Mark joined Cochrane South Africa in July 2023 as a Chief Specialist Scientist, serving as the portfolio lead of the Training Working Group. He was initially a medical laboratory scientist and a Harvard University fellow in Public Health, before pursuing a career in epidemiology completing MPH and PhD degrees. Previously a researcher at UCT, networking with African colleagues to apply a wide range of investigative approaches to all aspects of Rheumatic Heart Disease, Mark’s work has been presented both nationally and internationally. 

Beyond South Africa, Mark is a member of the African Union/PASCAR Education Taskforce, the Burden of Disease Working Group of the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC) and the Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARC) Diagnostic Network. Mark cites his internship in the Cochrane Centre as sparking his interest in evidence-based healthcare. Following a Cochrane review for his MPH dissertation, he has remained involved in evidence-based activities, including convening the evidence-based healthcare module in the MPH programme at UCT. 

He has published a number of systematic reviews, many with supervised students undertaking MPH, MSc, MMed and PhD degrees.  His passion for the uptake of evidence is also reflected in WHO-commissioned projects.  Within his new role, Mark intends to further collaborative opportunities between the Cochrane Centre and units/centres elsewhere, supporting and conducting research to improve the synthesis, and uptake, of evidence.