Prof Pascal O. Bessong is a virologist, having trained in South Africa, France, and the United States. He is an experienced Professor with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education sector for more than 17 years. His research focuses on microbiological investigations for translational science and global health, using innovative approaches and technologies. Specifically, he is interested on viral and human determinants of HIV drug resistance and the sustainability of antiretrovirals towards the UNAIDS 2030 target on viral suppression. He is also interested in the interactions of gut microbiota and antimicrobial resistance, the interactions of gut infections with growth, cognitive development, and vaccine response in young children. He has more than 15 years of experience in the establishment and maintenance of prospective, community-based birth and adult cohorts for observational biomedical investigations.

A former Head of the Department of Microbiology, University of Venda, he is the Principal Investigator of the AIDS Virus Research Laboratory; Founding Head of the HIV/AIDS & Global Health Research Programme; and a Visiting Scholar at the School of Medicine, University of Virginia, USA. Professor Bessong is a C1 rated scientist of the National Research Foundation (2017); an elected member of the Academy of Science of South Africa; a Registered Natural Professional Scientist; and an Associate Editor of the South African Journal of Science (Cell, molecular biology, and Health). He is passionate about the public understanding of science and maintains a website and blog at https://bessongthemicrobiologist.com as a tool to engage the lay community on our interactions with germs.

Professor Bessong has published his scientific contributions and opinions in top tier and influential journals such as Science, The Lancet HIV, PLOS Medicine, Lancet Global Health, Clinical Infectious Diseases, and Bulletin of the World Health Organization. He has hosted visiting scientists on antimicrobial resistance within the framework of the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship awards, and the US National Science Foundation fellowships. He has given research seminars at institutions in South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, and the United States. Professor Bessong has successfully trained more than 60 MSc and PhD students.

Unit Director: Prof Pascal Bessong
HIV/AIDS & Global Health Research Programme
Faculty of Science
University of Venda
Thohoyandou
South Africa
Tel office: 0159628301
Email: bessong@univen.ac.za
https://bessongthemicrobiologist.com