Dr June Fabian

B.Pharm, MBBCh, MMed (Nephr), M.Pharm, PhD

I trained as a specialist physician and nephrologist at Wits and I head up the Clinical research Division at WDGMC. I obtained my PhD in 2021 in the School of Public Health (Wits) and my research focus is the epidemiology of kidney disease in Africa – where I am part of a multicentre collaboration known as the African research on Kidney Disease (ARK) Consortium with colleagues from Malawi, South Africa, and Uganda.

Prof Jerome Loveland

MBBCh, FCS(SA), Cert. Paed Surg

Jerome Loveland is Academic Head of Paediatric Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, and the incumbent Academic Head of Transplant Surgery at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. Jerome is Personal Professor, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand and his specific clinical interests in paediatric surgery include hepatobiliary, oncological and neonatal surgery, as well as all aspects of transplantation. In addition to his clinical work, he has a keen interest in clinical research, and has demonstrated a commitment to developing this field in his department at Wits University. Outside of his career, Jerome is a committed family man, supported by his wife Adele, and children Laura and Alec, with whom he spends as much quality time as possible. His mental battles are fought whilst running, paddling and surfing……

Dr Tinus du Toit

MBBCh, FCS(SA), MMed (Surg)

Dr. van der Schyff

MBChB, FCS(SA), MMed(Surg), FEBS(Transplant).

Dr. van der Schyff obtained her specialist qualification as a general surgeon in 2016, at the University of Pretoria, cum laude. She underwent additional training in Paediatric surgery for 2 years before accepting a training post in abdominal transplant surgery at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Center.

She has since qualified as an abdominal transplant surgeon is currently on the permanent staff complement at the Transplant Unit in Johannesburg and has taken a leading role in the renal transplant unit. Dr. van der Schyff has previously published on biliary atresia and necrotizing enterocolitis in children and her current field of research include graft tolerance in children post liver transplant. She is currently serving as an examiner and preparatory course organiser for the ESOT Transplant Surgery examination board and is a member of the Vanguard committee. She is this year’s SATS Biennial Congress organising chair.

Dr Marisa Beretta

MBBCh, FCP(SA), MMed (Paed), Cert. Paed Gastro

Dr Marisa Beretta is a paediatric gastroenterologist who specialises in hepatology and pediatric liver transplantation.

Her current research involves exploring and optimising immunosuppression post-liver transplant, acute liver failure and publishing the South African transplant experience.

Dr Beretta completed her undergraduate studies at Wits University. During her community service assignment to paediatric surgery, she discovered her passion of working with children. She conducted her specialty and completed her MMED through Wits University and was then presented with the opportunity of sub-specialising through Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. She completed her training in 2018 and has been occupying the position of primary paediatric hepatology consultant at the Liver Transplant Unit at Wits Donald Gordon, the largest paediatric liver transplant unit in South Africa, since.

Her aspirations are to improve awareness and access to liver transplantation in South Africa, raise awareness of cholestatic liver disease and acute liver failure and act as an ambassador for South Africa in the global paediatric liver transplant community.

Dr Lliam Brannigan

MBBCh, DA(SA), FCA(SA), MMed (Anaest), Cert.Crit Care

Dr Brannigan is an anaesthetic intensivist who has worked in transplantation since 2007. He has a keen interest in liver transplantation particularly and has been involved in numerous unit endeavours such as development of the Abo-I protocol and others. Dr Brannigan also has expertise in high risk surgical patient management and speaks on numerous platforms on this topic. He is a council member of SASA, a CMSA examiner and HOD of critical care at the WDGMC in Johannesburg.

Dr. Nina Diana

MBBCh, FCP (SA), Cert Neph (Phys), MMed Int Med

Dr. Diana completed her postgraduate training at the University of Witwatersrand. She was awarded the Asher Dubb Medal for the FCP (SA) Part 2 clinical exam, a distinction and Internal Medicine prize for her MMed research report. She concluded her nephrology training in 2013.

Dr. Diana is a full time consultant nephrologist at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. She heads a general medicine teaching unit and is involved in undergraduate curriculum development. She serves on the Internal Medicine undergraduate, MMed protocol review, antimicrobial stewardship and Human Research Ethics (medical) committees. She is an examiner for the College of Medicine FCP (SA) and Fellowship in Nephrology exams. Dr. Diana has been a member for the SA Nephrology Society executive committee since 2016.

Her latest two publications both in PLOS One are entitled ‘Clinicopathological correlation of kidney disease in HIV infection pre- and post-ART rollout’ and ‘Living kidney donation in a developing country’.