Dr. Yvonne Perner

Yvonne Perner is a South African clinician-scientist and academic pathologist affiliated with Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and the University of the Witwatersrand. Her work centers on hematopathology and molecular oncology in high HIV-prevalence settings, with a strong focus on lymphoma biology and virus-associated malignancies. She integrates diagnostic pathology with translational research to address regionally relevant cancer burdens.

Her publications highlight expertise in plasmablastic lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, and rare MYC-rearranged entities. She has explored the impact of antiretroviral therapy on lymphoma patterns, the role of Epstein–Barr virus in tumor pathogenesis, and immune–tumor interactions, including CD4+ T-cell modulation of endemic Burkitt lymphoma. Advanced immunophenotyping and molecular techniques underpin much of this work.

Additional contributions include studies on colorectal cancer in indigenous African populations and epigenetic regulation in TB–HIV co-infection, reflecting a broader interest in infection-driven oncogenesis and inflammatory disease. Through clinicopathological analyses and case-based insights, her research informs diagnosis, prognostication, and cancer care strategies in resource-limited environments.