Biosketch

Prof Resia Pretorius

Resia Pretorius is the Head of Department and a Distinguished Research Professor in the Physiological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University; Director: Applied Morphology Research Centre, Dept of Physiology, Stellenbosch University.

Director: BioCODE Technologies https://www.biocode.co.za/

A professor of physiology at Stellenbosch University, her work has not only garnered her international recognition and scientific fame, but it also has the potential to change lives and outcomes for patients vulnerable to type 2 diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Pretorius has developed rapid diagnostic methods for these purposes, with innovative high impact journals, including papers in The Lancet, Blood Reviews, and several Nature publications like Nature Scientific Reports. She has authored 8 book chapters and numerous peer-reviewed conference papers.

Pretorius sits on the editorial boards of seven journals, is currently the associate editor of the Journal of Alzheimer Disease; and has been a regular reviewer of over 80 ISI journals. She also won the prestigious African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award in 2011; Women Scientist: Basic Science and Technology Award (2011). Pretorius is a full Professor of Physiology and the Head of the Department of Physiological Sciences, at Stellenbosch University. She holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Pretoria.

Research Theme

My overarching research theme is: Blood coagulation, circulating inflammatory markers ​and how these play a role in inflammatory conditions like Type 2 diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriases and neuro-inflammatory conditions like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Follow the links on the images below to download my papers.

Her overarching contribution is to add novel knowledge regarding the origin and pathophysiology of inflammation and abnormal clotting. This includes the conclusion that all non-communicable diseases have a possible bacterial origin

There is a term that best defines the work done by someone who changes the way in which human beings interact with the world around them, or fundamentally shifts the way in which they approach diseases. That term is ‘groundbreaking’, and it can very easily be applied to the discoveries made by Professor Resia Pretorius.

Professor Etheresia Pretorius’ war against inflammatory diseases has saved many lives and charted new ways of treating them. Pretorius has been honoured for her sterling work in her research which is primarily aimed at reducing the global burden of morbidity and mortality due to various inflammatory hematological as well as pathological clotting complications. Through her research work, she has created a vital mind-shift in the understanding of inflammation by developing new approaches to study the role of coagulation parameters in inflammatory diseases.