Director, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Director, South African Medical Research Council {SAMRC) Extramural Unit for Stem Cell Research and Therapy Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences Area of research: Translational multi-disciplinary cellular and molecular medicine Professor Michael Pepper has been doing research at UP since 2005. Hy says his research is aimed at improving the quality of life of South Africans and reducing the heavy disease burden in the country. His group’s research goal is to understand disease pathogenesis and to develop cell and gene therapies for selected diseases. His research group has identified key areas that contribute to the burden of disease in South Africa including communicable disease such as HIV and Covid-19, non-communicable diseases including obesity or cancer, and maternal and child health issues such as “birth asphyxia”. The project on “birth asphyxia” has recently received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Professor Pepper’s research group is working on the identification of biomarkers (molecular and imaging) for this condition. This is important for understanding disease pathogenesis as well as for the design of an interventional clinical trial aimed at assessing the efficacy of one or more neuroprotective agents in these patients. In the past 18 months Professor Pepper’s research group has started two new Covid-19 projects namely genetic determinants of susceptibility and severity as well as novel therapies for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Professor Pepper is working with Professor Fourie Joubert from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Professor Pieter de Villiers from the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment, and Information Technology in trenadisciplinary cross-faculty research. Professor Pepper says the work they are doing is inspired by a need to address the needs of the country, and to ensure that taxpayers’ money is being spent responsibly. Significant advances are being made, and medical research in selected fields in South Africa is being conducted at the highest level globally. Professor Pepper’s advice to prospective and undergraduate students who are interested in his field is to find their passion and not to be driven by a desire for fame or material goods. They should be prepared to work hard and be ready to adapt to the rapidly changing environment in which we live. His hobbies and interests are horse-riding and theatre. (Words 388)