The Vice-Chancellor Dr. Max Price has pleasure in inviting you to the Inaugural Lecture of

Professor Heather Zar Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences on

Wednesday 28 July 2010 at 17h30 Student Learning Centre Lecture Theatre, Anatomy Building, Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT

Guests to be seated by 17h15 Refreshments will be served after the lecture. Please RSVP to: Centre for Extra-Mural Studies Tel: 021- 650 2888 • Fax: 021- 650 2893 • Email: [email protected]

Heather Zar graduated with a MBBCh from the University of the Witwatersrand. She then specialised in paediatrics, followed by 2 years of training in paediatric at Columbia University in New York, and completed her sub-specialty exam as a paediatric pulmonologist.

She returned to UCT and the Red Cross War Memorial Childrens Hospital (RCWMCH) where she continues to work as a clinician, teacher and researcher in paediatrics and paediatric pulmonology. In 2000, she completed a PhD at UCT, focused on lung diseases in HIV-infected children. She was promoted ad hominem to the rank of associate professor in 2003 and to full professor in 2007. In 2008, she was appointed as Chair of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and in 2009 as Head of the Department at UCT and RCWMCH.

Heather’s academic work focuses on lung diseases in children, principally , , HIV- associated illness and . These are major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality. This work is driven by the need for improved diagnostic and management strategies especially in resource constrained environments. Her work has used a range of approaches from clinical to laboratory based to epidemiologic. She collaborates widely to move between bench and bedside, and to integrate research with outreach and advocacy so as to improve child health.

Her work has been published in high impact journals such as the Lancet, has been funded by institutions such as the NIH, and has received a number of prestigious awards. In 2000 she received the International Ambulatory Pediatric Research Award from the American Pediatric Association, for her innovative work on spacers for childhood asthma and on new diagnostic tests for childhood TB. In 2006, she was a finalist for the South African Distinguished Women in Science award and in 2007 she was elected a Fellow of UCT. In 2010, she was given a special award at the International Congress of Paediatric Pulmonology for outstanding leadership and distinguished service to children with the greatest need.

Heather is married to Prof Dan Stein, and they have three wonderful children Gabriella, Joshua and Sarah.

Professor Heather Zar Inaugural Lecture Reply Slip

Name

Email address

I /We will attend the lecture I /We will attend the reception Number of people attending the reception I /We will not attend

Please return slip or email to:

Please return slip to: Centre for Extra-Mural Studies Private Bag X3, Rondebosch. 7701 Telephone: 021- 650 2888  Fax: 021- 650 2893 Email: [email protected]