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CURRICULUM VITAE

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR INGA ISABEL HITZEROTH August 2019

Home address: 11 Clifford Avenue Vredehoek, 8001 Cape Town South Africa

Telephone number: (021) 650 5712 (work)

Cell: 083 50 63330

Email address: Inga.Hitzeroth@uct.ac.za

Academic Website:

http://www.mcb.uct.ac.za/mcb/people/staff/research/Hitzeroth/research

Link to full CV: http://www.mcb.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/image_tool/images/261/People/Staff/academic/inga_hitzeroth/HitzerothCV_August2019.pdf.

PERSONAL DATA

First names: Inga Isabel Surname: Hitzeroth Date of Birth: 27 February 1961 Place of Birth: Swakopmund, Namibia Sex: Female Marital status: Married, one child Nationality: South African Home language: German (others: English and Afrikaans)

QUALIFICATIONS 1982 (UCT) B.Sc Major in Microbiology and Biochemistry 1983 (UCT) B. Sc (Hons) Microbiology 1988 (UCT) PhD in Population Genetics in Microbiology 2005 Project Management Course at UCT Graduate School of Business 2008-2009 Entrepreneurial development programme with

Cape Biotech Trust

APPOINTMENTS

2019 - Chief Research Officer with title of Associate

Professor and Deputy Director of the Biopharming Research Unit (BRU) Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, UCT

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2009 - 2019 Deputy Director and Senior Research Officer in

BRU, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, UCT

2000 - 2009 Research Officer in Prof. E. Rybicki’s group,

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, UCT 1997 - June 1999 Part-time Lecturer in Department of Biochemistry, University of Stellenbosch 1989 - 1994 Senior Scientific Officer with Professor R. Millar Department of Chemical Pathology, Medical School, UCT Nov 1987 - Dec 1988 Post-Doctoral Researcher with Dr R. Kirby, Microbiology Department, UCT 1984-1986 Research Assistant, Sea Fisheries Research

Institute, Cape Town

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Presently I am the Deputy Director of the Biopharming Research Unit. My work focuses on production of vaccines and pharmaceuticals in plants with the view of developing vaccines and reagents that are affordable in developing countries. We have expressed a number of proteins in plants from different human and animal viruses: Human papillomavirus (HPV) coat- and oncoproteins, Avian influenza virus H5 haemagglutinin proteins, Rotavirus coat proteins and Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) coat protein. These viruses cause very different diseases: HPV is associated with cervical cancer, avian influenza can cause an influenza pandemic in birds and humans, Rotavirus infection plays a major role in causing severe gastroenteritis and BFDV causes psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) which is a highly contagious and debilitating viral disease that affects parrots and other psittacine birds. I have published and co-published 20 papers and 3 chapters in books since 2013.

I am the project leader on NRF, TIA and PRF funded projects in the group, and am overall lab manager for our research group.

For six years prior to that I was a Post-doctoral Researcher in Prof. R. Millar’s Regulatory Peptides Research Unit at UCT. The research interests of this unit focused on cloning and site directed mutagenesis of the Gonadotropin releasing Hormone receptor (GnRHR). My research focused on identifying sites of interaction of GnRH with its receptor (published 5 papers, 2 chapters in books). For my PhD I studied the two sympatric species of hake, Merluccius capensis and Merluccius paradoxus, which are morphologically very similar and occur along the coasts of southern Africa. The amount of genetic divergence was estimated between these two species using electrophoretic analysis of 31 protein encoding loci and restriction endonuclease analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) (I published 5 papers on PhD work).

SUPERVISION Presently I am the supervisor of 2 PhD and 8 Masters students, and I was the supervisor of PhD students that graduated in 2017 and 2015 and five Masters student that graduated since 2012, two with distinction. Since 2008, I have supervised 24 Honours students and co-supervised 6 Masters students and one PhD student who all graduated successfully (2 Masters with distinction).

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I also supervised 3 MSc students from Germany that did their 3-6 month internship in our group. In 2013 I supervised a visiting Professor from Nigeria who did a short project in our laboratory. I also supervised a visiting PhD student from Cuba as part of the Cuba/DST collaborative project. Presently I am supervising four post-docs and a technician; I have co-supervised another four post-doc from 2008 onwards, and 3 technicians were also under my direct management over the last 12 years. I have supervised/mentored 5 NRF interns since 2014.

