IN CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL GOMES

Michael Gomes is a medical student and PhD candidate at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is part of the Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform. He was recently awarded the 2026 South African Medical Research Council Institutional Clinician Researcher Development Programme scholarship to support his research into nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Human Anatomy and Physiology from the University of Cape Town. He is currently pursuing a supplemented MBChB-PhD programme at Wits. His research focuses on developing nanoscale carriers that can deliver chemotherapy more effectively to brain tumours. His long-term goal is to improve patients’ outcomes in South Africa and beyond. Aspiring to specialise in neurosurgery, Michael wants to bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical practice. He aims to ensure that new biomedical innovations improve patient care.