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Distinguished Professor Robin Mark Warren
Unit Director | Head: TB Genomics
Contact Info
Tel: +27 21 938 9251
Email: rw1@sun.ac.za
Education
BSc
BSc Hons
PhD - Registered Medical Biological Scientist

Professor Robin Warren is the Unit Director of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Centre for Tuberculosis Research and Distinguished Professor at Stellenbosch University (SU). He also heads the TB Genomics research group in the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. In 2015 he was awarded the SAMRC Gold Medal award for scientific excellence and in 2018 the Chancellors award for my contribution to research at SU. Prof Warren has published over 370 papers and 15 book chapters. His research is based on a foundation molecular epidemiology which has led to numerous landmark publications in the field of Tuberculosis (TB). Through his research he has challenged dogmas with respect to recurrent TB, demonstrated mixed infection, identified outbreaks, mapped acquisition of resistance and highlighted programmatic limitations in the standard of care. Critical questions currently under investigation include determining the association between genotype and phenotype for new and repurposed drugs to enable the transition from culture-based methods to molecular methods for drugs susceptibility testing. His research is directly linked whole genome sequencing (WGS) to correlate genome sequence variation to phenotype (virulence and transmission). Prof Warren continues to contribute to global initiatives to improve diagnostics by being a major contributor to WHO technical guides, a global repository of WGS data and the development of a WGS analysis pipeline that is being adopted by the WHO. He continues to play a pivotal role in the archiving of clinical TB isolates in collaboration with the National Health Laboratory Service which houses over 50000 drug susceptible and drug resistant isolates and is a national and international resource. Prof Warren collaborates extensively in Africa to ensure skills transfer and postgraduate education. He also has collaborators in Brazil, Mexico, Unites States, Canada, England, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Russia, Germany Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. 

Prof Warren is currently the PI, Laboratory PI or Co-I on five NIH awards, two FWO awards, and two SAMRC awards. He has mentored 24 MSc and 36 PhD graduates, 4 NIH K-awardees, two Wellcome Trust Research Fellows and two NRF career development awardees (SU).