Graduated postgraduate students (co-)supervised since 2008

PhD Students Year

graduated Thesis title Primary

Supervisor

Sue Dennis 2019 Development of plant-produced African horse sickness virus vaccines

ER

Aleyo Chabeda 2017

Immunogenic assessment of plant-produced Human papillomavirus type 16 chimaeric L1:L2 virus-like particles and the production of an encapsidated therapeutic DNA vaccine candidate IH

Guy Regnard 2015 The development of a challenge model and plant-produced vaccine for beak and feather disease virus IH

MSc Students Year

graduated Dissertation title Primary

Supervisor

Matthew Verbeek 2019

The Expression of the Shuni Virus Nucleocapsid Protein in Nicotiana benthamiana for Use as a Diagnostic Reagent IH

Hendrik Els 2019 Development of Microalgae as a Biopharming Platform ER

Raygaanah Jacobs 2018 Enhancement of plant expression vectors using replication and silencing suppressor elements IH

Corrie Gunter 2018 Production of particle-based porcine circovirus candidate vaccines in plants IH

Francisco Pera 2017 Production of a candidate universal influenza vaccine in Nicotiana benthamiana IH

Romana Yanez 2016

Enhancing the expression of a HPV-16 therapeutic vaccine candidate in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves (Distinction) IH

Paul Kennedy 2013 HPV pseudovirion production in plants ER

Lucian Duvenage 2012 Beak and feather disease virus candidate vaccine development (Distinction)

IH

Catherine Pineo 2011 Plant production and immunogenic characterization of Human papillomavirus chimaera vaccines (Distinction)

ER

David Mutepfa 2011 Expression of rotavirus capsid proteins in N. benthamiana leaves using an Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression system

ER

Marieta Burger 2010 Production and Immunogenicity of Chimaeric Human Papillomavirus-like Particle Vaccines (Distinction)

ER

Anna T Salimo 2010 Human papillomavirus diversity and possible recombination of the virus in South African women infected with HIV

ER

Ramon Pereira 2008 Expression of HPV-16 L2 in Plants ER

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Current postgraduate students

PhD Students

Year started

Primary supervisor Thesis title Status

Buyani Ndlovu 2019 IH

Replicating plant virus vector development and testing for recombinant protein production in plants

ongoing

Melie Buyse 2015 IH

Plant-made vaccine candidate for beak and feather disease virus

ongoing

MSc Students

Year started

Primary supervisor Dissertation title

Aune Angobe 2019 IH

Development of a plant-made immunoassay to detect Porcine circovirus antibodies in South African swine herds.

ongoing

Gloria Luhanga 2019 IH

Investigation of the production of a multivalent African horse sickness virus vaccine candidate

ongoing

Tim Plasket 2018 IH

Plant-based production of phage display-derived ScFvs against African Horse Sickness serotype 5

ongoing

Frances Lees 2018 IH

An Investigation into Developing a Candidate Subunit Vaccine against Brucella.

ongoing

Paulina Naupu 2018 IH

The Immunogenicity of Plant produced Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Virus-like particles (VLPs) in mice

writing up

Ayesha Adams 2017 IH

Characterisation and optimisation of production of human papillomavirus pseudovirions in tobacco plants

writing up

Shelley Fearon

2017

AM

The development of an African horse sickness virus VP7 quasi-crystal vaccine candidate in N. benthamiana

Handed in

Inge Pietersen 2017 IH

Working towards a plant-produced Bovine papillomavirus vaccine: Expression of BPV1 virus-like particles and pseudovirions in Nicotiana benthamiana

graduating

Post-doctoral fellows supervised since 2009

Fellow Name Years of fellowship Supervision

Sue Dennis 2019- Co-supervisor

Aleyo Chabeda 2018 - Supervisor

Sandiswa Mbewana 2017- Co-supervisor

Rosemary Meggersee 2014 - 2018 Supervisor

Guy Regnard 2015 - 2018 Supervisor

Megan Hendrikse 2014 - Supervisor

Alta van Zyl 2013 - 2017 Supervisor

Alta van Zyl 2018 - Co-supervisor

Hapiloe Maranyane 2015 - 2017 Co-supervisor

Elisabeth Mortimer 2008 - 2010

2013 - 2015

Co-supervisor

Supervisor

Sue Huddy 2010 - 2015 Supervisor

Renate Lamprecht 2013 - 2016 Supervisor

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Hons students supervised since 2008

Student Name Year of

Graduation

Amy Edwards 2019

Kirsty Buchanan 2019

Tim Plasket 2017

Runako Muzwidzwa 2017

Andrew Gillard 2017

Kara-Lee Aves 2016

Ayesha Adams 2016

Corrie Gunter 2015

Raygaanah Jacobs 2015

Romana de Jesu 2014

Hendrik Els 2014

Francisco Pera 2013

Hedda Inderthal 2013

Samantha Bayly 2012

Jonathan Glass 2012

Alexandra Field 2011

Nicolas Coppin 2011

Aleyo Chabeda 2011

Emang Molojwane 2010

Lucian Duvanage 2010

Mogogi P. Oagile 2010

Rubina Bungun 2009

Owen Karimanzira 2009

Cathrine Pineo 2008

Dave Mutepfa 2008

Ronelle Ogle 2008

Interns Supervised

Name year

Cornelius Gunter 2018

Scott de Beer 2017

Rishaad Ballim 2016

Nwaxigombe Baloyi 2015

Ayesha Mohamed 2014

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PRESENTATIONS AT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS

