Sharana Mahomed

Dr Sharana Mahomed is a clinician-scientist and specialist clinical microbiologist whose work focuses on the pathogenesis, prevention, treatment and potential cure of HIV infection. She integrates clinical medicine, laboratory science and translational research to develop innovative strategies to address major infectious diseases affecting populations in high-burden, resource-limited settings.

Dr Mahomed’s research programme spans HIV virology, host biology and mucosal immunology, with a particular focus on the development and evaluation of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bNAbs) and other immunotherapeutic approaches for HIV prevention and cure. Her work investigates how viral and host factors influence HIV transmission, immune responses, viral persistence and reservoir dynamics. A key component of her research includes the study of mucosal immunity and host–virus interactions at the female genital tract, with the aim of improving prevention strategies for women in sub-Saharan Africa. She plays a leading role in clinical trials evaluating next-generation HIV prevention and immunotherapy strategies, including long-acting antibody-based interventions. Dr Mahomed is the Co-Principal Investigator of the CAPRISA 012 programme, which evaluates broadly neutralizing antibodies for HIV prevention, and the International co-Chair on HVTN network studies, HVTN 140 and HVTN 141, clinical trials investigating novel antibody-based HIV prevention strategies. In addition, Dr Mahomed’s research examines HIV pathogenesis and viral evolution, integrating clinical cohort studies with laboratory-based investigations to better understand early infection, immune responses, and determinants of disease progression. Her work also focuses on translational microbiology and diagnostics, including the validation and implementation of point-of-care and near-patient diagnostic technologies to improve access to testing and treatment in low-resource settings.

Beyond HIV, Dr Mahomed has expertise in clinical microbiology, infectious disease diagnostics, and antimicrobial resistance, with research interests that include emerging infectious diseases. Her broader vision is to advance precision medicine and precision public health approaches for infectious diseases by integrating clinical, laboratory and population-level data to inform more targeted and effective interventions. Dr Mahomed is committed to building multidisciplinary research programmes that bridge basic science, clinical trials and public health implementation, while also contributing to the training and mentorship of the next generation of African scientists and clinician-researchers.