Prof Daynia Ballot

Daynia Ballot is a South African neonatologist and academic leader based at the University of the Witwatersrand and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Her work centers on neonatal intensive care in resource-limited settings, with a strong commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable newborns across sub-Saharan Africa. She is widely recognized for advancing collaborative research networks focused on neonatal sepsis, encephalopathy, and prematurity.

Her publications highlight major contributions to global neonatal sepsis research, including leadership in the NeoOBS consortium and development of severity and recovery prediction tools. She has driven investigations into antimicrobial resistance and novel antibiotic combinations for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections, directly informing international clinical trials and treatment strategies in low- and middle-income countries.

Ballot’s research also explores hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy, from pathophysiology and emerging neuroprotective therapies to pioneering genomic studies in African populations. Additional work on intraventricular hemorrhage, RSV bronchiolitis, and pediatric oncology reflects broad clinical expertise and a sustained focus on context-relevant, evidence-based improvements in child health.