I was an invited speaker at International Society for Plant Molecular Farming (ISPMF) in Ghent in 2016 and at the Plants and People Conference in 2011 at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Germany. I also gave an oral presentation at the 31st International Papillomavirus Conference in 2017 and the Virology Africa Conference held in Cape Town in November 2015. In the last few years I was able to secure oral presentation of our work at the biennial Plant-Based Vaccines and Antibodies Conference (PBVA) (2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019) and the ISPMF conference (2014, 2016 and 2018) and I have been invited to chair session at the last few PBVA, ISPMF and HPV conferences that I attended.

Local Conferences

International Conferences

Virology Africa Conference, 30 Nov – 3 Dec 2015, Cape Town, South Africa Oral presentation by I Hitzeroth: Human Papillomavirus Pseudovirions made in plants; Oral presentation by Regnard and Poster presentation by: A Chabeda, R Yanez, C Gunter, M. Buyse, R. Jacobs, H. Maranyane and S. Dennis. I chaired a session at this conference

CANSA Research in Action Conference, 14-16 July 2015, Oral presentation by EP Rybicki

PBVAB 2019 Plant-Based Vaccines Antibodies and Biologics Conference, 10-12 June, Riga, Latvia Oral presentation by Aleyo Chabeda: Plant produce HPV psuedovirions where are we now? Poster presentations by: I. Hitzeroth, S Fearson

3rd ISPMF Conference, 11-13 June 2018, Helsinki Oral presentation by Corrie Gunter: Immunogenicity of plant produced PCV-like particles Oral presentation by Ann Meyers: Immunogenicity of a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine against African horse sickness Poster presentations by: I. Hitzeroth, A. Chabeda, S Fearson

31st International Papillomavirus Conference, 28 February - 4 March 2017, Cape Town Oral Presentation by I Hitzeroth: Plant made HPV Pseudovirions for delivery of therapeutic Vaccines Poster presentations by: I. Pietersen, A. Chabeda, A. Adams, R. Yanez, A. van Zyl I chaired a session at this conference.

PBVAB 2017 Plant-Based Vaccines Antibodies and Biologics Conference, 5 - 7 June 2017, Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal Oral presentation by I Hitzeroth: Subcellular localization of immunotherapeutic LALF-E7 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves

Second conference of the International Society for Plant Molecular Farming (ISPMF) held in Ghent, Belgium 25-27 May 2016 Invited Oral presentation by I Hitzeroth: Plant-Produced Vaccine Candidates against African Horse Sickness Virus Invited Oral presentation by A. Meyers, Oral presentation by R. Lamprecht; Poster presentation by: C Gunter, H. Maranyane, H Els and G Regnard I chaired a session at this conference.

Wellcome Trust Strategic Award – Medical Mycology & Fungal Immunology (WTSA-MMFI) Symposium, 8-10 February 2016. I was an invited mentor to my Masters student L. Duvenhage.

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PUBLICATIONS

1. Chabeda A, van Zyl AR, Rybicki EP, Hitzeroth II (2019) Substitution of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 L2 Neutralising Epitopes into L1 Surface Loops: The Effect on Virus-Like Particle Assembly and Immunogenicity Frontiers in Plant Science 10, 779

2. Jiang Y, Zhu C, He D, Gao Q, Tian X, Ma X, Wu J, Das BC, Severinov K, Hitzeroth II, Debata PR, Liu R, Zou L, Shi L, Xu H, Wang K, Bao Y, Ka-Kit LR, You Z, Zifeng Cui Z and Zheng Hu Z (2019) Cytological immunostaining of HMGA2, LRP1B, and TP63 as potential biomarkers for triaging human papillomavirus-positive women. Translational Oncology Accepted

3. Gunter CJ, Regnard GL, Rybicki EP and Hitzeroth II (2019). Immunogenicity of plant‐produced porcine

circovirus‐like particles in mice. Plant Biotechnology https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.13097

4. Dennis SJ, O'Kennedy MM, Rutkowska D, Tsekoa T, Lourens CW, Hitzeroth II, Meyers AE, Rybicki EP (2018) Safety and immunogenicity of plant-produced African horse sickness virus-like particles in horses. Vet Res. 49(1):105. doi: 10.1186/s13567-018-0600-4.

