Virology PhD for HIV Scientific Innovation

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‘It is important to understand the pathways leading to drug resistance and ultimately therapy failure in African patients, especially in people living with HIV - the prevalence of which is still at its most rife in South Africa and in KwaZulu-Natal where we live.’

This cautionary advice was from Dr Ntombikhona Maphumulo, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences postdoctoral researcher, who graduated with a PhD for her study: Coevolution of Mutations in HIV-1 Env and Gag-PR genes: Implications for the Development of Protease Inhibitor Resistance, supervised by Professor Michelle Gordon.

A UKZN first, Maphumulo’s study investigated whether a coevolution of Envelope and Gag-Protease amino acid changes (mutations) were associated with drug resistance of Protease Inhibitor, a drug that helps slow the progression of HIV by blocking the enzyme “protease” needed by the virus to develop and mature.

The study found that Env mutations were not directly associated with PI drug resistance alone but in combination with Gag mutations that are known to compensate for the loss of viral fitness during the development of drug resistance. ‘These findings suggest that PI resistance can be conferred by amino acid changes outsize the protease region,’ Maphumulo said.

‘Growing up in the province with the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world pushed me to join the best researchers to help identify which HIV drugs patients are resistant to and how we can overcome that scientifically,’ said Maphumulo.

‘I give all thanks to God who strengthened me. I am proud of myself and mostly, confident in my ability. I wish to continue with research that will have a positive impact in our community.

Maphumulo said what made her particularly proud of her doctoral research was having to clone two fragments in one plasmid - ‘a real challenge but with more reading and resilience, I managed to pull it through. Further to that, lockdown became a huge challenge as I was unable to go to the lab for a long time, but I persevered.’

‘My family was my greatest support system, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. My sisters were my pillar of strength. I feel like I wouldn’t have seen this through if it wasn’t for them pushing and routing for me. My mom and kids were my motivation, even in my toughest times, I used to tell myself that you are tired but do this for them.’

Maphumulo grew up in eBhamshela, upper Tongaat. ‘Growing up, my passion was to do radiography or anything related to the Medical field. Little did I know that I would end up as a full-time research scientist.’

Maphumulo said she loves adventure and being in nature.

Words: Lunga Memela

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini