Dr Da Costa Dias, Bianca

Bianca Da Costa Dias is a Senior Medical Scientist at the Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Reference Laboratory within the Centre for HIV and STIs at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) located in Johannesburg, South Africa. She conducts STI-related surveillance and research, with a specific focus of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
She was awarded a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand, under the discipline of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, for assessing the role of the 37kDa/67kDa Laminin receptor in amyloid beta-mediated pathogenesis in Alzheimer’s Disease. Upon completion of her doctoral studies, she sought to apply her skills and knowledge to research involving Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). She worked as a postdoctoral fellow within the HIV Cell Biology laboratory of Prof C. Tiemessen at the NICD for five years. During her postdoctoral tenure she conducted both genetic and immunological/ functional studies in attempts to further understand 1) differential abilities of certain HIV-infected individuals’ to naturally control HIV-viraemia; 2) the proviral HIV reservoir; and 3) the immunological restorative effects of very early- ART initiation in perinatally infected children.
The driving force behind her decision to pursue a scientific profession is her desire to contribute towards attaining tangible solutions to devastating human health problems. She has a passion for helping people and the ability to combine research, surveillance and health communication to assist communities beyond the laboratory is a powerful motivator in her career.