Biosketch: MBChB, Dip HIV Man (SA), FC Path (SA)(Viro), MMed (Virology), PhD.
Dr Nokukhanya (Khanyi) Msomi is the Head of Department in the Discipline of Virology: School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, under the College of Health Sciences. She is also jointly appointed by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) as a pathologist leading the Inkosi Albert Luthuli academic and diagnostic virology laboratory which services the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Born and raised in Durban’s Umlazi Township, she completed secondary schooling at Montebello, a convent girls’ school in Ndwedwe, KZN. In 1993 at the age of 16, she started medical school at the then University of Natal followed by internship and community service at Greys and Christ the King Hospitals respectively.
Her early interest in HIV medicine was sparked while working as a general practitioner in the early 2000s prior to the rollout of the South African HIV treatment programme. During this time, she embarked on part-time post-graduate studies in Clinical Pharmacology and HIV medicine while starting a family. In 2009 she returned to pursue a full-time academic career by joining a Clinical Virology specialist training programme at UKZN.
As an early career researcher, Khanyi received doctoral research funding from the NRF and a scholarship from the Wellcome Trust to study viral genomics and bioinformatics at the Sanger Institute in Cambridge in 2016. Her area of research interest is in the pathology of viral hepatitis which formed the basis of Masters and Doctoral research. In 2025 she received a C2 NRF rating as an established researcher.
Dr Msomi is currently serving on the board of trustees of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), which coordinates the country’s response to HIV, TB and STIs. She has also served two terms as a member of the National Polio Committee, driving the country’s efforts in Polio Eradication in collaboration with the WHO.
Khanyi is passionate about mentorship and continuous personal development. As a clinician- scientist , she is looking forward to carve out a successful career in both health research and academic leadership.