Dr Jeffrey MPHAHLELE (PhD) is the Vice President for Research at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) since October 2014. He is an elected member of Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and National Research Foundation C1 rated researcher. He previously served, inter alia, as a full-time academic at MEDUNSA in various capacities: Professor and Academic Chair of the Department of Virology and National Health Laboratory Service (2005 to Sep 2014) and Co-Director of the SAMRC/Diarrhoeal Pathogens Research Unit, which is also a WHO Rotavirus Regional Reference Laboratory for Africa (2010 to March 2018) and recently designated a WHO Collaborating Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research and Surveillance.
Jeffrey’s research publications cover epidemiology, vaccination control of infectious diseases and strengthening immunisation services and policies. He trained, supervised and mentored several Post-Doctoral, Doctoral and Master students as contribution towards developing the next generation of scientists.
He serves on number of governance and advisory structures. These include Vice Chairperson of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) Association Board (May 2019 to May 2021), South African Deputy Representative in the General Assembly of EDCTP, Vice-Chair of the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R) coordinated by the European Commission (2015 to present), Member of the Interim Board of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI (Nov 2016 to Mar 2018), Vice Chairperson of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) Board (June 2020 to present), Board member of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA - New Regulator of Medicines, Medical Devices and IVDs) (Oct 2017 to present) and Board of Directors of the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation NPC (Apr 2018 to present).
Finally, Jeffrey is part of the following scientific committees or Task Groups: WHO Scientific Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) Polio Working Group, Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 vaccines, South African NITAG (National Advisory Group on Immunisation - NAGI) and South African National Task Force (NTF) for Laboratory Containment of Poliovirus.