Member Profile
Membership type: full
Samantha Nicholson
Country of origin: South Africa Currently in: South Africa, Pretoria General field of specialization: Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology-
Degrees
Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology -
Current Research Activities
Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences
Working for the Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, focusing on research projects using CRISPR/Cas9 technologies and human stem cells
Publications resulting from Research:
“Bacteroides fragilis RecA protein over-expression causes resistance to metronidazole “. Laura S. Steffens, Samantha Nicholson, Lynthia V. Paula, Carl Erik Nord, Sheila Patrick , Valerie R. Abratt. 2010. Research in Microbiology
“The recA operon: A novel stress response gene cluster in Bacteroides fragilis”. S. Nicholson, D. Smalley, C. Smith, V. Abratt. 2014. Research in Microbiology.
“Progress and prospects of engineered sequence specific DNA modulating technologies for the management of liver disease. S. Nicholson, B. Moyo, P. Arbuthnot. 2015. World Journal of Hepatology
The roles of lncRNAs in the development of Hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic HBV. B. Moyo, S. Nicholson and P. Arbuthnot. 2016. Journal of Virology.
Current profession
Current professional activities type:ResearchDesign and optimization of the CRISPR/Cas9 platform for applications around the regulation of cell fate, and identification of new targets for interventional therapy Optimization of protocols for precise, targeted chromosomal integration events in multi- and pluri- potent stem cells.
Workshop and Conference Attended
2015 Bad Nauheim, Germany International meeting on the molecular biology of hepatitis B virus2012 San Francisco, California, USA Biennial Congress of the Anaerobic Society of the Americas2011; 2013 Cape Town, South Africa; Bela-Bela South Africa Meeting for the South African Society of Microbiology2014 Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa Meeting for the South African Society for biochemistry and molecular biology2015 Vienna, Austria International Academy of Law and Mental Health Symposium2015 New Orleans, Lousianna Annual Meeting for the American Society of Gene and Cell TherapyAffiliations
ASGCTPresentation given
2012“The recA operon: a novel stress response gene cluster in Bacteroides fragilis”San Francisco, USAEvent: 12thBiennial Anaerobe Congress Anaerobe Society of the Americas.2013“Design and Delivery of TALE-Nucleases in the treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B”Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South AfricaEvent: 18th Biennial Conference of the South African Society of Microbiology.2014Comparison of liver specific TALEN expression and efficacy when using the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter or the mouse Transthyretin promoter (mTTR) against Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in vitroPaarl, Western Cape, South AfricaEvent: Meeting for the South African Society for biochemistry and molecular biology2015I used to have two parents and now I have three? When science (fiction) and law meet: Unexpected complicationsVienna, AustriaEvent: International Academy of Law and Mental Health Symposium2015Inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication in vivo following delivery of antiviral TALENs with recombinant adeno -associatedviral vectorsNew Orleans, Louisiana, USAEvent: Annual Congress for the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy2015Inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication in vivo following delivery of antiviral TALENs with recombinant adeno -associatedviral vectorsEvent: International meeting on the molecular biology of hepatitis B virus -
Other Awards
Jan 2011Carnegie Foundation PhD Fellowship for the development of the next generation of academicsThe Carnegie Corporation of New York has awarded grants worth nearly US$10 million to strengthen postgraduate research and training in four universities in Ghana, South Africa and Uganda. The funding will support training for some 120 postgraduates and fellowships for a further 80 scholars. The award is part of Carnegie's efforts "to accelerate the development and retention of the next generation of academics".Nov 2013Claude Leon Foundation Post-Doctoral Research FellowshipThe flagship educational initiative of the Claude Leon Foundation is the Postdoctoral Fellowship programme in the sciences, now in its nineteenth year. The main goal of the programme is to help build research capacity in South African universities and research institutions. The Foundation funds both South African and foreign postdoctoral scientists in Science, Engineering and Medical Sciences to increase the volume and quality of research output, develop and transfer technical skills, and generally enhance the research culture in South Africa.