Ndivhuho Makhado
Dr Ndivhuho Makhado is a medical scientist and AHRI faculty member. She is also a research associate at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), where she established the university’s TB research unit and its only biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) TB laboratory, based in the department of microbiological pathology in the school of medicine.
Ndivhu holds a PhD in medical microbiology from SMU, in collaboration with the University of Antwerp at the Global Health Institute and the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. Her work focusses on Mycobacteriology with emphasis and wide experience on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) diagnostics, genetic diversity, drug resistance, genomics and therapeutics. One of her previous research projects investigated drug resistant Mtb mutants outside the targeted region often missed by the current standard diagnostic algorithms in the recommended TB diagnostics which are associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes, suggesting a continued drug-resistant TB transmission, especially in less resourced communities.
Her other research studies include TB and fungal co-infections, and TB-malaria co-infections, all of which contribute to delayed diagnosis, inappropriate treatment, and poor patient outcomes.
Get in touch with Ndivhu via ndivhuho.makhado@ahri.org
Makhado group
Dr Ndivhuho Makhado’s research group at AHRI aims to implement cutting-edge programmes to study anti-TB drug mechanisms of action, and the evolution of Mtb strain diversity using next-generation sequencing platforms in combination with population science. Her group will use time-kill kinetics, hollow fiber infection models, bioenergetic and stable isotopologue (carbon-tracing) mass spectrometry platforms to determine optimal drug exposure for maximum efficacy and to develop effective drug combinations for NTMs, to optimise treatment for clinically relevant NTMs due to the potential for acquired resistance and toxicity, resulting in high treatment failure rates. Ndivhu plans to apply a range of next-generation multiplexing platforms (e.g., multiplex immunofluorescence, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, automated histopathology) to study NTM and Mtb disease pathology.
Meet the Team
Dr Thabo Mpotje
Research Associate
Dr Thabo Mpotje was awarded his PhD degree from the University of Cape Town. His work focused on exploring a complex interrelationship between commensal microbiota, host’s genetic factor, and immune responses which presents a core piece of the regulatory machinery during chronic schistosomiasis. Thabo is currently interested in identifying host factors that are associated with TB disease progression as potential targets for host-directed therapies.
Rabelani Mafunise
PhD student
Rabelani Mafunise is an HPCSA-registered medical scientist in medical microbiology and a PhD student. Her research interests are in non-tuberculous mycobacteria, antimicrobial resistance, and host-pathogen interaction. Her PhD focuses on the bioenergetics and metabolomics profiling of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTMs) to identify novel therapeutic targets.
Denelle Moodley
Laboratory Technologist / Supervisor
Denelle Moodley holds a master’s degree in medical science (medical biochemistry) from UKZN. Her masters project focused on the antioxidant effect of a plant antimetabolite on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Her work at AHRI focuses on understanding mechanisms underlying neutrophil-mediated cell death in granuloma development and TB pathogenesis.
Kerishka Rajkumar
Laboratory Technologist / Supervisor
Kerishka Rajkumar was awarded her honours from Stellenbosch University. At AHRI, her master’s project focused on the optimisation and use of the CRISPRi to target genes that may be involved in drug resistance. Her work at AHRI involves targeting inflammatory mediators associated with lung pathological damage and TB disease progression for HDT (host-directed therapy) development.
Selected Recent Publications
Makhado NA, Matabane, E., Faccin, M., Pincon, C., Jouet, A., Boutachkourt, F., Goeminne, L., Gaudin, C., Maphalala, G., Beckert, P., Niemann, S., Delvenne, J-C., Delmee, M., Razwiedani, L., Nchabeleng, M., Supply, P., de Jong, BC. & Andre, E. Outbreak of multidrug resistant tuberculosis in South Africa undetected by WHO-endorsed commercial tests: an observational study. Lancet Infect Dis 2018; 18: 1350–59.
Siwele, B. A.,Mariba, M. T & Makhado, N. A. 2019. Late diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in a child at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa; a case report. African Journal of Laboratory Medicine.8, 1, p. 783-5 p., 783.
Khaba MC, Kgole MB, Nevondo LM, Van Aswegen WJ, Mabelane T, Makhado NA. Disseminated Cryptococcal Infection in HIV-Infected Patients: A Retrospective Clinicopathological Review of 4 Autopsy Cases. Clin Pathol. 2022; 15:2632010×221078234.
Machado E, Vasconcellos S, Gomes L, Catanho M, Ramos J, de Carvalho L, Goldenberg T, Redner P, Caldas P, Campos C, Dalcolmo M, Lourenço MC, Lasunskaia E, Mussi V, Spinassé L, Vinhas S, Rigouts L, Cogneau S, de Rijk P, Utpatel C, Kaustova J, van der Laan T, de Neeling H, Rastogi N, Levina K, Kütt M, Mokrousov I, Zhuravlev V, Makhado N, Žolnir-Dovč M, Jankovic V, de Waard J, Sisco MC, van Soolingen D, Niemann S, de Jong BC, Meehan CJ, Suffys P . Phylogenomic and genomic analysis reveals unique and shared genetic signatures of Mycobacterium kansasii complex species. Microb Genom. 2024 Jul;10(7):001266. doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.001266. PMID: 39016539; PMCID: PMC11316565.
Vanessa Ninkeh Nono, Edouard Akono Nantia, Awelani Mutshembele, Sorelle Nguimfack Teagho, Yannick Willy Kamdem Simo, Brenda Shile Takong, Yvonne Josiane Djieugoue, Yannick Patrick Assolo, Suzanne Magloire Ongboulal, Stanley Nkemnji Awungafac, Sara Eyangoh, Eric Mensah, Ndivhuho Agnes Makhado & Valerie Flore Donkeng Donfack. Prevalence of katG and inhA mutations associated with isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates in Cameroon. BMC Microbiology (2025) 25:127.