5. Hitzeroth II, Chabeda A, Whitehead M, Graf M and Rybicki EP (2018) Optimising a Human Papillomavirus type 16 L1-based Chimaeric Gene for Expression in Plants. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. Special Issue Process and Industrial Biotechnology 6 101. doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2018.00101

6. Huddy SM, Hitzeroth II, Meyers AE, Weber B and Rybicki EP (2018) Transient Expression and Purification of Horseradish Peroxidase C in Nicotiana benthamiana. Int. J. Mol. Sci.19 (1) 115. doi:10.3390/ijms19010115

7. Chabeda A, Yanez RJR, Lamprecht R, Meyers AE, Rybicki EP and Hitzeroth II (2018) Therapeutic vaccines for high-risk HPV-associated diseases Papillomavirus Research 5, 46–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pvr.2017.12.006

8. Yanez RJR, Lamprecht R, Granadillo M, Torrens I, Arcalís E, Stöger E, Rybicki EP and Hitzeroth II (2018) LALF32-51E7, a HPV-16 therapeutic vaccine candidate, forms protein body-like structures when expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Plant Biotechnology Journal 16 (2) 628-637. doi:10.1111/pbi.12802.

9. Dennis SJ, AE. Meyers AE, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2018) Immunogenicity of plant-produced African horse sickness virus-like particles: implications for a novel vaccine. Plant Biotechnology Journal 16 (2) 442-450; doi: 10.1111/pbi.12783

10. Regnard GL, Rybicki EP and Hitzeroth II (2017) Recombinant expression of beak and feather disease virus capsid protein and assembly of virus-like particles in Nicotiana benthamiana. Virology Journal 14:174 DOI 10.1186/s12985-017-0847-9

11. Regnard GL, de Moor W, Hitzeroth II, Williamson A-L and Rybicki EP (2017) Xenogenic rolling-circle replication of a synthetic beak and feather disease virus genomic clone in 293TT mammalian cells and in Nicotiana benthamiana. Journal of General Virology DOI 10.1099/jgv.0.000915

Plant-Based Vaccines, Antibodies & Biologics Conference - Lausanne, Switzerland, June 2015. Poster presented by I Hitzeroth: Optimisation of transient expression, purification and structural characterisation of HPV-16 L1/L2 chimaeric virus-like particles in Nicotiana benthamiana. Poster presented by F Pera, and oral presentation by Renate Lamprecht; I chaired a session at this conference.

30th International Papillomavirus Conference, 17-21 September 2015, Lisbon, Portugal - Poster presented by I Hitzeroth: Purification of plant produced HPV-16 L1/L2 chimaeric virus-like particle vaccine candidates.

29th International HPV Conference held in Seattle 21 – 25 August 2014. Presented 3 posters: A, Chabeda, R Lamprecht and I Hitzeroth

First conference of the International Society for Plant Molecular Farming held in Berlin-Dahlem, 17-19 June 2014 Oral presentation: HPV pseudovirion production in plants

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12. Regnard, G. L., Matiso, A., Mounir, L., Embarki, T., Hitzeroth, I. I., & Rybicki, E. P. (2017). Complete Genome Sequence of Bos taurus Papillomavirus Type 1, Isolated in Morocco. Genome announc, 5(38), e00979-17

13. Yanez RJR, Lamprecht R, Granadillo M, Weber B, Torrens I, Rybicki EP and Hitzeroth II (2017) Expression optimization of a cell membrane-penetrating human papillomavirus type 16 therapeutic vaccine candidate in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0183177. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183177

14. Regnard GL, Baloyi NM, Bracher LR, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP (2016). Complete Genome Sequences of Two Isolates of Canis familiaris Oral Papillomavirus from South Africa.Genome Announc. Dec 8;4(6).

15. Lamprecht RL, Kennedy P, Huddy SM, Bethke S, Hendrikse M, Hitzeroth II & Rybicki EP (2016) Production of Human papillomavirus pseudovirions in plants and their use in pseudovirion-based neutralisation assays in mammalian cells. Scientific Report 8;6:20431. doi: 10.1038/srep20431.

16. Pêra FFPG, Mutepfa, DLR, Khan, AM, Els JH, Mbewana S, van Dijk AAA, Rybicki EP and Hitzeroth II (2015) Engineering and expression of a human rotavirus candidate vaccine in Nicotiana benthamiana. Virology journal 12 12:205. doi: 10.1186/s12985-015-0436-8.

