Melinda Suchard

BSc, MB BCh, DTM&H, MMed, FCPath (SA) Clin

Melinda Suchard obtained her MBBCh degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2000 after which she obtained her MMED and FCPath qualifications in clinical pathology. Since 2013 she heads the Centre for Vaccines and Immunology at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. The Centre is the national and regional reference laboratory for polio, measles and rubella amongst other vaccine preventable diseases. The centre conducts viral isolation and molecular characterization of polio viruses from acute flaccid paralysis cases and environmental samples from surrounding countries. Dr Suchard’s research interests include investigation of immunoregulation in vaccinology and improvement of laboratory methods for monitoring T cell immunity. Dr Suchard is a member of the National Polio Expert Committee and the President of the South African Immunology Society.