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Membership type: full

Melissa Blumenthal

Country of origin: South Africa Currently in: South Africa, Cape Town General field of specialization: Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences
Academic Background

Degrees

2013 Undergraduate Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences
2014 Undergraduate Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences
2016 Master Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences
Research and Profession

Current Research Activities

Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences

I am currently pursuing my PhD degree in the Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. My research focus in on the Kaposi Sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) which is the aetiological agent of Kaposi Sarcoma and potential host genetic factors which may affect susceptibility in South African HIV positive patients. Further research interests include epidemiological studies of KSHV and related syndromes in South Africa and

Research Keywords: 
KSHV
Kaposi sarcoma
HIV
EPHA2
South Africa

Publications resulting from Research: 


Schäfer G, Blumenthal MJ and Katz AA (2015). Interaction of human tumor viruses with host cell surface receptors and cell entry. Viruses 7(5): 2592-2617.

Schäfer G, Graham LM, Lang D, Blumenthal MJ, Bergant Marušič M and Katz AA (2017). Vimentin modulates infectious internalisation of HPV16 pseudovirions. J Virol 91(16): e00307-17

Blumenthal MJ, Ujma S, Katz AA and Schäfer G. (2017) The role of diabetes type II for the development of pathogen-associated cancers in the face of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Front Microbiol 8:2368



Current profession

Current professional activities type: 
Research
Teaching
While I am pursuing my PhD research, I am also involved in support of teaching in the Medical undergraduate degree at the University of Cape Town through tutoring, facilitating Problem Based Learning sessions and demonstrating for practical sessions for year 1 and year 2 students.

Workshop and Conference Attended

2015 Cape Town, South Africa Virology Africa
2016 San Pietro in Bevagna, Italy 4th workshop on “Emerging Issues in Oncogenic Virus Research”
2017 Cape Town, South Africa HPV
2017 Leiden, Netherlands International Biomedical Student Conference
2017 Berlin, Germany 20th International Workshop on KSHV and Related Agents
2018 San Pietro in Bevagna, Italy 5th workshop on “Emerging Issues in Oncogenic Virus Research”
2018 Pretoria, South Africa CANSA Research in Action
2018 Potchefstroom, South Africa SASBMB - FASBMB

Presentation given

2016
The impact of EPHA2 polymorphisms on KSHV infectivity and/or KS prevalence among HIV/AIDS patients in South Africa.
San Pietro in Bevagna, Italy
Event: 4th workshop on “Emerging Issues in Oncogenic Virus Research”
2017
The impact of EphA2 polymorphism on KSHV infectivity and/or KS prevalence among HIV/AIDS patients in South Africa
Leiden, Netherlands
Event: International Biomedical Student Conference
2018
EPHA2 sequence variants impact susceptibility to Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection and Kaposi's sarcoma prevalence in HIV-infected patients.
Pretoria, South Africa
Event: CANSA Research in Action
Prizes, Grants and Awards

Other Awards

Jul 2016
SASBMB Best Honours student award
The South African society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology council awarded me this for the year 2014 in which I completed my Honours degree at the University of Cape Town based on nomination from the principle investigator in my laboratory.

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