Lucille Blumberg
Age: Young at heart
Schools attended: Parktown Girls’ High School
I admire: those doing incredible work in the treatment of HIV and TB.
I love science because: It is the basis of all we know. It also allows us to solve problems based on credited research and facts.
Dr Lucille Blumberg is the deputy director at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases at the National Health Laboratory in Johannesburg. Her work mainly consists of monitoring and managing the outbreak of disease in the country. She enjoys the problem-solving and irregular nature of her work and says she would not swap her job for anything. When she is not “detecting diseases and hunting microbes”, she enjoys travelling and anything related to food. She is an avid walker and loves visiting small towns in rural South Africa.
What sparked your interest in science?
I have always been intrigued by tropical diseases, the more rare and unusual, the better.
Was there any particular event that or person who convinced you to pursue a career in your chosen field?
I initially trained as a medical doctor, but it was Professor James Gear who inspired me to get more involved in the field of microbiology. He did some pioneering work in the field during his time at the University of the Witwatersrand and was an inspiration to me and many of my classmates.
How did you end up specialising in microbiology?
As I mentioned, I initially trained as a general practitioner, but I always had an interest in exotic diseases and the nuances of such illnesses. I have no formal training in microbiology, but found a way into the industry through clinical microbiology, which is the study of pathogenic microbes [microbes that are pathogens and thus cause infectious diseases] and the role of microbes in human illness. I first came across the field at the Rietfontein tropical disease hospital in Johannesburg, sometime during the late 1980s.
What is microbiology all about?
It is the study of micro-organisms, which include fungi and bacteria. Although they are not strictly classified as living organisms, viruses are also studied and this forms a large part of the work that we do at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Microbiology is a broad term that includes virology, mycology, parasitology, bacteriology and other branches. The sector is very research intensive and, while we have probably studied only about one percent of all the microbe species on earth, there are constant advances in the field.
How can young people get involved in the field?
There are various ways, most of which involve some form of study. Youngsters could follow that same route I chose and study medicine or they could get involved through studying a science degree focusing on microbiology or through public health. It’s also important for anybody who is interested in the microbiology to seize opportunities and create paths for themselves. Africa is a hotbed for the study of rare diseases and anyone who is serious about the field has an opportunity to make a difference.