Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit

Conferences and Invited lectures

2009

• Warner, D.F., Mowa, M.B., Machowski, E.E., Kaplan, G., Kana, B.D., Mizrahi, V. Novel and vulnerable pathways in DNA metabolism. Plenary lecture, Keystone Symposium on Tuberculosis: Biology, Pathology & Therapy, Keystone, CO, 25-30 January 2009
• Kana, B.D.  Resuscitation promoting factors in M. tuberculosis. Human Genetics Seminar Series, NHLS Braamfontein, 19 February 2009
• Warner, D.F. Physiology of M. tuberculosis – Chinks in the armor. Invited lecture, SATBAT conference on the Molecular Epidemiology of TB, Sunnyside Park Hotel, Johannesburg, 26-27 March, 2009
• Mizrahi, V. Survival, subversion and stress response strategies in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Implication for Drug Discovery. Plenary lecture presented at the ESF Europe-Africa Frontier Research Conference on Infectious Diseases: From Basic to Translational Research, Cape Winelands, 4-9 April, 2009
• Mizrahi, V. Survival, subversion and stress response strategies of M. tuberculosis: Implications for TB drug discovery. Plenary lecture presented at the 109th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Philadelphia, 18-22 May, 2009
• Kana, B.D. Resuscitation promoting factors in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Lecture presented at the MRC TB Colloquium, Cape Town 3-4 June, 2009.
• Warner, D.F. Mycobacterium and mechanisms of mutagenesis. Lecture presented at the MRC TB Colloquium, Cape Town 3-4 June, 2009.
• Moosa, A., Mizrahi, V., and Warner, D.F. The metabolism of vitamin B12 in M. tuberculosis: the role of alternate B12 cofactors. Poster presented at the MRC TB Colloquium, Cape Town 3-4 June, 2009.
• Naran, K., Mizrahi, V. and Warner, D.F. Characterisation of the antimycobacterial effect of a Pseudomonas-derived activity. Poster presented at the MRC TB Colloquium, Cape Town 3-4 June, 2009.
• Ndwandwe, D.E., Warner, D.F. and Mizrahi, V. Mechanisms of mutagenesis in M. tuberculosis: Structural and functional characterization of the polymerase accessory factors encoded by Rv3394c and Rv3395c. Poster presented at the MRC TB Colloquium, Cape Town 3-4 June, 2009.\

