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Author: FMHS Marketing & Communication / FGGW Bemarking & Kommunikasie – Susan Erasmus
Published: 11/05/2021
Professor Kathryn Chu has been elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) from 2021 to 2024.
Chu is currently the inaugural director of the Centre for Global Surgery at Stellenbosch University s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Her career has been long and distinguished.
Chu s initial training was as a general and colorectal surgeon. She did her undergraduate degree at Stanford University, and completed her medical degree at the University of California. She received a Master s degree in Public Health and Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and is currently the Vice-President of the Board of Médecins Sans Frontières-Southern Africa. She has spent more than four years doing humanitarian work, and previously worked for the Harvard Medical School
Strengthening surgical systems in SA’s biggest and most sparsely populated province Improving the surgical capacity of hospitals in rural areas would help many people have better access to care, says professor Kathryn Chu 07 May 2021 Image: Supplied/Discovery Foundation
In 2019, professor Kathryn Chu, 49, visited the department of surgery at the Dr Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington to teach the Stellenbosch medical students doing their year-long rural training. That was when she realised that the hospital surgeon, Dr Willem Smith, was essentially working alone.
Together they identified gaps in the healthcare system, which, if addressed in the right way, could improve surgical services for patients in the large district the hospital serves.
Taylor used vegetable juice to dye sutures, which could theoretically be used to detect infections.
The
Smithsonian Magazine reported on Taylor’s prototype sutures, which she began working on in October 2o19. The idea was developed after her chemistry teacher shared information about state-wide science fairs with the class. Soon after, Taylor earned awards at regional science fairs.
In January 2021, the
Regeneron Talent Search, a prestigious, national, research-based competition for high schoolers, named Taylor’s project as one of its 40 finalists. Taylor’s entry didn’t take home the grand prize of $250,000. However, it was named the Seaborg Award winning entry. Also, it seems Taylor will still get $25,000 from her entry.
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