Faadiel ESSOP

(Stellenbosch, South Africa)

Prof. Faadiel Essop is currently working as a professor at the Department of Physiological Sciences at Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and is also a visiting professor at the University of La Reunion (France).  Prof. Essop completed his under- and postgraduate studies at the University of Cape Town and was later awarded a Fulbright fellowship to further his research at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School (Texas, US).  He subsequently moved to Stellenbosch University and established a research group that focuses on the so-called ‘’dual burden of disease’’ (HIV-AIDS and non-communicable diseases) that is threatening developing countries. Specifically, the emphasis is two-fold: a) the link between diabetes and cardiovascular diseases – concentrating on the damaging effects of high glucose and fatty acid availability and b) the mechanisms whereby HIV and/or highly active anti-retroviral treatment can trigger cardio-metabolic diseases. Prof. Essop is a former chairperson of the Department of Physiological Sciences and currently acts as the President of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa and the Vice-President of the African Association of Physiological Sciences. He also served as a member of the International Committee of the American Physiological Society (APS) and was recently elected as fellow of the APS (Cardiovascular).  He is presently also fulfilling duties as an academic editor of PLoS ONE and serves on several editorial boards, including the American Journal of Physiology Heart & Circulatory Physiology.  Prof. Essop is married to Dr. Rehana Essop (clinician focusing on chronic diseases in rural areas) and they have three children.