Durban scientist earns award

Sinaye Ngcapu, abstract won the Aids 2016 Women, Girls and HIV Investigator’s prize at the International Aids Conference this week. Pictreu: RAJESH JANTILAL 210716

Sinaye Ngcapu, abstract won the Aids 2016 Women, Girls and HIV Investigator’s prize at the International Aids Conference this week. Pictreu: RAJESH JANTILAL 210716

Published Jul 22, 2016

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Durban - A scientist and research fellow at a Durban-based leading HIV and Aids research institution has scooped up a coveted award at the International Aids Conference.

Dr Sinaye Ngcapu of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa) was awarded the Aids 2016 Women, Girls and HIV Investigator’s prize for his winning abstract, titled “Effect of injectable hormonal contraceptives on vaginal epithelium thickness and genital HIV target cell density in women recently infected with HIV”.

Ngcapu’s abstract was chosen by a committee of representatives from UNAids, the International Community of Women Living with HIV, the International Research Centre for Women and the International Aids Society from among more than 6 700 abstracts submitted to the conference. 

“As the first author of this abstract and a joint winner, Dr Ngcapu received the full $2 000 (R28 500) prize,” said the centre in a statement.

Ngcapu, 30, said he was honoured, humbled and grateful for the recognition.

Ngcapu, who was born in the rural village of Mdolomba, near King William's Town in the Eastern Cape, attributed his success to personal sacrifice.

His study, which was completed in three years, focused on the influence of injectable hormone contraceptive use on risk for HIV infection in the context of a heterosexual epidemic.

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