Group Leader, Virology – Emerging Viruses
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Wernher and Beit Building (South) UCT Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925
Cape Town, South Africa
E-mail: [email protected]
Education
Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, PhD in Molecular Biology, 2003
Career History
Since 2026, Honorary Professor, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Since 2023, Adjunct Member of the of the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, South Africa
Since 2020, Group Leader Virology-Emerging Viruses, ICGEB Cape Town, South Africa
Since 2020, Contributing Investigator, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa (CIDRI-Africa), University of Cape Town, South Africa
2023-2025, Honorary Associate Professor, University of Cape Town, South Africa
2020-2024, EDCTP Senior Fellow, University of Cape Town, South Africa
2022, Full Member of the IDM, University of Cape Town, South Africa
2015-2021, Associate Member of the IDM, University of Cape Town, South Africa
2010-2019, Research Officer/Lecturer, Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, South Africa
2003-2009, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of Cape Town, South Africa
2000-2003, PhD student, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
1999, MSc student, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
1994-1998, undergraduate student, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
Scientific Activity
Research activities in our group primarily focus on oncogenic viruses relevant in the Sub-Saharan African context, an area that is additionally burdened by an HIV/AIDS epidemic of massive proportions. We have built substantial research expertise on the early molecular mechanisms of Kaposi’s Sarcoma Herpes Virus (KSHV), Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, three viruses with a high potential to cause malignancies in the context of HIV co-infection. We are particularly interested in the molecules and receptors involved during early infection events that can potentially be developed into preventative, therapeutic and diagnostic targets. Our research involves both basic laboratory-based in vitro and in vivo studies (using cell culture-based infection models) as well as clinical studies (involving nationally recruited patient cohorts).
Teaching Activity
Since 2022, speaker and demonstrator at ICGEB training workshops
Since 2011, BMedSc (Honours) module “Transcriptional Regulation in Development and Disease”
2016-2018, Medical Biochemistry lectures (2nd and 3rd year MBChB)
2016, Molecular Medicine “Oncology” lectures (3rd year MBChB)
Selected publications
Bratl, K.; Butters, C.; Webb, K.; Schäfer, G. Assessing Seroprevalence and Infection Dynamics of Oncogenic Gammaherpesviruses in South African Paediatric Patients Presenting with Inflammatory Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2026, 27, doi:10.3390/ijms27031275.
Chinna, P.; Blumenthal, M.J.; Lambarey, H.; Jennings, L.; Orrell, C.; Schäfer, G. Assessment of γ-herpesvirus infection dynamics in non-hospitalised people living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. Virology 2025, 611, 110666, doi:10.1016/j.virol.2025.110666.
Lambarey, H.; Blumenthal, M.J.; Chinna, P.; Naude, V.N.; Jennings, L.; Orrell, C.; Schäfer, G. A Case of Persistent KSHV Viremia in the Context of HIV, SARS-CoV-2, and Other Co-Infections. Trop Med Infect Dis 2025, 10, doi:10.3390/tropicalmed10020053.
Tibenderana, R.M.; Blumenthal, M.J.; Bukajumbe, E.; Schäfer, G.; Mohamed, Z. Clinical Significance of Elevated KSHV Viral Load in HIV-Related Kaposi’s Sarcoma Patients in South Africa. Viruses 2024, 16, doi:10.3390/v16020189.
Lambarey, H.; Blumenthal, M.J.; Chetram, A.; Joyimbana, W.; Jennings, L.; Orrell, C.; Schäfer, G. Reactivation of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) by SARS-CoV-2 in non-hospitalised HIV-infected patients. EBioMedicine 2024, 100, 104986, doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.104986.
Carse, S.; Reid, T.; Madsen, J.; Clark, H.; Kirjakulov, A.; Bergant Marusic, M.; Schäfer, G. Functional Characterisation of Surfactant Protein A as a Novel Prophylactic Means against Oncogenic HPV Infections. Int J Mol Sci 2024, 25, doi:10.3390/ijms25147712.
Lesmes-Rodríguez, L.C.; Lambarey, H.; Chetram, A.; Riou, C.; Wilkinson, R.J.; Joyimbana, W.; Jennings, L.; Orrell, C.; Jaramillo-Hernández, D.A.; Schäfer, G. Previous exposure to common coronavirus HCoV-NL63 is associated with reduced COVID-19 severity in patients from Cape Town, South Africa. Front Virol-Lausanne 2023, 3, doi:10.3389/fviro.2023.1125448.
Khan, S.F.; Burmeister, C.A.; Scott, D.J.; Sinkala, M.; Ramburan, A.; Wu, H.T.; Schäfer, G.; Katz, A.A.; Prince, S. TBX3 Promotes Cervical Cancer Proliferation and Migration via HPV E6 and E7 Signaling. Mol Cancer Res 2023, 21, 345-358, doi:10.1158/1541-7786.Mcr-22-0598.
