Carola Niesler

Prof Carola Niesler is an established NRF-rated scientist whose research has focussed on stem cells in regeneration and repair. She is currently an Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Academic Leader of Biotechnology in the School of Life Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, SA,

She started her research career analysing adipose-derived stem cells during her PhD at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK, and subsequently spent two years in a Centre of Excellence for wound healing research at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.

In 2001 Carola joined Stellenbosch University to establish a Stem Cell Biology Group in the Department of Physiological Sciences. During this time, she also acted as a Director of Virtus Clinical Development, a clinical research organization based in Cape Town. Prof Niesler has published more than 33 papers in international peer-reviewed journals and graduated more than 20 PhD/MSc students.