Overview

Amanda initially trained as a water microbiologist, focusing on health-related water microbiology and the public health risks of irrigating fresh produce with polluted water. Following her doctorate on the methodological limitations of enumerating E.coli from South African river water, she gained experience in industry settings; both as the head of an analytical laboratory and by consulting on water treatment and increasing water reuse cycles before disposal.

She returned to academia to investigate the risks of using household greywater for watering communal food gardens in densely populated low-cost housing communities in Cape Town through a postdoctoral fellowship. Her interest in public health and epidemiology grew and, as a result, she furthered her studies in clinical epidemiology. This training offered her opportunities to be involved with teaching undergraduate-level evidence-based health care as well as hands-on experience in the production of systematic reviews.

Her interests are driven by the notion that disease should be prevented, or minimised, using the best available evidence; and the belief that multi-disciplinary solutions are needed to solve complex problems. She joined the PenTAG group in 2021 as a research associate in health technology assessments.

Qualifications

• MSc in Clinical Epidemiology (Stellenbosch University, graduated 2017)
• PhD in Agricultural Science (health-related water microbiology) (Stellenbosch University, graduated 2012)
• MSc in Agricultural Science (health-related water microbiology) (Stellenbosch University, upgraded in 2009)
• BSc in Food Science (with biochemistry) (Stellenbosch University, graduated 2007)

Back to top

Research

Research interests

Amanda’s research interests include the systematic review and synthesis of evidence to inform health care in areas of public health, technology, nutrition, microbiology and infectious diseases, environmental health and pollution, and the nexus of these fields. Her work on a variety of projects informing global and national guidelines in health has also sparked an interest in economic and equity considerations as part of the decision-making process.

She is involved with Cochrane Nutrition, working to promote the agenda and activities of the field, and is a member of the South African GRADE Network. As part of this role, she has been involved with several rapid reviews for the South African National Department of Health to inform guidelines for treatment of COVID-19.

Back to top