Member Profile
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Membership type: full
Rubina Bunjun
Country of origin: Mauritius Currently in: South Africa, Cape Town General field of specialization: Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences-
Degrees
2008 Undergraduate Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology2016 Doctorate Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences -
Current Research Activities
Medical and Health Sciences incl Neurosciences
My research examines some of the risk factors for HIV in South African Women. I am part of the clinical study team for a multi-site, international clinical study (ECHO) investigating the effect of hormonal contraception on HIV risk in young women. Additionally, my other research project examines the associations between chlamydia infection and inflammation in the female genital tract. We aim to determine the impact of repeated Chlamydia trachomatis infections on the development of acquired host immune responses. These studies are vital to understand and prevent HIV acquisition in young women.
Publications resulting from Research:
Bunjun, R., Riou, C., Soares, A.P., Thawer, N., Müller, T.L., Kiravu, A., Ginbot, Z., Oni, T., Goliath, R., Kalsdorf, B., von Groote-Bidlingmaier, F., Hanekom, W., Walzl, G., Wilkinson, R.J., Burgers, W.A. Effect of HIV on the frequency and number of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific CD4+ T cells in blood and the airways in latent tuberculosis infection. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 216 (2017): 1550-1560.
Bunjun, R., Riou, C., Müller, T.L., Kiravu, A., Ginbot, Z., Oni, T., Goliath, R., Wilkinson, R.J. and Burgers, W.A. Selective reduction of IFN-γ single positive mycobacteria-specific CD4+ T cells in HIV-1 infected individuals with latent tuberculosis infection. Tuberculosis 101 (2016): 25-30.
Burgers, W.A., Ginbot, Z., Shen, Y.J., Chege, G.K., Soares, A.P., Müller, T.L., Bunjun, R., Kiravu, A., Munyanduki, H., Douglass, N. and Williamson, A.L. The novel capripoxvirus vector lumpy skin disease virus efficiently boosts modified vaccinia Ankara human immunodeficiency virus responses in rhesus macaques. Journal of General Virology 95 (2014): 2267-2272.
Chege, G.K., Burgers, W.A., Stutz, H., Meyers, A.E., Chapman, R., Kiravu, A., Bunjun, R., Shephard, E.G., Jacobs, W.R., Rybicki, E.P. and Williamson, A.L. Robust immunity to an auxotrophic Mycobacterium bovis BCG-VLP prime-boost HIV vaccine candidate in a nonhuman primate model. Journal of Virology 87 (2013): 5151-5160.
Current profession
Current professional activities type:Research