Professor Michael S. Pepper
MBChB (Cape Town), PhD (Geneva), MD (Geneva), Privat Docent (Geneva)
Michael Pepper is Director of the Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Director of the South African Medical Research Council Extramural Unit for Stem Cell Research and Therapy, and Research Professor in the Department of Immunology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Until Sept 2024 he was professeur associé in the Department of Genetic Medicine and Development in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Michael obtained his MBChB in 1982 from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Cape Town, and moved to Geneva in 1986, where he obtained his PhD in 1990, MD in 1992 and Privat Docent in 1997. He returned to South Africa in July 2004. Michael maintains research and teaching commitments in Pretoria and Geneva.
Michael has worked extensively in the field of clinically oriented (translational) molecular cell biology and has made seminal contributions to the fields of vascular biology/medicine and immunology. His current interests are in the fields of cell and gene therapy and the human genome as well as the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of work in these fields.
Michael has been involved in the creation of several biotech startup companies including Next Biosciences (https://nextbio.co.za/) - co-founder of Netcells in 2005; Transcure Bioservices (https://www.transcurebioservices.com/) - co-founder in 2011; Antion Biosciences (https://antion.ch/#/) - co-founder in 2011 and board member 2021-present; and Altera Biosciences - co-founder in 2024 and CSO.
Michael led a consensus study for the Academy of Science of South Africa entitled “Human Genetics and Genomics in South Africa: Ethical, Legal and Social Implications” which was launched in December 2018, and is currently leading a project on the ELSI of gene therapy (including gene editing) in South Africa. He is immediate past-President and Chairman of the Board of the South African Tissue Bank Association. Michael is co-responsible, together with Prof. Michele Ramsay, for coordinating the Southern African Human Genome Programme which was launched in January 2011. He has been working with the Department of Health on legislation pertaining to Chapter 8 of the National Health Act and regulations thereto since mid-2009. Michael was previously a member of the National Advisory Committee on Innovation (Project leader: “Bioeconomy Policies and Strategies”) which advises the Minister of Science and Technology and was also Chairperson of the National Biotech Advisory Committee.
Michael has more than 360 medical and scientific publications with and H-Index of 79/95 (Scopus/Google Scholar). He is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa and has received a number of awards for his research including the South African Health Excellence Award for Scientific Excellence in 2019. Michael was ranked first in South Africa among Top Biology and Biochemistry Scientists on 21 November 2023 by Research.com, and was nominated one of the 100 Most Influential Academics in Government (globally) by “apolitical” under policy area “Recovery from Covid-19”.
Michael has been extensively involved in teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and has lectured widely on the international circuit. He is frequently solicited as a peer reviewer and is currently on the editorial board of Lymphatic Research and Biology and (having previously been on the editorial boards of Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis & Vascular Biology, the Angiogenesis Journal, Applied and Translational Genomics and the Journal of Medical Law and Ethics). He interacts frequently with the media and writes for the lay press on scientific and medical matters.
Michael is a member of the Human Genome Organization, the Southern African Society of Human Genetics, the African Society of Human Genetics, the South African Tissue Bank Association, the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, the International Society for Stem Cell Research, the World Marrow Donor Association and the South African Stem Cell Transplantation Society. He was on the European Vascular Biology Association EXCOM from 1993-2004.
Contact details:
Room 5-64, Level 5, Pathology Building
5 Bophelo Road (Cnr. Steve Biko and Dr. Savage Streets)
Prinshof Campus, University of Pretoria
Gezina, Pretoria, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)12 319 2179 (Secretary)
Tel: +27 (0)12 319 2190 (Direct)
Fax: +27 (0)12 319 2946
Mobile: +27 (0)72 209 6324
E-mail:
[email protected]