EDCTP Alumni Network

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All Profiles

Dr Anna-Ursula Happel

Call Career Development Fellowship (CDF)
Programme EDCTP2
Start Date 2021-07-01
End Date 2024-06-30
Project Code TMA2020CDF-3192
Status Active

Title

Interaction of vaginal virome and bacteriome in pregnant women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and risk of preterm birth

Host Organisation

Institution Country

Current Organisation

University of Cape Town

Current Job Title

Junior Research Fellow

Awards

2021 CFAR International Pilot Award

Students Supervised

Type Name Title University Start Date End Date
PhD Student Adijat Jimoh University of Cape Town 2022 2024
Honours Student Castygo Ramotsila University of Cape Town 2021 2021
Honours Student Thandi Magwai University of Cape Town 2018 2018
Honours Student Chambrez Zautenberger University of Cape Town 2017 2017
PhD Student Lesedi Dikhoba University of Cape Town 2022 2024

Memberships

Role Committee/board Start Date End Date
Director of Communications Executive Committee International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics- Students and Fellows Association 2021
President Executive Committee International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics- Students and Fellows Association 2019 2021
Outreach and Communications Officer Executive Committee International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics- Students and Fellows Association 2018 2019
Member Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Adolescent Health Early Stage Investigator Group 2019 2021

Education

Institution Degree Year
University of Cape Town, South Africa PhD 2019-04-12
Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen / Nuremberg, Germany Master of Science 2015-09-30
Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen / Nuremberg, Germany Bachelor of Science 2013-09-30

Areas Of Specialisation

Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)

Grants

Vaginal virome of pregnant women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
Grant Code:
AI027757
Source of funding:
CFAR
Amount:
15000
Role:
Principal Investigator
Start Date:
2021-01-01
End Date:
2022-01-01

