Prof. Catherine Orrell appointed new Director for HIV Research Unit at South African MRC

EDCTP congratulates Professor Catherine Orrell on her appointment as the new Unit Director of the HIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit (HIDRU) at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).

Professor Orrell is an EDCTP Fellow and a distinguished HIV Clinician and Clinical Pharmacologist. Since 2002, she has been conducting innovative HIV research at the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre and the University of Cape Town, serving as the Lead and Principal Investigator on various studies focusing on efficacy, toxicity, interactions, and dosing.

As a Career Development Fellow under EDCTP1, she led a randomised controlled trial of real-time electronic adherence monitoring with text message reminders for people starting first-line antiretroviral therapy.

In 2021, Prof. Orrell received an EDCTP Senior Fellowship Plus. The RETAIn study seeks to further research into retention, building upon an NIH-funded study that explores methods to more rapidly identify patients displaying signs of lack of adherence to antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited communities in South Africa. This study will incorporate an intensive therapeutic monitoring component for those identified as being at risk of dropout. The studies will assess impacts on adherence and long-term viral suppression.

The fellowship has also enabled Prof. Orrell to mentor and facilitate the research of an upcoming researcher, Dr Olaposi Olatoregun. She is conducting a pilot study to explore whether a medication adherence app can improve adherence and retention in antiretroviral treatment programmes in newly diagnosed adolescents living with HIV in Benue state, Nigeria. She will also oversee a master’s and PhD student, further helping to build research capacity.