Prof. Dr. Thajasvarie Naicker received her Master’s in Medical Science and obtained her doctorate in obstetrics and gynaecology from the University of Natal under the supervision of Professors J Moodley (UN) and R Pijnenborg (Belgium). In addition, she is a proficient qualified microscopist (UK) and is also registered with the HPCSA as a medical scientist. Prof. Naicker is the head of the Optics & Imaging Centre at Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, UKZN. Maternal mortality and morbidity in South Africa (SA) is unacceptably high emanating from both HIV infection (40% antenatal prevalence) and the main direct cause which is hypertensive diseases of pregnancy (14.8%). The complication of preeclampsia represents 83% of hypertensive maternal deaths. Prof Naicker chairs the Placental Research Group in SA, which is the largest group on the African continent that is striving to
provide research evidence to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, a serious health challenge. A recent bibliometric analysis of the research on preeclampsia in the first two decades of the twenty-first century cites Prof Naicker and UKZN, SA, as one of the top 20 researchers in this field. Prof Naicker has also supervised numerous foreign doctoral and post-doctoral candidates which afforded them research opportunities in advanced laboratory techniques to develop skills that have contributed to the advancement of scientific development and increased the critical mass of scientists in Africa.
