Prof Vernon Louw is Chair and Head of the Division of Clinical Haematology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town since April 2018. He held previous roles as Professor and Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein since 2013 and Head of Division of Clinical Haematology from 2004 to 2013. After completing his MBChB and MMed in Internal Medicine at the University of Stellenbosch (both summa cum laude), he spent three years at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven training in Clinical Haematology. In 2011, he obtained his PhD in Health Professions Education at the University of the Free State, on the development of a postgraduate training programme in transfusion medicine. In 2015 he received the National South African Registrar Association Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research Supervision. His research focuses on iron-related disorders (both iron deficiency and transfusional iron overload), patient blood management, transfusion medicine education, haematological malignancies and HIV-related haematological disease. Professor Louw has authored or co-authored more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed medical journals, with more than 300 poster and oral presentations at local, national and international meetings. Professor Louw is a member of several professional societies, including the American Society of Hematology, the Hematology Association, American Association for Blood Banking and the International Society for Blood Transfusion, and is a founding member of the South African Clinical Haematology Society. He also serves on the World Health Organisation Strategic Committee for Patient Blood Management, the Global Transfusion Forum Steering Committee and Education Subcommittee, the Global Standards Committee for Transfusion Medicine and the International Collaborative for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines Committee. 

Prof Nqoba Tsabedze is the Academic Head of the Division of Cardiology of the University of the Witwatersrand. He is also the Clinical Head of the Division of Cardiology at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa. He is passionate about teaching and training both undergraduate and postgraduate students. He is an executive member of the Heart Failure Society of South Africa, and a founding and executive member of the South African Clinician Scientists Society. His research interests include acute and chronic heart failure epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and hypertensive heart disease. 

Lead Consultant Patient Blood Management at South African National Blood Service South African National Blood Service - 10 years 5 months Medical Officer Free State / Northern Cape April 2011 - Present (10 years 5 months) Free State Northern Cape Provinces 

Drafting business plans and monitoring budget for Free State Northern Cape Medical division. Support to Technical division (Processing, blood banks, inventory) and Collections division (whole blood and apheresis donors) on all matters requiring medical input or advice within SANBS. Participation in SANBS research projects. Monitoring risk factors influencing a safe blood supply (medial, legal and ethical) and developing and implementation of risk containing interventions. Support to external medical practitioners concerning transfusion needs or challenges with patients. Developing and facilitating educational programmes to Nurses and Medical Practitioners on all transfusion related topics in the Public and Private sector. Establishing, supporting and advising Hospital transfusion committees in FSNC hospitals. Liaising with the public (media and donors) on all matters requiring medical input related to transfusion. All HR and IR related matters. 

Professor, qualified from Cambridge University (distinction) and St Thomas Hospital, London. 

37 years in nephrology, 27 years as a consultant Nephrologist. Lead of the Renal Research Team in Salford (greater Manchester): 320 peer reviewed publications; 19 of his previous PhD students have become consultant Nephrologists. Director of research, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust since October 2020. Major research interests are in Renovascular disease (Nephrology Lead of ASTRAL trial) CKD epidemiology/progression, iron management in CKD, RCTs in nephrology (IRONMAN, PIVOTAL), chairman of the NIHR CRN Renal Disorders Trials initiative (2010-2018) Academic vice President of the UK Renal Association (2016-2019) Chair of UK Kidney Research consortium (2016-2018), 'Editor of Essential Revision Notes for the MRCP' (1st published 1999, now in 4th edition; used by many doctors preparing for the MRCP in the UK, South East Asia and Middle East