| After completed his medical degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Dr Pillay entered the field of research, having acquired a Medical Research Council post-internship to spend time in the Department of Pharmacology where he completed research in hypertension and liver disease. Dr Pillay spent many years in family practice, completing post graduate qualifications in occupational medicine and HIV clinical management. He joined UKZN in 2004 where he led a team that developed South Africa’s only coursework post graduate program in clinical HIV management. He was the director of the Global Fund’s HIV corporate program and coordinated UKZN’s clinical HIV services for many years. He then joined the Durban International Clinical Trials Unit in 2005, incorporating the Aids Clinical Trials Group and the International Maternal, Paediatric and Adolescent Aids Clinical Trials group of the National Institutes of Health. He has served as Clinical Trials Unit Coordinator for many years, participating in various research studies and study protocol teams. He was co-author of UKZN’s prestigious Medical Education Partnership Initiative and remains a co-Principal Investigator of this grant. Dr Pillay has led various capacity development and health systems strengthening projects including a successful partnership with the KZN Department of Health resulting in more than 5000 health care workers being reached with various teaching programs in HIV and TB management. He has been involved in various projects with the World Health Organisation, German Backup Initiative and other partners. |