17. Mbewana S, Mortimer E, Pêra FFPG, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2015) Production of H5N1 influenza virus matrix protein 2 ectodomain protein bodies in tobacco plants and in insect cells as a candidate universal influenza vaccine. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology 3:197 doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2015.00197.

18. Regnard GL, Boyes RS, Martin RO, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2015) Beak and feather disease virus: correlation between viral load and clinical signs in wild Cape parrots (Poicephalus robustus) in South Africa. Archives of Virology. Volume 160: 339-344. (DOI) 10.1007/s00705-014-2225-x

19. Regnard GL, Boyes RS, Martin RO, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2015) Beak and feather disease viruses circulating in Cape parrots (Poicephalus robustus) in South Africa. Archives of Virology, 160:47-54. (DOI) 10.1007/s00705-014-2226-9

20. Whitehead M, Öhlschläger P, Almajhdi FN, Alloza L, Marzábal P, Meyers AE, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2014) Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 E7 protein bodies cause tumour regression in mice.BMC cancer 14 (1), 367 (DOI) 10.1186/1471-2407-14-367

21. Pineo CB, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP (2013) Immunogenic characterisation of plant-produced Human papillomavirus type 16 L1/L2 chimaeric vaccine candidates. Plant biotechnology journal 11 (8), 964-975 (DOI): 10.1111/pbi.12089

22. McGrath M, de Villiers GK, Shephard E, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP(2013) Development of human papillomavirus chimaeric L1/L2 candidate vaccines. Archives of virology 158 (10), 2079-2088

23. Rybicki EP, Hitzeroth II, Meyers AE, Jose Dus Santos M, Wigdorovitz A (2013). Developing country applications of molecular farming: case studies in South Africa and Argentina. Current pharmaceutical design 19 (31), 5612-5621.

24. Duvenage, L, Hitzeroth, I. I., Meyers, Rybicki, E. P (2013) Expression in tobacco and purification of Beak and feather disease virus capsid protein fused to elastin-like polypeptides. Journal of Virological Methods 191: 55-62

25. Mortimer E, Mbewana S, Buys A, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP (2013) An H5N1 Influenza DNA Vaccine for South Africa. South African Journal of Science 109(9/10):1-4.

26. Meiring T, Salimo A, Coetzee B, Maree H, Moodley J, Hitzeroth II, Freeborough M-J, Rybicki EP and Williamson A-L (2012) Next-generation sequencing of cervical DNA detects human papillomavirus types not detected by commercial kits. Virology Journal 9:164.

27. Mortimer E, Maclean JM, Mbewana S, Buys A, Williamson A-L, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP (2012) Setting up a platform for plant-based influenza virus vaccine production in South Africa. BMC Biotechnology 12:14.

28. Rybicki EP, Williamson A-L, Meyers AE and Inga I Hitzeroth II (2011) Vaccine Farming in Cape Town. Human Vaccines 7 (3) 1-10.

29. Varsani A, Regnard GL, Bragg RR, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP. (2011) Global genetic diversity and geographical and host species distribution of beak and feather disease virus isolates. J Gen Virol 92, 752-767.

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30. Varsani A, de Villiers GK, Regnard GL, Bragg RR, Kondiah K, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2010) A unique

strain of Beak and feather disease virus isolated from budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulates) in South Africa. Archives of Virology 155 (3) 435.

31. Regnard GL, Halley-Stott RP, Tanzer FL, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2010).High level protein expression in plants through the use of a novel autonomously replicating Geminivirus shuttle vector. Plant Biotechnology Journal 8:38-46

32. Moodley JR, Constant D, Hoffman M, Salimo A, Allan Rybicki EP, Hitzeroth II and Williamson A-L (2009).

Human papillomavirus prevalence, viral load and pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix in women initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy in South Africa a cross-sectional study. BMC Cancer 9:275

33. Hitzeroth II, Passmore J-AS, Shephard E, Stewart D, Martin Müller, Williamson A-L, Rybicki EP and Kast WM (2009) Immunogenicity of an HPV-16 L2 DNA vaccine. Vaccine 27(46): 6432-4.

34. Pereira R, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP (2009) Insights into the role and function of L2, the minor capsid protein of the papillomaviruses (HPV). Archives of Virology. 154(2):187-97

35. Regnard GL, Halley-Stott RP, Tanzer FL, Hitzeroth II and Rybicki EP(2008). Improved Expression of Vaccine Proteins in Plants through the Use of an Autonomously Replicating Plant Expression Vector. Aids Research and Human retroviruses 24: 153-153.

