Salt of success

Specialist nephrologist Professor Brian Rayner received an award from the World Hypertension League in 2014 for Notable Achievement in Hypertension, a prestigious international accolade that recognises his research in salt-sensitive hypertension.

“This gives new recognition to our unit and research work on the international stage,” said Professor Rayner, who is head of the Division of Nephrology/Hypertension in the Department of Medicine at UCT/Groote Schuur Hospital and president of the South African Hypertension Society.

A UCT alumnus, Professor Rayner is renowned for his ground-breaking work on the genetics underlying salt-sensitive hypertension in black and coloured South Africans. A unique gene – thought to have originated among the San people – has been linked to this. It makes these population groups more susceptible to strokes and heart disease, as they don’t excrete salt effectively.

renowned for his ground-breaking work on the genetics underlying salt-sensitive hypertension.

A clinician-scientist, Professor Rayner has been researching the mechanics of hypertension for the past 15 years. He received his PhD in December 2013.

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