Professor Gary Maartens is both head of clinical pharmacology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and a chief specialist physician at Groote Schuur Hospital. He is an international authority on the therapeutic aspects of HIV-associated TB, drug-resistant TB and antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers, was the founding president for the South African College of Clinical Pharmacologists, and in 2015, was awarded a gold medal by the Medical Research Council of South Africa for outstanding contributions to medical research.

Dr Nomathemba Chandiwana, BSc, MBBCh, MPH, served as the Co-Chair of the 7^th SAHCS conference, bringing her broad-based expertise as Chief Scientific Officer and Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Portfolio at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation. A clinician-scientist with expertise in HIV and NCDs, she is a leading voice on the intersection of obesity, cardiometabolic disease, and sleep health, particularly among women living with and without HIV. Beyond research, Dr. Chandiwana is a committed research advocate, dedicated to translating science into policy to drive equitable healthcare solutions.

Professor Yunus Moosa is an Associate Professor, Chief Specialist and Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His work focuses on the care of inpatients and outpatients with complex infectious disease issues. He is involved in bedside teaching and training of medical students, postgraduates at all levels and Infectious Diseases Subspecialists. His research interests include HIV drug resistance, diagnosis of smear negative tuberculosis and TB drug induced liver injury.

Dr. Silingene J. Ngcobo (Ph.D., MN, Pg Dip HIV Man, PHC, BA honors, BCur (I et A), RCHN, RPN, RM, RN) served as the co-chair of the 7^th SAHCS and is affiliated with the Discipline of Nursing at the University of KwaZulu Natal. Her research interests focus on implementation research, particularly in HIV care within community healthcare settings, key populations, health promotion, teenage pregnancy, HIV care education and training, interprofessional education, and health advocacy.

Dr Ndiviwe Mphothulo has been an HIV Clinician for the past 20 years. He holds MBChB, Diploma in HIV Management (SA), Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Business Leadership (MBL), and is currently a PhD candidate (Public Health) at University of KwaZulu-Natal. He has been a rural doctor for most of his career with a special interest in tuberculosis, Drug Resistant TB, and HIV management in Primary Health Care settings. He has worked at Taung District Hospital’s TB and MDR-TB wards and also practiced as a General Practitioner (GP) for over 15 years in the North-West Province. Dr Mphothulo has also worked at the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality Clinics for 4 years.

Professor Jeremy Nel graduated with an MBChB from University of Cape Town in 2006, and thereafter specialised in internal medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he later also completed a fellowship in infectious diseases. He was awarded a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the Royal College of Physicians with distinction in 2017 and recently completed a fellowship in transplant infectious diseases at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Dr Nel has published research in the fields of tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacteria, HIV and cryptococcal meningitis.

Professor Francois Venter is Divisional Director, Ezintsha, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He has expertise in HIV programme implementation, including antiretroviral therapy (ART), opportunistic infection prophylaxis, human resource allocation, data systems, and service integration, having led large PEPFAR-funded HIV programmes. He leads multiple ART optimisation studies, has an active interest in public sector access to HIV services, medical ethics, and human rights.