Christina Thobakgale-Tshabalala is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the HIV Pathogenesis Program at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She obtained her junior degrees from University of the North, a PHD from UKZN, followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship with UKZN and the Ragon Institute at Harvard University. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Columbia Fogarty Traineeship, Golden Key International recognition and recently a runner-up for the Distinguished Young Women in Science award from the Department of Science and Technology.