Publications

Defining characteristics of genital health in South African adolescent girls and young women at high risk for HIV infection
Authors:
Smritee Dabee , author
Shaun L. Barnabas , author
Katie S. Lennard , author
Shameem Z. Jaumdally , author
Hoyam Gamieldien , author
Christina Balle , author
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Brandon D. Murugan , author
Anna-Lise Williamson , author
Nonhlanhla Mkhize , author
Janan Dietrich , author
David A. Lewis , author
Francesca Chiodi , author
Thomas J. Hope , author
Robin Shattock , author
Glenda Gray , author
Linda-Gail Bekker , author
Heather B. Jaspan , author
Jo-Ann S. Passmore , author
Kevin K. Ariën , editor
Date:
2019-04-04
Journal:
PLOS ONE
Content:
Bacille Calmette-Guérin Vaccine Strain Modulates the Ontogeny of Both Mycobacterial-Specific and Heterologous T Cell Immunity to Vaccination in Infants
Authors:
Agano Kiravu , author
Sophia Osawe , author
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Trishana Nundalall , author
Jerome Wendoh , author
Sophie Beer , author
Nobomi Dontsa , author
Olatogni Berenice Alinde , author
Sikiratu Mohammed , author
Pam Datong , author
D. William Cameron , author
Kenneth Rosenthal , author
Alash'le Abimiku , author
Heather B. Jaspan , author
Clive M. Gray , author
Date:
2019-10-01
Journal:
Frontiers in Immunology
Content:
Presence and Persistence of Putative Lytic and Temperate Bacteriophages in Vaginal Metagenomes from South African Adolescents
Authors:
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Christina Balle , author
Brandon Maust , author
Iyaloo N. Konstantinus , author
Katherine Gill , author
Linda-Gail Bekker , author
Rémy Froissart , author
Jo-Ann Passmore , author
Ulas Karaoz , author
Arvind Varsani , author
Heather Jaspan , author
Date:
2021-11-01
Journal:
Viruses
Content:
Weighing in on the risks and benefits of probiotic use in HIV-infected and immunocompromised populations
Authors:
A.U. Happel , author
S.L. Barnabas , author
R. Froissart , author
J.S. Passmore , author
Date:
2018-02-01
Journal:
Beneficial Microbes
Content:
Tet-on, or Tet-off, that is the question: Advanced conditional gene expression in Aspergillus
Authors:
Franziska Wanka , author
Timothy Cairns , author
Simon Boecker , author
Christian Berens , author
Anna Happel , author
Xiaomei Zheng , author
Jibin Sun , author
Sven Krappmann , author
Vera Meyer , author
Date:
2016-04-01
Journal:
Fungal Genetics and Biology
Content:
Relationship between the Oral and Vaginal Microbiota of South African Adolescents with High Prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis
Authors:
Christina Balle , author
Rachel Esra , author
Enock Havyarimana , author
Shameem Z. Jaumdally , author
Katie Lennard , author
Iyaloo N. Konstantinus , author
Shaun L. Barnabas , author
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Katherine Gill , author
Tanya Pidwell , author
Jairam R. Lingappa , author
Hoyam Gamieldien , author
Linda-Gail Bekker , author
Jo-Ann S. Passmore , author
Heather B. Jaspan , author
Date:
2020-07-04
Journal:
Microorganisms
Content:
Antimicrobial and inflammatory properties of South African clinical Lactobacillus isolates and vaginal probiotics
Authors:
Emily Chetwin , author
Monalisa T. Manhanzva , author
Andrea G. Abrahams , author
Remy Froissart , author
Hoyam Gamieldien , author
Heather Jaspan , author
Shameem Z. Jaumdally , author
Shaun L. Barnabas , author
Smritee Dabee , author
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Desiree Bowers , author
Lester Davids , author
Jo-Ann S. Passmore , author
Lindi Masson , author
Date:
2019-02-01
Journal:
Scientific Reports
Content:
Probiotics for vaginal health in South Africa: what is on retailers’ shelves?
Authors:
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Shameem Z. Jaumdally , author
Tanya Pidwell , author
Tracy Cornelius , author
Heather B. Jaspan , author
Remy Froissart , author
Shaun L. Barnabas , author
Jo-Ann S. Passmore , author
Date:
2017-01-01
Journal:
BMC Women's Health
Content:
Impact of hormonal contraceptives on cervical Th17 phenotype and function in adolescents: Results from a randomized cross-over study comparing long-acting injectable norethisterone oenanthate (NET-EN), combined oral contraceptive pills, and combined contraceptive vaginal rings
Authors:
Iyaloo N Konstantinus , author
Christina Balle , author
Shameem Z Jaumdally , author
Hoyam Galmieldien , author
Tanya Pidwell , author
Lindi Masson , author
Ramla F Tanko , author
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Musalula Sinkala , author
Landon Myer , author
Steven E Bosinger , author
Katherine Gill , author
Linda-Gail Bekker , author
Heather B Jaspan , author
Jo-Ann S Passmore , author
Date:
2019-11-02
Journal:
Clinical Infectious Diseases
Content:
Exploring potential of vaginal Lactobacillus isolates from South African women for enhancing treatment for bacterial vaginosis
Authors:
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Brian Kullin , author
Hoyam Gamieldien , author
Nicole Wentzel , author
Chambrez Z. Zauchenberger , author
Heather B. Jaspan , author
Smritee Dabee , author
Shaun L. Barnabas , author
Shameem Z. Jaumdally , author
Janan Dietrich , author
Glenda Gray , author
Linda-Gail Bekker , author
Remy Froissart , author
Jo-Ann S. Passmore , author
Laurel A. Lagenaur , editor
Date:
2020-06-04
Journal:
PLOS Pathogens
Content:
The Vaginal Virome—Balancing Female Genital Tract Bacteriome, Mucosal Immunity, and Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes?
Authors:
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Arvind Varsani , author
Christina Balle , author
Jo-Ann Passmore , author
Heather Jaspan , author
Date:
2020-07-01
Journal:
Viruses
Content:
SAMHD1 in Retroviral Restriction and Innate Immune Sensing - Should We Leash the Hound?
Authors:
Alexandra Herrmann , author
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Thomas Gramberg , author
Date:
2016-03-04
Journal:
Current HIV Research
Content:
Testing the regulatory framework in South Africa – a single-blind randomized pilot trial of commercial probiotic supplementation to standard therapy in women with bacterial vaginosis
Authors:
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Ravesh Singh , author
Nireshni Mitchev , author
Koleka Mlisana , author
Heather B. Jaspan , author
Shaun L. Barnabas , author
Jo-Ann S. Passmore , author
Date:
2020-07-10
Journal:
BMC Infectious Diseases
Content:
In Silico Characterisation of Putative Prophages in <i>Lactobacillaceae</i> Used in Probiotics for Vaginal Health
Authors:
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Brian R. Kullin , author
Hoyam Gamieldien , author
Heather Jaspan , author
Arvind Varsani , author
Darren Martin , author
Jo-Ann S. Passmore , author
Rémy Froissart , author
Date:
2022-01-01
Journal:
Microorganisms
Content:
Future of Probiotics and Prebiotics and the Implications for Early Career Researchers
Authors:
Irina Spacova , author
Hemraj B. Dodiya , author
Anna-Ursula Happel , author
Conall Strain , author
Dieter Vandenheuvel , author
Xuedan Wang , author
Gregor Reid , author
Date:
2020-06-01
Journal:
Frontiers in Microbiology
Content:

Projects

Interaction of vaginal virome and bacteriome in pregnant women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
Fellow:
Anna-Ursula Happel
Collaborators:
Name Country Institution
Anna-Ursula Happel South Africa University if Cape Town
Objectives:
(1) To compare the composition and diversity of the vaginal virome in pregnant women with HIV versus age- and parity-matched pregnant women withouth HIV, using shotgun metagenomic sequencing to evaluate the effect of HIV infection on the vaginal virome; (2) To identify in vivo associations between vaginal viruses associated with HIV infection and bacteriome and validate key bacterial-viral interactions in vitro; and (3) To compare vaginal virome diversity and composition of women with HIV experiencing preterm birth versus age-, parity- and antiretroviral regimen-matched women with HIV with normal birth outcomes
Sites:
University if Cape Town, South Africa
Study Design:
Cross-sectional, observational
Subjects:
Women with and without HIV
Outcomes:
Understanding the interplay between vaginal viruses, bacteria and preterm birth is relevant for developing novel diagnostics and interventions for improving preterm birth among women with HIV, and to potentially decrease infant morbidity and mortality.
Linked Grant:
Vaginal virome of pregnant women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
Start Date:
2021-07-01
End Date:
2024-06-30

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