Team
Prof Andreas Diacon
Andreas Diacon is the managing director of Task Applied Science. He is also a consultant for Internal Medicine, Pulmonology and
Intensive Care at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, and Professor at the University of Stellenbosch, where he is the Principal
Investigator for Clinical Trials at the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research. His main research interests are
laboratory techniques and clinical methods for the evaluation of novel antituberculosis agents and regimens.
prof.diacon@task.org.za
Norma Groenewald
Norma Groenewald is Task's clinical project manager. She comes from a laboratory background and counts on many years of experience
with clinical trials in various fields.
norma@task.org.za
Amour Venter
Amour Venter is a Chief Research Technologist at the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research at the University of Stellenbosch. She is Task's laboratory project manager within the clinical trials branch of this laboratory (Centre for Clinical Tuberculosis Research, CCTR).
She has many years of experience with microbiological techniques in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and database management.
amour@task.org.za
Mr Cedric Festus
Mr Festus is Task's logistics coordinator. He keeps everything going.
cedric@task.org.za
Dr Sven O Friedrich
Sven Friedrich is a senior researcher at the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research. His scientific background lies in cellular biology, immunology and microbiology. The focus of his recent investigations is novel methodologies of TB diagnostics.
dr.sven@task.org.za
Dr Madeleine Hanekom
Dr Hanekom is a physician with a keen interest in molecular
biology of TB.
dr.madeleine@task.org.za
Dr Zoja Novelijc
Dr Novelijc is a trained physician and virologist with extensive experience in HIV medicine and clinical trials. She is responsible for Task's out patient trials.
dr.zoja@task.org.za
Dr Ramonde Patientia
Dr Patientia is a physician with a practice. She has been with Task from the outset and has participated in all TB trials Task has performed.
dr.ramonde@task.org.za
Dr Jeannine Du Bois
Dr Du Bois is an experienced clinical trials physician. She is responsible for Task's in patient studies.
dr.jeannine@task.org.za
Dr Sweetness Siwendu
Dr Siwendu has a long history of treating people suffering from drug-resistant TB. She is supporting TB research in drug-resistant patients.
dr.sweetness@task.org.za
Dr Florian von Groote-Bidlingmaier
Dr von Groote-Bidlingmaier is a lung specialist from Germany interested in all aspects of TB and research.
dr.florian@task.org.za
Jaco Swart
Mr Swart is a numbers person. He is looking after Task's data management and finances.
jaco@task.org.za
Karen Cloete
Mrs Cloete was a former Senior Clinical Research Associate of an International CRO company and has experience in various studies in clinical trials. She has joint TASK to be responsible for internal quality assurance.
karen@task.org.za
Taharqa Elnour
Mr Elnour is Task's Community Engagement Officer. He is ensuring that a bridge is built between academic research and basic community needs.
taharqa@task.org.za
Christina Ranft
Miss Christina is an MBA student with Stellenbosch University. Her Masters project is raising funds for Task's new clinic trial centre.
christina.ranft@gmail.com
