Distinguished academic and mentor joins the HSRC’s Knowledge Systems Unit as executive director

A top scholar from the University of Stellenbosch has been appointed as an executive director of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Professor Demetre Labadarios replaces Professor Michael Kahn, head of the Knowledge Systems Unit at the HSRC, who will be retiring at the end of October. In order to ensure a smooth transition Prof. Labadarios will commence his duties on 01 October.

Prof. Labadarios is the former head of department of Human Nutrition of the University of Stellenbosch and continues to serve as chief specialist in Nutrition at the Tygerberg Academic hospital. He completed his undergraduate and doctoral studies in Nutrition/Biochemistry at the University of Surrey in England and completed his medical studies at the University of Stellenbosch with distinctions in Pharmacology, Microbiology/Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Prof. Labadarios has developed and currently holds these directorships:

• African Micronutrient Research Group;
• Nutrition Support Team;
• Clinical Research Centre  (CNRC) at the University of Stellenbosch;
• Nutrition Information Centre at the University of Stellenbosch (NICUS).

In addition to these directorships, Prof. Labadarios is the founder and editor-in-chief of the South African Clinical Journal of Nutrition, President of the International Life Sciences Institute South Africa, and incoming President of the South African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. He serves in various provincial and national policy-formulating committees on nutrition and as an invited external examiner of the South African and African universities. He is also an appointed Honorary Professor Extraordinaire at the University of Limpopo.

As executive director in the Knowledge Systems Unit, Prof. Labadarios will be responsible for:

• Supervision of master's, doctoral and post-doctoral trainees' research activities;
• Grant writing;
• Establishing a new research focus;
• Contributing to the HSRC's peer-reviewed publication record (journal articles, book chapters, books, high impact reports);
• Commitment to succession planning as evidenced by the development of a home-grown young team of qualified staff to move into the ranks of senior management and other key positions;
• Advancing the employment equity and transformation objectives of the HSRC;
• Collaborating with other research bodies and related entities with a view to promoting and highlighting the significance of HSRC research outputs;
• Consistent and sustained achievement of satisfactory performance in respect of excellence in the research outputs;
• Sustained research income supported by meaningful research programme growth.

He will be based at the Cape Town office of the HSRC.

'I am honoured and pleased to accept the executive director’s post within the HSRC’s progressive and cross cutting research environment,' Prof. Labadarios said. 'I have accepted the post in the full belief that I can add value to the Knowledge Systems Unit and help develop the better understanding of the intricate relationship between the increasing biological knowledge in nutrition and the social determinants of nutrition and health.'

Dr Olive Shisana, CEO of the HSRC welcomed Prof. Labadarios to the organisation and said she has full confidence that he will add new insights to the HSRC's efforts to undertake social science that makes a difference.