Jonathan Paul Spanos Email & Phone Number

I was born in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal. I attended Durban Preparatory High School from 1998 - 2005, followed by Durban High School from 2006-2010. I attended the University of Cape Town from 2011-2017 where I completed both a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) simultaneously with an honours degree, viz. Bachelor of Medical Science [BMedSci(Hon)] in Infectious Disease and Immunology.I completed my BMedSci(Hon) in 2015, being awarded the degree in the first class. My thesis, entitled ‘Neuronal-T-Cell Interactions in Central Nervous System Tuberculosis’ examined the immune response to brain and spinal tuberculosis, following on from pioneering work from the Jacobs Lab that neurons are hosts of TB mycobacteria. I subsequently became one of the first honours students to publish a review article in a peer-reviewed journal, viz. Frontiers of Cellular Neuroscience. The article, entitled ‘Microglia are crucial regulators in central nervous system Tuberculosis,’ examined the potential role these cells have in CNS-TB infections, in the hopes of improving treatment and diagnosis.Whilst completing my honours degree, I completed my medical degree. I graduated in 2017 from the University of Cape Town, being awarded the MBChB degree with honours. I was placed at Tygerberg Hospital for my medical internship, and am currently completing my community service in the Ditsobotla Subdistrict in the North-West province. Thereafter, I intend to return to TB research following completion of my community service, and subsequently specialize – hopefully, in the field of Internal Medicine.