Professor Yoshan Moodley is an epidemiologist, senior lecturer, and convener of the Master of Philosophy (Cancer Science) Programme at Stellenbosch University, South Africa (SA). He has shown a strong, sustained commitment to addressing public health problems in SA, particularly the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases such as colorectal cancer (CRC). His research on epidemiological aspects of CRC in KwaZulu-Natal Province, SA spans five years and he has contributed to improving the understanding of the condition in this HIV hyperendemic setting. Through his work on CRC, Prof. Moodley has developed strong collaborations with numerous organizations in SA and the USA. This includes the University of Cape Town (SA), the University of Witwatersrand (SA), the Central University of Technology (SA), the Global Burden of Disease Group (USA) and Columbia University (USA). His ongoing research work includes understanding reasons for failure to engage in oncology care amongst newly diagnosed CRC patients, and studies which investigate links between genetic profiles of CRC tumors in black South Africans with subsequent clinical outcomes in these patients.

Professor Lynn Hendricks is an Associate Professor in the Division of Health Systems and Public Health in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU) and holds a joint PhD in Social Science and Public Health. She has expertise in methods innovation, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge translation, and leads the Social and Environmental Determinants of Health transdisciplinary interest group at SU. She is the founding director of the research consultancy Research Ambition and founding co-director of the NPO Hearts in Action. She is a fellow of Gilead Public Health as well as a fellow of Microsoft Society & AI. She is a board member of the Centre for HIV/AIDS Management at SU. A long-standing previous executive member of the Psychological Society of South Africa, she now serves as a divisional executive for the Division of Climate and Environmental Psychology. She has a keen interest in creative and co-productive research in communities and works with digital mediums as well as primary arts-based methods. Her work includes co-producing a local and international public art exhibition with the Iziko South African Museum and a community-led documentary about young Cape Flats-based women who contracted HIV perinatally. She has received the 2023 Springer Nature Inclusive Health Research Award, the 2023 Cochrane Thomas C Chalmers Award, and the 2024 PsySSA Community Service Award in recognition of her work.

Professor Taryn Young, Distinguished Professor at Stellenbosch University, has a driving passion to enhance the capacity to advance the conduct of and use of relevant research. She has experience in coordinating international and national collaborative projects which facilitate the use of best evidence in healthcare policy and practice. She leads the Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care and Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and led the Department of Global Health, at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Professor René English is a Medical Doctor and Public Health Medicine Specialist and holds a Doctoral Degree in Medicine and an MPhil in Health Professions Education. She is currently the Head of the Health Systems and Public Health Division in the Department of Global Health in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University. She has previously served on the South African Health Ministerial Task Team for Human Resources for Health and on the Lancet National Commission on High Quality Health Systems in South Africa. She is a past recipient of the Africa Science Leadership Fellowship, and is an Africa CDC Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Fellow (2023 cohort).

Dr. Juliet Nyasulu is a Health system-strengthening technical expert with over 25 years’ experience working the African health systems including in South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, and sub-Saharan Africa. She has a PHD in Public health with focus on health systems strengthening through quality assurance. Her research passion is around access to basic and essential health services and at present she is a principal investigator on three research projects around HIV access during 95-95-95 strategy implementation, Maintaining Maternal and Child Health essential services during the COVID-19 Pandemic and trends in immunization coverage with support from Medical research Council (MRC) and National Research Fund (NRF) funding institutions. She also leads an HIV/AIDS and Sexual reproductive health youth project in Northern Malawi in collaboration with national based academic and implementing partners. She also collaborates with Malawi based institutions and organisations to strengthen implementation of Public health programs with focus on youths and women. Through this collaboration, she is currently a co-PI with YONECO Malawi on a University based Violence against women prevention and mitigation project funded by UNWomen. Dr Nyasulu is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, and she has served as a National Certification Committee (NCC) Chair for South Africa for 7 years and currently an expert committee member, overseeing the polio eradication initiatives for the country.