Clinician Scientist Cosnet Lerato Rametse-Sangweni
Awards
About me
Dr Cosnet Lerato Rametse-Sangweni is a clinician-scientist and immunologist committed to translational research that connects laboratory science, clinical care and community health. She holds an MBChB and PhD in Immunology from the University of Cape Town and was a member of the inaugural cohort of its intercalated MD/PhD programme. Her research spans mucosal immunology, HIV susceptibility, maternal–infant immunity, vaccine immunology and precision medicine.
She is an honorary staff member in the Department of Internal Medicine and the Internal Medicine Research Translation Unit, and an honorary lecturer in Immunology at the University of the Witwatersrand. She has held scientific leadership roles across multiple research studies and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Antibody Immunity Research Unit at the NICD.
Her achievements include the L’Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talents Award, the South African Health Excellence Emerging Clinician Scientist Award, and recognition as a Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South African and Gates Foundation Rising Star Scientist. She is also the founder and Chairperson of Many Paths NPO, through which she advances STEM exposure, mentorship and educational support for learners from underserved communities.
Dr. Cosnet Lerato Rametse-Sangweni is an emerging Clinician-Scientist in immunology with a strong commitment to translational research that bridges laboratory science, clinical care, and community health.
She holds an MBChB and a PhD in Immunology from the University of Cape Town, earned through the intercalated UCT MD/PhD programme established by the late Professor Bongani Mayosi, and was a member of its inaugural cohort in 2012. Her research spans mucosal immunology, HIV susceptibility, maternal–infant immunity, and vaccine immunology across both laboratory and clinical trial settings. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented her work at both local and international conferences.
Dr. Rametse is an honorary staff member at the Department of Internal Medicine & the Internal Medicine Research Translation Unit (IMTRU) and honorary lecturer in the Immunology division at Witswatersrand University. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Antibody Research Unit (AIRU), NICD. She plays key scientific leadership roles across multiple studies, including as a science advisory board member and co-lead investigator. Current interests additionally include using immunology for precision medicine.
Her work has received international recognition, including participation in the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting and the Global Young Scientists Summit (both 2023). She is a recipient of the South African Health Excellence Awards Emerging Clinician Scientist Award (2023) and the L’Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talents Award for South Africa (2021) and was named a Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South African in Health (2020) and a Gates Foundation Rising Star Scientist (2023).
Beyond the laboratory, Dr Rametse-Sangweni is deeply committed to mentorship, science communication and developing the next generation of African scientists. She is the founder and Chairperson of Many Paths NPO, which provides STEM exposure, health education, academic support and mentorship to learners from underserved communities. She also serves as an active mentor and judge for the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, holds leadership roles in national science engagement initiatives, and has led numerous public science outreach activities through schools, community organisations, patient advocacy groups and national media Her work exemplifies a commitment to advancing both health equity and the next generation of African scientists
Degrees:
2. Farnan, S. K., Sintim-Aboagye, E., Quach, H., Punia, S., Mejia-Plazas, M., Verma, N., Littlefield, D., Johnson, E.L., Lerato Rametse, C., Gray, C., Norgan, A., Robison, J., Enninga, E., Chakraborty, R., & Schleiss, M. R. (2023).256. Characterization of the Placental Proteome during Congenital CMV Infection. Open Forum InfectiousDiseases, 10(Suppl 2), ofad500.328.
3. Cosnet L Rametse 1, Emily L Webb 2, Carolina Herrera 3, Berenice Alinde 1, Asiphe Besethi 1, BonganiMotaung 1 Neil Martinson 9, Francesca Chiodi 6, Julie Fox 10, Clive M Gray 1 4; CHAPS consortium.(2023) Arandomized clinical trial of on-demand oral pre-exposure prophylaxis does not modulate lymphoid/myeloidHIV target cell density in the foreskin.AIDS. 2023 Jun 7
4. Burman, Richard & Wet, T & Amoni, M & Düsterwald, Kira & Favara, David & Setshedi, M & Rametse, Cosnet &Katz, A. (2019). Training South African clinician-scientists: Lessons from the University of Cape Town's intercalated program. South African Medical Journal. 109. 914. 10.7196/SAMJ.2019.v109i12.1417
5. Rametse, Cosnet & Adefuye, Anthonio & Olivier, Abraham & Gamieldien, Hoyam & Katz, Arieh & Passmore,Jo-Ann. (2018). Inflammatory Cytokine Profiles of Semen Influence Cytokine Responses of CervicovaginalEpithelial Cells. Frontiers in Immunology. 9. 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02721.
6. Ngcapu, Sinaye & Rametse, Cosnet & Olivier, Abraham & Adefuye, Anthonio & Gamieldien, Hoyam & Masson,Lindi & Meiring, Tracy & Jamieson, Lise & Liebenberg, Lenine & Mlisana, Koleka & Katz, Arieh & Abdool Karim,Salim & Abdool Karim, Quarraisha & Passmore, Jo-Ann. (2016). Inflammatory Cytokine Responses in theLower Female Reproductive Tract in Response to Semen. Conference paper. AIDS Research and HumanRetroviruses Conference. (HIV R4P).Volume:32,80-80.
7. Rametse, Cosnet & Olivier, Abraham & Masson, Lindi & Barnabas, Shaun & Mckinnon, Lyle & Ngcapu, Sinaye& Liebenberg, Lenine & Jaumdally, Shameem & Gray, Clive & Jaspan, Heather & Passmore, Jo-Ann. (2014).Role of Semen in Altering the Balance Between Inflammation and Tolerance in the Female Genital Tract: Doesit Contribute to HIV Risk?. Viral immunology. 27. 10.1089/vim.2013.0136.