Ms. Nozuko Blasich | HIV and Mycology | Best Researcher Award
Quality Control Technologist, National Health Laboratory Service South Africa
Nozuko Blasich is a Clinical Pathology Medical Technologist specializing in laboratory diagnostics, quality control, and biomedical research. She holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Technology and is currently pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Science, focusing on fungal pathogens and their public health impact. Her research on cryptococcal meningitis has influenced World Health Organization (WHO) policies. She has published in high-impact journals, presented at international conferences, and serves as a peer reviewer. Passionate about improving diagnostic accuracy, she explores point-of-care tests for infectious diseases.
Profile
Education 🎓
Nozuko Blasich earned her Master of Science in Biomedical Technology, with research focusing on cryptococcal meningitis, significantly contributing to global health policies. She is currently a PhD candidate in Biomedical Science, investigating fungal pathogens and their environmental prevalence. Her academic journey emphasizes microbiology, clinical diagnostics, and public health.
Experience 🧑🏫
She serves as a Quality Control Technologist at the National Health Laboratory Service, ensuring diagnostic accuracy and laboratory efficiency. With expertise in mycology, she has worked extensively on cryptococcal antigen screening and HIV diagnostics.
Awards & Honors 🏆
She has received recognition for her contributions to medical mycology, including best researcher awards and grants for her impactful studies on fungal pathogens and diagnostic advancements.
Research Interests 🔬
Her research explores fungal infections, laboratory diagnostics, and point-of-care testing to enhance public health interventions. She investigates diagnostic methodologies, antimicrobial resistance, and epidemiology to improve early detection and treatment outcomes.
Publications 📚
- Evaluating the Accuracy of Multiple Rapid Diagnostic Tests for HIV Detection in Serum Samples Analysed During Point-of-Care Proficiency Testing Assessments (2025) – Nozuko P. Blasich, Jerom Okot, Artur Ramos, Mduduzi B. Buthelezi, Dumisani F. Shabangu, Mahlatse M. Maleka, Sarvashni Moodliar, Nqobile Ngoma, Tendesayi Kufa
- Retrospective Assessment of a National Reflex Cryptococcal Antigen Screening Program in South Africa Through Interlaboratory Comparison of Lateral Flow Assay Results (2022) – Nozuko P. Blasich, Lindi M. Coetzee, Charlotte Sriruttan, Daniel DeSanto, Gregory S. Greene, Deborah K. Glencross, Nelesh P. Govender
- Association of Semi-Quantitative Cryptococcal Antigen Results in Plasma with Subclinical Cryptococcal Meningitis and Mortality Among Patients with Advanced HIV Disease (2021) – Nozuko P. Blasich, Rachel M. Wake, Ivy Rukasha, Yvonne Prince, Nelesh P. Govender
- Cryptococcus neoformans: Diagnostic Dilemmas, Electron Microscopy and Capsular Variants (2018) – Nozuko P. Blasich, Monica Birkhead, Serisha D. Naicker, Ivy Rukasha, Juno Thomas, Charlotte Sriruttan, Shareef Abrahams, Grisselda S. Mavuso, Nelesh P. Govender