36. Kohl TO, Hitzeroth II, Christensen ND and Rybicki EP (2007) Expression of HPV-11 L1 protein in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum, BMC Biotechnology 7:56

37. Maclean J, Koekemoer M, Olivier AJ, Stewart D, Hitzeroth II, Rademacher T, Fischer R, Williamson A-L, Rybicki EP (2007) Optimization of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) L1 expression in plants: comparison of the suitability of different HPV-16 L1 gene variants and different cell compartment localisation. Journal of General Virology 88:1460-9.

38. Passmore, J.-A.; Milner, M.; Denny, L.; Sampson, C.; Marais, D.; Allan, B.; Gumbi, P.; Hitzeroth, I.I.; Rybicki, E.; Williamson, A.-L. (2006) Comparison of cervical and blood T cell responses to HPV-16 in women with HPV-associated cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Immunology 119 (4), 507-514.

39. Kohl T., Hitzeroth I.I., Stewart, D., Varsani A., Govan V.A., Christensen N.D., Williamson A.-L. and Rybicki E.P.(2006) Plant-produced Cottontail rabbit papillomavirus L1 protein protects against tumour challenge: a proof-of-concept study. Clinical and vaccine Immunology Aug. 2006 845-853.

40. Varsani,A., Williamson A-L., de Villiers D., Becker I., Christensen N. D., and Rybicki E. P. (2003) Chimeric HPV-16 L1 particles presenting the common neutralising epitope for the L2 minor capsid protein of HPV types 6 and 16. Journal of Virology 77 (15):8386-8393.

41. Davidson, J., Assefa, D, Pawson, A., Davies, P., Hapgood, J., Becker, I., Flanagan, C., Roeske, R., and Millar, R.P. (1997). Irreversible Activation of the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor by Photoaffinity Cross-Linking: Localization of Attachment Site to Cys Residue in N-Terminal Segment. Biochemistry (36): 12881-12889

42. Davidson, JS., Flanagan, CA., Zhou, W., Becker, I., Elario R., Emeran, W., Sealfon, SC., Millar, R.P. (1995). Identification of N-glycosylation sites in the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor: role in receptor expression but not ligand binding. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 107(2):241-5.

43. Flanagan, C.A., Becker, I.I., Davidson, J.S., Wakefield, I.K., Zhou, W., Sealfon, S.C., Millar, R.P. (1994).

Glutamate301 of the mouse gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor determines specificity for arginine8 of mammalian gonadotropin releasing hormone. J. Biol. Chem. (269): 22636-22641.

44. Davidson, J.S., Flanagan, C.A., Becker, I.I., Illing, N., Sealfon, S.C., and Millar, R.P. (1994). Molecular function of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor: insights from site-directed mutagenesis. Mol.Cell.Endocrinol. 100 (1,2): 9-14

45. Illing, N., Jacobs, G., Becker, I.I., Flanagan, C., Davidson, J.S., Eales, A., Zhou, W., Sealfon S. and Millar R.P. (1993). Comparative sequence analysis and functional characterization of the cloned sheep gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor reveal differences in primary structure and ligand specificity among mammalian receptors. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm.196 (2): 745-751

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46. Becker I.I., R. Kirby. (1988). A study of hake population diversity using restriction endonuclease analysis of Mitochondrial DNA. A practical application of molecular biology to a South African taxonomic problem. Trans Roy. Soc. S. Afr. 46 (4): 313-315.

47. Grant, W.S., I.I. Becker, and R.W. Leslie. (1988). Evolutionary divergence between sympatric species of southern African hakes, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus. I. Protein electrophoresis. Heredity 61: 13-20.

48. Becker I.I., W.S. Grant, R. Kirby and F.T. Robb. (1988). Evolutionary divergence between sympatric species of southern African hakes, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus. II. Restriction enzyme analysis of mitochondrial DNA. Heredity 61: 21-30.

49. Grant, W.S., I.I. Becker and R.W. Leslie. (1987). Descriptions of electrophoretic loci in the southern African hakes, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus. S. Afr. J. Mar. Sci.

50. Grant, W.S., R.W. Leslie, and I.I. Becker. (1987). Genetic stock structure of the southern African hakes, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus. Can. J. Aquat. Sci. 41: 9-20.

Chapters in books:

1. Hitzeroth II and van Zyl AR (2016) Transient Expression of Viral Proteins in Plants Using Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Vaccine Design: Methods and Protocols, Volume 2: Vaccines for Veterinary Diseases, Pages 581-595.

