Centre of Excellence

Andile Khumalo

Level of Study

PHD

Site

DDMRI

Hometown

Mbabane, Eswatini

Current Research Area

My research focuses on HIV prevention, mucosal immunology, and virology, with a particular interest in understanding the biological factors that influence the effectiveness of long-acting HIV prevention strategies. As a CAPRISA PhD Fellow, I am investigating how systemic inflammation and immune activation affect the pharmacokinetics and protective efficacy of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), including CAP256V2LS and VRC07-523LS, in South African women.

Future Career Aspirations

Working at CAPRISA has made me fall in love with translational research because it bridges the gap between lab science and real-world health solutions. Hence moving forward, I see myself doing hard things. I would like to leverage on this experience and lead in the clinical trial space, and publish impactful and insightful research that will directly translate into public health policies. Most importantly, I see myself mentoring the next generation of young scientists and creating opportunities for them to grow and succeed, just as CAPRISA and my mentors have done for me.