Maryanne is a doctoral candidate at the Division of Human Genetics at UCT, investigating the genetic architecture of amygdala nuclei volumes and the genetic overlap with anxiety and related disorders. This involves analyses, such as Genome-Wide Association Studies and cross-trait Linkage Disequilibrium Score Regression, using large-scale data sources, such as the UK Biobank. Maryanne completed […]

Anita is a psychiatrist from Kampala, Uganda. She received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and her Masters of Medicine in Psychiatry at Makerere University, College of Health Sciences. Anita has a great passion for child and adolescent mental health research in low resource settings. Her area of research interest is in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly […]

Raymonds is a Ugandan psychiatrist, a lecturer at Makerere University, a public speaker and an author. He hails from the Northern Uganda district of Gulu. A multi-skilled person, Raymond serves as a mental health advocate; a regular writer for Uganda’s leading newspapers; a storyteller; a sportsman; and a Master of Ceremonies. He’s currently a Ph.D. […]

Patricia is a developmental psychologist from Kilifi, Kenya. Her research interests are in the development and use of appropriate diagnostic assessments and interventions for children with neurodevelopmental conditions in Africa. She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the United States International University – Africa in Nairobi, and her MSc degree in Clinical Developmental Sciences […]

Nathaniel is a Lecturer and principal investigator for the Human and Systems Genetics Working Group in the Department of Genetics at Stellenbosch University (SU) in Cape Town. He’s a firm advocate for transparency in research between academia and the general public with the intention of reducing the stigmatism associated with scientific research, especially within his […]

Symon is a scientist at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya, where he co-directs Neurosciences Research. He serves as Chairman for the Kenyan National Epilepsy Coordination Committee, and as a member of advisory committees and task forces for various epilepsy and health-related organizations. Symon initially qualified from University of Nairobi, and subsequently from Kings […]

Abigiya was born and raised in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. She received her BSc degree in public health from Mada Walabu University and completed her masters of public health in epidemiology from Addis Ababa University. She’s a lecturer at Addis Ababa University, School of Public Health and currently working on her Ph.D. at Martin Luther University […]

Celia van der Merwe currently works as the Research Director for the NeuroDev study, taking an active leadership role in study coordination, team management, collaboration, and operational oversight. She obtained her PhD in Human Genetics at the University of Stellenbosch in Cape Town, South Africa in 2015, where she studied the molecular effects of mitochondrial […]

Linnet is a clinical research scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Clinical Research located in Nairobi, where she heads the mental health division. She is a psychiatrist by training. Linnet’s interest is in implementation research that strives to design effective culturally and regionally appropriate models of integrating mental health in primary […]

Michelle is the lead data scientist at Hydrostasis Inc, a wearables startup using machine learning to predict hydration states for everyday health and performance. Her research interests include the intersection between physical states and emotional and cognitive performance, as well as developmental disorders and empathy. Michelle also loves teaching and instructional design: she’s taught data […]