Dr Awelani Mutshembele is a South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)- TB Platform Specialist Scientist.  Dr Mutshembele area of expertise lies in molecular biology techniques, epidemiology, genetic diversity and bioinformatics analysis of different organisms such as parasites, fungi, TB, HIV and COVID-19 and collaborating countries within BRICS. Dr Mutshembele also supervises, and mentors PhD, MSc, and undergraduate students registered in several Universities and the University of Technology in South Africa, Cameroon, and Ethiopia. Dr Mutshembele is a member of SAMRC Research Capacity Development (RCD) Committee, the SAMRC Early Investigator Programme Committee (EIPC), Organization for Women in Science in Developing World (OWSD), Exco member of Organization for Women in Science in South Africa National Chapter, an Early Career Researcher for Nature communication peer review mentoring programme, and National Research Foundation Grants Reviewer