2008

• Goosens, V.J., Mizrahi, V. and Gordhan, B.G. The construction and phenotypic characterization of mycobacterial mutants defective in DNA glycosylases. Talk presented at the Bio-08 Conference (SASM Section), Grahamstown, 21-25 January, 2008
• Gordhan. B.G., Kana, B.D, Sung, N., Downing, K.J., Young, M., Kaplan, G., and Mizrahi, V. The role of the five resuscitation-promoting factors (Rpf) in the growth and resuscitation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Poster presented at the Bio-08 Conference, Grahamstown, 21-25 January, 2008
• Kana, B.D., Gordhan, B.G. , Sung, N., Downing, K.J., Machowski, E.E., Matsoso, L.G. Tsenova, L., Vostroktunova, G, Kaprelyants, A.S., Young, M., Kaplan, G., and Mizrahi, V. The characterization of mutants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that lack four of the five resuscitation-promoting factors. Poster presented at the Bio-08 Conference (SASBMB Section), Grahamstown, 21-25 January, 2008.
• Ahmdou Ahidjo, B., Kuhnert, D., Abrahams, G.L., Machowski, E.E., Gordhan, B.G. and Mizrahi, V. Functional characterization of VapBC toxin-antitoxins in mycobacteria. Talk presented at the Bio-08 Conference (SASM Section), Grahamstown, 21-25 January, 2008. Awarded Inqaba Bitech/ CLC BIO Prize
• Warner, D.F., Abrahams, G.L., Boshoff, H.I., and Mizrahi. An operon required for DNA damage-induced mutagenesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Poster presented at the Bio-08 Conference (SASBMB Section), 21-25 January, 2008. Awarded Inqaba Biotech/ CLC BIO Prize).
• Mizrahi, V. Survival and subversion strategies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Lessons from resuscitation, stress-induced mutagenesis and propionate metabolism. Distinguished Lecture presented at the IID/ Boston TB Meeting Seminar Series, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, 20 February 2008
• Kana, B.D., Gordhan, B.G., Sung, N., Downing, K.J., Machowski, E.E., Tsenova, L., Kaplan, G., and Mizrahi, V. The role of resuscitation-promoting factors in the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Invited short talk presented at the First Advanced Summer School in Africa: Advanced Training Course on the Molecular and Cellular Basis of Infection, Hermanus, South Africa, 1-9 March, 2008
• Warner, D.F. Multi- and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis: an update. Lecture presented to the Asiphilisane Children’s HIV clinic, Coronation Hospital, Johannesburg, 26 March, 2008.
• Mizrahi, V. Opportunities and Challenges in Health Research in South Africa. Guest Lecture, Faculty of Health Sciences Prize-giving Ceremony, University of the Witwatersrand, 8 April 2008
• Mizrahi, V. TB, the scourge of Africa – where to from here? Public Lecture, SciFest Africa 2008, Grahamstown, South Africa, 21 April 2008
• Mizrahi, V. & Warren, R. Unravelling TB genomics and disease dynamics. Invited lecture presented at the Colloquium to Celebrate 10 Years of FABI and the Activities of the DST-NRF Centres of Excellence. University of Pretoria, 14 May 2008.
• Gordhan, B. G. Guaranteeing effective health and safety management for laboratories. Invited talk at presented at the 4th Laboratory Management Forum, Johannesburg, 2 June, 2008 
• Kana, B.D., Gordhan, B.G., Downing, K.J., Sung, N., Vonstroktunova, G., Machowski, E.E., Tsenova, L., Young, M., Kaprelyants, A., Kaplan, G., and Mizrahi, V. The resuscitation promoting factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are required for virulence and resuscitation from dormancy but are collectively dispensable for growth in vitro. Plenary lecture presented at the HHMI International Scholars Annual Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal, 19-23 June 2008
• Savvi, S., Warner, D.F., Kana, B.D., McKinney, J.D., Mizrahi, V., and Dawes, S.S. Functional characterization of a vitamin B12-dependent methylmalonyl pathway in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Poster presented at the 7th International Conference on the Pathogenesis of Mycobacterial Infections, Saltjobaden, Sweden, 26-29 June, 2008
• Kana, B.D., Gordhan, B.G., Downing, K.J., Sung, N., Vonstroktunova, G., Machowski, E.E., Tsenova, L., Young, M., Kaprelyants, A., Kaplan, G., and Mizrahi, V. The resuscitation promoting factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are required for virulence and resuscitation from dormancy but are collectively dispensable for growth in vitro. Invited talk presented at the SA TB Conference, Durban, 1-4 July 2008.
• Moosa, A., Mizrahi, V., and Warner, D.F. The metabolism of vitamin B12 in mycobacteria: the role of alternate cofactors. Invited talk presented at the SA TB Conference, Durban, 1-4 July 2008. (Received Whitehead Scientific Travel Award to attend this conference)
• Warner, D.F., Abrahams, G.L., Machowski, E.E., Boshoff, H.I.M. and Mizrahi, V. An operon required for DNA damage-induced mutagenesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Poster presented at the Gordon Research Conference on Mutagenesis. Magdalen College, Oxford, 20-25 July, 2008
• Kana, B.D., Gordhan, B.G., Downing, K.J., Sung, N., Vonstroktunova, G., Machowski, E.E., Tsenova, L., Young, M., Kaprelyants, A., Kaplan, G., and Mizrahi, V. The resuscitation promoting factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are required for virulence and resuscitation from dormancy but are collectively dispensable for growth in vitro. Talk presented at the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Day, University of the Witwatersrand, 20 August 2008.
• Mowa, M.B., Warner, D.F., Mizrahi, V. and Kana, B.D. Function and regulation of class Ib ribonucleotide reductase-encoding genes in mycobacteria. Talk presented at the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Day, University of the Witwatersrand, 20 August 2008.
• Goosens, V., Mizrahi, V, and Gordhan, B.G. Construction and phenotypic characterization of mycobacterial mutants defective in DNA glycosylases. Talk presented at the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Day, University of the Witwatersrand, 20 August 2008.
• Ahmadou Ahidjo, B., Kuhnert, D., Abrahams, G.L., Machowski, E.E., Gordhan, B.G. and Mizrajhi, V. Functional characterization of VapBC toxin-antitoxins in mycobacteria. Talk presented at the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Day, University of the Witwatersrand, 20 August 2008.
• Moosa, A., Mizrahi, V., and Warner, D.F. Mechanisms of vitamin B12 transport and regulation in mycobacteria. Poster presented at the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Day, University of the Witwatersrand, 20 August 2008.
• Abrahams, G.L., Savvi, S. & Mizrahi, V. Target-based whole-cell screening – an update. Talk presented at the IMTB Workshop, Nantucket, MA, 13-16 October, 2008
• Warner, D.F., Abrahams, G.L., Machowski, E.E., Boshoff, H.I.M. and Mizrahi, V. Environment-dependent mutators and their role in the evolution of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Plenary lecture presented at the Keystone Symposium on Pathogenesis and Control of Emerging Infections and Drug-Resistant Organisms, Bangkok, Thailand, 22-27 October 2008 (Co-organiser of the Symposium)
• Ndwandwe, D., Warner, D.F. & Mizrahi, V. Mechanisms of mutagenesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: structural and functional characterisation of the DNA polymerase accessory factors encoded by Rv3394c and Rv3395c. Poster presented at the University of the Witwatersrand Postgraduate Cross Faculty Symposium, 7-8 November 2008 [Winner, Best Science Faculty Poster Prize]
• Gordhan, B. Identifying Global Trends and Directions for Laboratories. Plenary lecture presented at the 1st African Laboratory Management Symposium, Emperors Palace, Benoni, 12-13 November, 2008