2. van Zyl AR and Hitzeroth II (2016) Purification of Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) from Plants In Vaccine Design: Methods and Protocols, Volume 2: Vaccines for Veterinary Diseases, Pages 569-579

3. Meyers AE, Rybicki EP and Hitzeroth II (2014) Plant-Produced Virus-Like Particles in 'Plant-Derived Pharmaceuticals: Principles and Applications for Developing Countries'

4. Millar, R.P., Davidson, J.S., Flanagan, C., Illing, N., Becker, I.I., Jacobs, G., Wakefield, Zhou, W., Chi, L.,and Sealfon, S. (1994). Gonadotropin Releasing-Hormone Receptor structure and function In: Perspectives in Comparative Endocrinology. Davey KG, Peter, RE and Tobe SS (eds.), National Research Council of Canada pP 264-268.

5. Millar, R.P., Davidson, J.S., Flanagan, C., Golembo, M., Illing, N., Jacobs, G., Becker, I.I., Wakefield, I., Eales, A., Tsutsumi, M., Chi, L., Zhou, W. and Sealfon, S. (1993. Towards the direct design of GnRH analogues: Insights from cloned GnRH Receptors. In: Current Topics in Andrology, (Oshima, H. and Burger, H.G. eds.), Japan Society of Andrology, Tokyo, pp1-22.

Citation indices from Google Scholar

All Since 2014

Citations 1675 747

h-Index 23 16

I 10 index 32 25

Scopus index =15

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PATENTS

I have 5 granted patents, 1 PCT filed patent and 2 with companies

Expression of viral proteins in plants – HPV (2005) A Williamson, EP Rybicki, JM Maclean, II Becker-Hitzeroth, PA139480, US20130130314A1, EP2374892A2 Granted in Europe, US, China, SA, India, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain

Expression of viral proteins in plants – Flu (2009) A Williamson, EP Rybicki, JM Maclean, II Becker-Hitzeroth, PA139480, WO2006119516A2, EP1883701B1 Filed in India and China Granted in SA, US, Europe

HPV Chimaeric Particle (small VLP) (2011) EP Rybicki, II Hitzeroth, PA154565, US20140377367A1, EP2785842A4 Filed in Philippines, Europe, Thailand, Canada, Australia, SA, Japan, Korea, United Arab Emirates, Israel, India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Hong Kong, Japan. Granted in US, China, Russia, New Zealand

Production of a Horseradish Peroxidase-IgG Fusion Protein (2016) EP Rybicki, II Hitzeroth, EA Meyers, PA165327, WO2017203426A1 PCT filed UK, PCT

HPV Pseudovirions (2013) EP Rybicki, II Hitzeroth PA158146, EP3024937, US20160168583A1 Filed in SA, US, Europe, Canada

Rotavirus Virus-like particle production in plants (2012) EP Rybicki, II Hitzeroth, DLR Mutepfa EP2847324B1 (PCT No WO2013166609A1) Filed in US, Korea, Granted in Europe, China, Canada, Denmark, Spain Applicant Medicago

Recombinant protein bodies as immunogen-specific adjuvants (2008) EP Rybicki, AE Meyers, F Devesa, P Marzábal Luna, II Hitzeroth, P Öhlschläger; PCT No WO2010040847A3, EP2356133A2, KR20110084906A, JP5667062B2 Filed in Europe, Korea Granted in Japan, US Applicant ERA Biotech

INTERNATIONAL REFEREEING

I have refereed papers regularly for the following international journals:

Plant Biotech Journal, Journal of Biotechnology, Frontiers in Plant Science, Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, International Journal of Nanomedicine, Plant Science, Plant Cell Reports, Molecular Biotechnology, Molecular Biology Reports, Archives of Virology and Vaccine. Proposals: MRC, England; National Science Center, Poland; National Commission on Research Science & Technology (NCRST), Namibia Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)

COMMITTEES

I am the communication officer on the International Society for Molecular Farming (ISPMF) from inception in 2014.

I am the chair of the departmental health and safety committee and was a member of the IIDMM animal ethics scientific sub-committee till 2014.

I am responsible for travel awards for Africans to attend the 33 HPV conference held in Australia in 2018.

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I reviewed abstracts for the international HPV conference in 2017 & 2018.

I was part of the organising committee for the 32nd international HPV conference held in 2017 in Cape Town. This is a large conference with over 1000 delegates from 40 different countries attending.

I was part of organising committee of biopharming workshop held in Cape Town in 2017 with government delegates and scientist from USA to establish a plant production platform in SA.

I ran a plant cell pack workshop in December 2015 which was attended by delegates from Botswana,

Mozambique, Czech Republic, UK and Germany. This workshop was such a success that my co-presenter from Germany was invited to give the workshop in Korea and England.

