Dr. Noluthando Mwelase

Noluthando Mwelase is a clinical researcher specializing in HIV and tuberculosis therapeutics, with a strong focus on pharmacology, treatment optimization, and women’s health in sub-Saharan Africa. Her work is closely aligned with international clinical trial networks, contributing to evidence that informs global HIV and TB treatment and prevention guidelines.

Her research spans antiretroviral and rifamycin drug–drug interactions, population pharmacokinetic modeling, and pharmacogenetics, particularly involving efavirenz, nevirapine, rifapentine, and isoniazid. She has advanced understanding of dose optimization, fixed versus weight-based strategies, and risk-stratified TB treatment. Contributions also include studies on cryptococcal meningitis, Kaposi sarcoma, and pregnancy outcomes among women living with HIV.

More recently, her scholarship emphasizes HIV prevention among young African women, examining PrEP adherence, point-of-care drug level monitoring, and user-centered product preferences. Through multicountry cohort studies and randomized trials, her work integrates behavioral science, implementation research, and clinical pharmacology to improve uptake, adherence, and outcomes in high-burden settings.