Farzana Rahiman

Dr Farzana Rahiman is a senior lecturer and lead researcher of the Skin Lab at the University of the Western Cape. She holds a Ph.D. in the field of Medical Biosciences (University of the Western Cape) and an MSc. degree in clinical epidemiology (University of Stellenbosch). During her career, she has played an active role in teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in physiology, medical microbiology, and immunology.

She is passionate about interdisciplinary research and her projects often combine key principles of epidemiology with the implementation of laboratory experiments to answer pertinent questions related to skin infections in South Africa. Her research focus is on exploring the dermatological application of indigenous plants used to treat skin conditions, as well as investigating their wound healing potential. Her other research interests include assessing the physiological and psychosocial effects of chemical and plant-based skin lightening product use, particularly within Africa.