Dr. Carolyn Padoa

Carolyn Padoa is a South African biomedical researcher whose work centers on the immunogenetics and pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes in African populations. Affiliated with academic and clinical research institutions in Johannesburg, her scholarship addresses critical knowledge gaps in populations historically underrepresented in endocrine and metabolic research.

Her research explores vitamin D pathway genetics, including VDR polymorphisms and vitamin D binding protein variants, and their association with type 1 diabetes risk. She has also examined islet autoantibodies such as ZnT8, GAD65, and IA2, clarifying their prevalence, clinical correlates, and relationship to age at diagnosis in Black South Africans, thereby advancing understanding of population-specific autoimmune profiles.

Additional contributions include studies on ENPP1 polymorphisms and kidney function, laboratory medicine practices affecting renal assessment in HIV care, and earlier work in autoimmunity and microbial pathogenesis. Collectively, her publications demonstrate expertise in molecular techniques, translational endocrinology, and the intersection of genetics, immunity, and metabolic disease in African contexts.