Thobile Malinga (née  Shabalala) holds a Bachelor of Nursing degree, a Master of Nursing degree in Health Service Management (HIV management), and a Master of Philosophy degree in Cancer Science. Thobile has 25 years of experience within the health sector. This includes 14 years of experience in clinical research trials as a Research Nurse for Aurum Institute in HIV/AIDS testing and counselling, as a Senior Research Nurse for Desmond Tutu TB Centre at Stellenbosch University and as a Senior Scientist at Cochrane South Africa - South African Medical Research Council. Thobile has also completed the MAC AIDS Fund Leadership Initiative training and conducted a pilot project for HIV prevention and addressing gender-based violence in women from informal settlements surrounding the Rustenburg area in the North West.  She initially joined Cochrane South Africa in 2019 as a Senior Scientist until the contract ended in 2021 and was re-employed in 2022 as a Clinical Trial Registry Administrator. She has authored and co-authored 13 publications, including 10 peer-reviewed articles and 3 conference presentations.  Currently registered to pursue her PhD.