof Kogie Naidoo and the larger CAPRISA family.

“I recall the CAPRISA research placement program as being a welcoming and supportive environment in which learning was made exciting. I am very grateful to my program mentor Prof Kogie Naidoo and the staff at CAPRISA for the time and effort invested into my learning experience.”