National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS-SA) View Institution's Website 3 articles published in JoVE Immunology and Infection Standard Membrane Feeding Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Anopheles Mosquito Vectors Erica Erlank1,2, Nelius Venter1,2, Lizette L. Koekemoer1,2 1Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service The standard membrane feeding assay (SMFA) is regarded as the gold standard for the assessment and identification of potential antimalarial compounds. This artificial feeding system is used to infect mosquitoes to further evaluate the effects of such compounds on the intensity and prevalence of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. Cancer Research Flow Cytometric Analysis of Apoptotic Biomarkers in Actinomycin D-Treated SiHa Cervical Cancer Cells Rivak Punchoo1,2, Esther Zhou1, Sachin Bhoora1 1Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, 2Tshwane Academic Division, National Health Laboratory Service Apoptosis can be characterized by flow cytometric analysis of early and late apoptotic biomarkers. The cervical cancer cell line, SiHa, was analyzed for apoptosis biomarkers after treatment with Actinomycin D using a benchtop flow cytometer. Immunology and Infection Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model Denise Lawrie1,2, George Janossy2, Maarten Roos3, Deborah K. Glencross1,2 1National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS-SA), 2Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, 3Lightcurve Films Anti-retroviral therapy to treat HIV/AIDS is monitored in South Africa on a large scale. Flow cytometry is combined for haematology (CD45), immunology (CD4) and viral-load linked CD38 assay. Recorded at NHLS-SA laboratories, Johannesburg, these modern methods are cost-efficient with heightened local internal quality control, serving as role-models for resource-limited diagnostics.