Working at the Cutting Edge of TB and HIV Clinical Research – Vinodh Edward

Working at the cutting edge of tb and HIV clinical research

Professor Vinodh Aroon Edward (44) has certainly travelled far from being a petrol attendant at his father’s Newlands West garage as a teenager to becoming an internationally-respected tuberculosis (TB) and HIV clinical researcher.

As the Regional Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Research at The Aurum Institute NPC, Edward is responsible for the Clinical and Implementation Research divisions, which have more than 300 permanent staff, over 50 active research grants and an annual operating budget exceeding $30 million. He facilitates the collaboration of a cross-disciplinary group of TB and HIV experts with complementary interests and skills to conduct transformative and translational TB and HIV research.

He is also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Health Innovations (GHI), which is part of the Aurum group of companies. The Aurum Institute NPC is one of Africa’s largest public benefit organisations working in TB and HIV with a presence in more than 10 countries.

Edward is currently the Aurum Site Principal Investigator for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) ADVANCE grant and the sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE) grant. He is also a co-investigator on a number of clinical trials.

Edward’s typical day involves multiple meetings to discuss study progress, finance updates, and operational and human resource matters. “We have partners all over the world, so the various time zones extend the work day far beyond eight hours.”

He works on strategic and business continuity aspects and is also a mentor to junior researchers. He is very involved in infrastructure development and has designed and overseen the building of clinical research centres and laboratories over the years. Edward is mentored by Professor Gavin Churchyard, founder and CEO of The Aurum Institute NPC, specialist physician and global TB expert.

Being appointed as the Regional COO for Research is one of Edward’s career highlights. Another highly gratifying moment was being appointed as an adjunct assistant professor at Yale University in the USA in 2018, which is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the world. Lastly, Edward is particularly proud of the critical role that GHI played in supporting the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health with COVID-19 testing last year.

vinodh Edward DUT BIOTECHNOLOGY GRADUATE (DTECH)

While talent is something you have naturally, excellence is something you have to really work hard and smart for. I keep working at things until I feel it is perfect. Anything is possible!

Edward grew up with an older brother and younger sister to parents who wanted him to become a doctor (his mom was a nurse before his birth). Edward’s interest in microbiology was piqued as a 16-year-old when he suffered from food poisoning and developed an allergy to seafood. “I started reading about the causes of allergies and food poisoning, and really wanted to become a scientist thereafter.”

After matriculating at Burnwood Secondary School in 1994, Edward first studied for a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Microbiology and Human Physiology, and went on to complete his BTech, MTech and DTech degrees, all at DUT. “Being a student at DUT was an amazing experience,” he said. “It was very different from being at a traditional university at the time, and I felt that there was a lot more experiential learning.”

He fondly remembers all the volleyball matches played at various conferences as the Department of Biotechnology had its own team, whose players were very competitive. “It was great fun and was the highlight of some of our trips!”

Although Edward studied full time while doing his BTech and MTech, he continued working in the family business and also worked for the University on various projects. He did his DTech part-time, but found it quite challenging in terms of trying to find a work/study balance. “I learnt that you should not be narrow minded about your career,” he said. “The qualification you earn is merely a stepping stone to something greater, which is really up to you.”

Edward has been married to Dr Samanta Lalla-Edward (an academic researcher and public health evaluation specialist) for 17 years and they have two sons – Miheer (15) and Varun (4). “It helps having a partner who understands the pressures and successes of the profession and who can be a sounding board.”

Edward supports his boys at school activities and is a car enthusiast – he enjoys attending motoring events and driving at different race tracks. Coming from backgrounds rooted in serving the community, Edward and his wife continue to remain active in charity work. Together with their sons, they are involved in fundraising for children in education and sport.

“I spent a long time building my career and this came at the sacrifice of my family,” he said. “I am now focusing on a work/life balance, as my family are my priority. It’s important to never forget where you come from and where you want to go to. Although your career may change, your family seldom does. Treasure them!”