Complex Disease Genomics

Short bio Dr Pearce received his Ph.D. in Biotechnology with a special focus on precision medicine in 2017 from the Department of Biotechnology at the University of the Western Cape. He joined the Department of Genetics at Stellenbosch University in 2022 as a Lecturer in Genetics, focus area Human Genetics. His research interests include mitochondrial dysfunction, degenerative spinal disc diseases, diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, and the genetic interplay between these pathologies. His research has a primary disciplinary specialisation in molecular population- and drug response genetics. As such, he investigates how various genetic variants, and phenotypic anomalies, influence the metabolisms of and response to therapeutic drugs in these diseases. His work has applications in and implications on precision medicine, the current status of healthcare and its practitioners, therapeutic strategy development, global health economic assessments, policymakers, regulatory and payor decision-makers, and clinical practise guidelines. He has authored more than 20 peer reviewed scientific papers, contributed to various national- and international conferences and symposia; and has a history of graduated B.Sc.Hons-, M.Sc.– and Ph.D. students.