Professor Raj Ramesar

Country: South Africa

Institution: University of Cape Town

Research Areas: Genomics of Human Inherited Diseases

Lab Website: www.idm.uct.ac.za/Raj_Ramesar

A major aspect of the MRC Research Unit’s agenda is the identification of genes underlying disease in South African populations. With the recognition that there is limited national capacity for high-throughput genotyping and sequencing technology, the Genomic Platform, for high-throughput genetic analysis has increased the workload within the Unit while offering spare capacity to other researchers in the Faculty of Health Sciences at UCT and the Western Cape. The improved infrastructure within the unit has been essential to realise our mission of increased capacity development. The Ramesar research group is involved in the genetics of disabilites, notably of inherited forms of blindess; genetics of inherited cancers, and genetics of neuropsychiatric diseases.  The major thrust for immunological research in the Ramesar group is in two areas: Immunology/Cancer and Immunology/Psychiatric Diseases.  Raj’s publications can be found at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Ramesar+R