Jahajeeah, D.; Ranghoo-Sanmukhiya, M.; Schäfer, G. Metabolic Profiling, Antiviral Activity and the Microbiome of Some Mauritian Soft Corals. Mar Drugs 2023, 21, doi:10.3390/md21110574.
du Bruyn, E.; Stek, C.; Daroowala, R.; Said-Hartley, Q.; Hsiao, M.; Schäfer, G.; Goliath, R.T.; Abrahams, F.; Jackson, A.; Wasserman, S.; Allwood, B.W.; Davis, A.G.; Lai, R.P.; Coussens, A.K.; Wilkinson, K.A.; de Vries, J.; Tiffin, N.; Cerrone, M.; Ntusi, N.A.B.; consortium, H.; Riou, C.; Wilkinson, R.J. Effects of tuberculosis and/or HIV-1 infection on COVID-19 presentation and immune response in Africa. Nat Commun 2023, 14, 188, doi:10.1038/s41467-022-35689-1.
Chinna, P.; Bratl, K.; Lambarey, H.; Blumenthal, M.J.; Schäfer, G. The Impact of Co-Infections for Human Gammaherpesvirus Infection and Associated Pathologies. Int J Mol Sci 2023, 24, doi:10.3390/ijms241713066.
Lambarey, H.; Blumenthal, M.J.; Chetram, A.; Joyimbana, W.; Jennings, L.; Tincho, M.B.; Burgers, W.A.; Orrell, C.; Schäfer, G. SARS-CoV-2 Infection Is Associated with Uncontrolled HIV Viral Load in Non-Hospitalized HIV-Infected Patients from Gugulethu, South Africa. Viruses 2022, 14, doi:10.3390/v14061222.
Riou, C.; Schäfer, G.; du Bruyn, E.; Goliath, R.T.; Stek, C.; Mou, H.; Hung, D.; Wilkinson, K.A.; Wilkinson, R.J. Rapid, simplified whole blood-based multiparameter assay to quantify and phenotype SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells. The European respiratory journal 2021, doi:10.1183/13993003.00285-2021.
Carse, S.; Lang, D.; Katz, A.A.; Schäfer, G. Exogenous Vimentin Supplementation Transiently Affects Early Steps during HPV16 Pseudovirus Infection. Viruses 2021, 13, doi:10.3390/v13122471.Ujma, S.; Carse, S.; Chetty, A.; Horsnell, W.; Clark, H.; Madsen, J.; Mackay, R.M.; Watson, A.; Griffiths, M.; Katz, A.A.; Schäfer, G. Surfactant Protein A Impairs Genital HPV16 Pseudovirus Infection by Innate Immune Cell Activation in A Murine Model. Pathogens 2019, 8, doi:10.3390/pathogens8040288.
Kaschula, C.H.; Tuveri, R.; Ngarande, E.; Dzobo, K.; Barnett, C.; Kusza, D.A.; Graham, L.M.; Katz, A.A.; Rafudeen, M.S.; Parker, M.I.; Hunter, R.; Schäfer, G. The garlic compound ajoene covalently binds vimentin, disrupts the vimentin network and exerts anti-metastatic activity in cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2019, 19, 248, doi:10.1186/s12885-019-5388-8.
Blumenthal, M.J.; Schutz, C.; Barr, D.; Locketz, M.; Marshall, V.; Whitby, D.; Katz, A.A.; Uldrick, T.; Meintjes, G.; Schäfer, G. The Contribution of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus to Mortality in Hospitalized Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients Being Investigated for Tuberculosis in South Africa. The Journal of infectious diseases 2019, 220, 841-851, doi:10.1093/infdis/jiz180.
Jacobs, B.A.; Chetty, A.; Horsnell, W.G.C.; Schäfer, G.; Prince, S.; Smith, K.A. Hookworm exposure decreases human papillomavirus uptake and cervical cancer cell migration through systemic regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker expression. Scientific reports 2018, 8, 11547, doi:10.1038/s41598-018-30058-9.
Blumenthal, M.J.; Schutz, C.; Meintjes, G.; Mohamed, Z.; Mendelson, M.; Ambler, J.M.; Whitby, D.; Mackelprang, R.D.; Carse, S.; Katz, A.A.; Schäfer, G. EPHA2 sequence variants are associated with susceptibility to Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection and Kaposi’s sarcoma prevalence in HIV-infected patients. Cancer Epidemiol 2018, 56, 133-139, doi:10.1016/j.canep.2018.08.005.
Schäfer, G.; Graham, L.M.; Lang, D.; Blumenthal, M.J.; Bergant Marusic, M.; Katz, A.A. Vimentin modulates infectious internalisation of HPV16 pseudovirions. Journal of virology 2017, doi:10.1128/JVI.00307-17.