FUNDING

I have three years (2018-2020) funding from the poliomyelitis research foundation (PRF) to develop a plant-made diagnostic immunoassay for the detection of PCV antibodies in SA swine herds. I obtained BRICS funding for 3 years in 2017 from National Research Foundation (NRF) which is in collaboration with scientist from China, Russia and India. Here we identify genetic markers and develop molecular therapeutics for cervical cancer. I also obtained 3 years NRF funding for rated researchers in 2017 to further develop our plant expression vectors. In 2018 I obtained TIA seed funding for one year to develop HPV pseudovirions as delivery vehicle for therapeutic vaccines.

I obtained funding in my own right in 2015 for 3 years from the PRF to further develop HPV pseudovirions produced in plants and in 2012 I received a 3 year grant from PRF to investigate Human rotavirus protein expression in plants, in 2013 I was awarded three years of funding from the MRC to further develop influenza vaccines expressed in plants. In 2014 I was awarded a three year grant from the NRF to develop vaccines against beak and feather disease virus (BFDV). In 2014 I obtained a bilateral grant from the NRF to develop innovative technologies for plant factories of the future together with collaborators in Germany. I also obtained a grant from the NRF in 2009-2011 to work on optimisation of HPV protein expression in plants, and I obtained three smaller grants from UCT to work on BFDV protein expression in plants.

I am the co-PI on a research project to develop a platform for HPV vaccine expression which is funded by Medicago Inc, Canada (2013-2017). This project is based on my work on HPV over the last 10 years and this also resulted in royalty payments for patents on which I am an inventor. This contract has just been renewed for two years to work on emerging diseases.

I am also a co-investigator on a Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) grant for 3 years to further develop blue tongue virus and AHSV vaccines.

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Grant Period of grant Collaborators

TIA seed funding

2018 S Prince, UCT M Hendrikse, UCT

NRF: BRICS Multilateral Joint science and technology research collaboration

2018 - 2020

B. Das, India; P Debata, India; Hu Zheng, China; K Severinov, Russia.

NRF: Competitive programme for rated researchers

2018 - 2020

T Moravec, Czech Republic; J Burger, SA; N Steinmetz, USA

PRF: Development of a plant-made diagnostic immunoassay for the detection of PCV antibodies in SA swine herds

2018 - 2020

G Regnard, UCT

PRF: Optimisation of HPV therapeutic vaccines and PsVs production in plants

2015 - 2017

E Rybicki, UCT R Lamprecht, UCT

NRF: SA/Germany Research cooperation

2014 - 2016

R Fischer Fraunhofer Institute Germany

NRF: Development of vaccines against Beak and feather disease virus

2014 - 2016

S Boyes, Percy FitzPatrick Institute E Rybicki A Meyers

MRC: Plant produced vaccines against Influenza Viruses

2013 - 2015

E Rybicki, S Huddy

NRF: KIC travel awards 2016 2014

S Dennis A Chabeda

PRF: Production of Rotavirus VLP vaccines in plants

2012 - 2014

E Rybicki

THRIP: Setting up a manufacturing facility for plant-made recombinant proteins

2018-2020 (share) PI - B Shaw, Cape Bio Pharms E Rybicki

Medicago Inc, Canada 2014 - 2019

PI - E Rybicki, A Meyers, A van Zyl

TIA: Production of plant-produced Bluetongue virus and African horse-sickness virus vaccines

2015 - 2018

PI - E Rybicki ; A Meyers CSIR ERC ARV-OVI

CANSA: Production of HPV L1/L2 chimaeric VLP vaccines in plants and insect cells for broad protection against cervical cancer

2013 - 2015

PI - E Rybicki R Lamprecht

NRF SA-Cuba Scientific Collaboration: Development of alternative candidates for vaccines against Rotavirus and HPV.

2009 - 2014

PI - E Rybicki J Gorgens, Stellenbosch A van Dijk, North West University

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COLLABORATIONS

Local collaborators: Prof Vernon Coyne, MCB, UCT; Brandon Weber, EM unit, UCT; Dr Renate Lamprecht, Afrigen, South Africa; Professor Johan Burger of Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Dr Georgia Schafer, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), UCT; Prof Sharon Prince, Division of Cell Biology, UCT. International collaborators: Markus Sack, Fraunhofer Institute, Aachen, Germany; Prof Peter Öhlschläger, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Aachen, Germany; Milaid Granadillo & Isis Torrens, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba; Prof Eva Stöger & Elsa Arcalís, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Dr Marc-Andre D’Aoust, Medicago, Quebec, Canada; Prof Bhudev Das, Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine & Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India; Ass Prof Priya Debata, Department of Zoology, North Orissa University, Baripada, Odisha, India; Prof Hu Zheng, Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China; Prof Konstantin Severinov, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia; Dr Tomas Moravec, Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Experimental Botany, Prague, Czech Republic; Prof Nicole Steinmetz, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, USA; Dr Sanjay Ram, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA.