Dr Nerissa Naidoo completed her undergraduate and postgraduate education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, under the co-mentorship of Ghent University, Belgium through the INSPIRE project of the Erasmus Mundus Programme. Her research contributions pertain to the degenerative and biomechanical aspects of three-dimensional musculoskeletal models, anomalies of arterial trees and blended instructional models in lesson plan dissemination. Dr Nerissa also has a long-standing affiliation with the Golden Key International Honour Society as the previous South African representative on the Council of Student Members. Most recently, she was selected as a Next Generation Women Leader 2020 by McKinsey & Company and awarded the Rising Teaching Award 2021 by Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE
Assistant Professor – Anatomy
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE
Replacement lecturer – Anatomy
Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Curator – Anatomy
Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Module Coordinator - Cytology and Histology
Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Research Assistant – Anatomy
Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Demonstrator – Anatomy
Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Professional Education
Ph.D in Anatomy
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Bachelor of Medical Science Honours in Anatomy
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Bachelor of Medical Science
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Teaching
- Instructional delivery of Anatomy courses (viz. Neuroanatomy; Head, Neck and Back; Trunk and Embryology; Upper and Lower Limbs; Cytology and Histology; Ethics and Law) to undergraduate medical, medical science and allied health science (viz. nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, communication pathology, pharmacy, dental therapy) students
- Instructional delivery of Anatomy Research course to postgraduate medical science students in the honours year
- Instructional delivery of Cell Biology course to PhD Candidates in the postgraduate Biomedical Science Program
- Postgraduate supervision of Honours, Masters and PhD students.
Honors and Awards
Mutairu Ezimokhai Excellence in Teaching Award: Rising Teaching Award 2021
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences Excellence Award 2021
Innovation Award 2021 (Summer Scholars Program)
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences Excellence Award 2021
Women Achievement Award 2020 (South Africa)
McKinsey & Company
Next Generation Women Leaders
McKinsey & Company Virtual Event, France
Inspiring Fifty South Africa 2018 Nominee
Initiative of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa
Hanne Boon Medical Education Award: 1st Runner-Up
Anatomical Society of Southern Africa
NRF Competitive Grant for Rated-Researchers (Co-investigator)
National Research Foundation, South Africa
Research Development Grant
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
International Summit Travel Grant
Golden Key International Honour Society, Atlanta, Georgia
Ph.D Mobility Scholarship
INSPIRE Project of Erasmus Mundus Programme, Ghent, Belgium
Publications
Membership of Professional Bodies and Associations
- Review Editor: Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes & Healthcare – Diabetes Multiorgan Complications
- American Association for Anatomy
- Full Member: Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)
- Golden Key International Honour Society
- Anatomical Society of Southern Africa
- African Forum for Research and Education in Health
- World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
- volunteers.ae
Research Interest
- Degenerative and biomechanical aspects of three-dimensional musculoskeletal models: Subacromial complex and lumbar verterbal
- Anatomical anomalies in arterial trees
- Medical education: Blended instructional models in lesson plan dissemination
- Epigenetics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Clinical and Community Service
- MBRU Pulse Days: Anatomy Lead, Mohammed Bin Rashid University, UAE, November 2018 – Present
- Estedad Program: Facilitator in academic sessions, Mohammed Bin Rashid University in association with the UAE Ministry of Education, UAE, July 2020, July-August 2021
- Adjudicator: Antoinette Kotze First-time Oral Presenter Award, 48th Annual Conference of the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 19 – 21 April 2021
- REACH Club: Advisor, Mohammed Bin Rashid University, UAE, April 2018 – Present
- Basic Statistics for Anatomy Research Workshop: Facilitator, Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, July 2018
- Adjudicator: Antoinette Kotze First-time Oral Presenter Award, 46th Annual Conference of the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa, University of Johannesburg, South Africa, 22 – 25 April 2018
- Senior Citizen Awareness Seminars in association with DAFTA (Durban Association of the Aged): Facilitator, South Africa, June – July 2017
- Golden Key International Honour Society, 2011 – present
Executive positions held:
- South African Representative: Council of Student Members, June 2016 – May 2017
- Central President: University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 2015
- Vice-President: Westville Campus Chapter, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2014
- General Secretary: Westville Campus Chapter, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2013
- Durban Youth Council: Secretary, Durban, South Africa, December 2006 – December 2007
