Directors & Management
Dr Carola Niesler
Scientific Director (Non-Executive)
Bachelor of Science (Honours), PhD (Cambridge, UK)
Senior Lecturer (Biochemistry), University of KwaZulu-Natal, SA
Carola Niesler is a NRF-rated scientist who graduated cum laude from the University of Stellenbosch in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biochemistry. Carola then started her stem cell research career in the UK after being awarded a competitive scholarship to pursue her PhD at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Cambridge. Carola subsequently spent two years as a full time researcher in a Centre of Excellence for wound healing research at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester. In 2001 Carola returned to Stellenbosch University to establish a Stem Cell Biology Group and laboratory in the Department of Physiological Sciences. During this time she also acted as a Director of Virtus Clinical Development, a clinical research organization based in Cape Town. Carola now leads a Stem Cell Research laboratory in the Department of Biochemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Dr Ryan Noach
Commercial Director (Non-Executive)
MBBCh (Wits), Diploma in Primary Emergency Care (SA)
Ryan Noach is a Medical Doctor who graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1997. Most of his post graduate clinical training was spent in emergency medicine including trauma, critical care, orthopaedics and paediatrics. Ryan was a founder of Rescue South Africa, a non-profit organisation providing advisory and technical rescue services for local and foreign disasters. Ryan has subsequently been involved in the South African earthquake responses to Algeria (April 2003), Iran (December 2003), Pakistan (2006) and Haiti (2010). Ryan organized the SA casualty evacuation from Phuket, Thailand following the Tsunami in December 2004.
Ryan joined Netcare 911 as its Medical Director and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer during October 2003. Ryan then moved into the broader Netcare Group as Group Services Director in 2005 and then as Group Chief Operating Officer in 2006 until 2008. During his tenure at Netcare, Ryan represented Netcare in its partnership with Netcells.
Ryan is currently Chief Operating Officer of Discovery Health (South Africa’s largest healthcare insurer).
Kim Hulett
Managing Director
Bachelor of Science (Rhodes), Higher Diploma in Accounting, CA (SA)
Kim Hulett graduated from Rhodes University with a Bachelor of Science Degree. She then completed a Higher Diploma in Accounting and qualified as a chartered accountant after completing her articles with Price Waterhouse in Johannesburg. She then joined Hambros Bank in London focusing on cross border corporate finance. After returning to South Africa, Kim set-up her own consulting business and was actively involved in the incubation of a number of businesses in the media, entertainment, technology, security and medical industries. Kim is the Tambo Family’s appointed financial adviser (OR Tambo was president of the ANC until he died in 1994).
Kim has considerable experiences in Corporate Finance, specialising in new business start-ups and Black Economic Empowerment transactions. She founded Netcells together with Netcare Limited.
Dr Yvonne Holt
Medical Director
MBBCh (Wits), Diploma in Child Healthcare, Diploma in Transfusion Medicine
Yvonne Holt graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand 1997 with a Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery (MBBCH Wits). Yvonne worked in the departments of Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology for 4 years after graduation, as a Medical Officer. She obtained a Diploma in Child Health (DCH) during this time.
Her interest in the fields of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and stem cell technology brought her to a new career path in 2006 when she joined Netcells Cryogenics as Medical Director. In this capacity, Yvonne is responsible for the medical development of the stem cell program at Netcells and highlighting the benefits of this new technology.
In 2011, Yvonne completed a 2 year, internationally recognised Diploma in Transfusion Medicine through the University of Bloemfontein.
Dr Stephen Meddows-Taylor
Laboratory Manager
Bachelor of Science (Honours), PhD (Wits)
Stephen Meddows-Taylor graduated from the University of Natal in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Microbiology before returning to Johannesburg and joining the National Institute for Communicable Diseases as a research scientist. While at the Institute, he obtained MSc and PhD degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand based on research projects he was conducting on paediatric HIV infection and immune responses and factors influencing mother-to-child HIV transmission. Stephen has published a substantial amount of his research data in local and international scientific journals and has presented research findings at a number of scientific conferences. Stephen has considerable experience in flow cytometry and the isolation and cryopreservation of cord blood and peripheral blood cells, and joined the Netcells team as Laboratory Manager in March 2009.
Dr Nicolene Shaw
Medical Scientist
Bachelor of Science (WITS), Bachelor of Science Honours (WITS), PhD (WITS)
Nicolene Shaw graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science Degree with Honours in Biochemistry/Cell Biology. Thereafter, she originally pursued her Master’s degree in Cancer Research and Molecular and Cellular Biology where she was able to produce scientific data of such significance that she was permitted to upgrade directly to a PhD. Nicolene has presented her findings at various national scientific conferences and is in the process of publishing her work in peer-reviewed international scientific journals. During the acquisition of her PhD, Nicolene joined the Netcells team in 2008 and as such, also gained pertinent experience in the isolation and cryopreservation of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord tissue and adult adipose tissue.
Carina Gomes
Financial Manager
Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting Honours (University of Johannesburg), CA(SA)
After completing her Bachelor of Commerce, Carina obtained a Bachelor of Accounting Honours Degree from The University of Johannesburg in 2007. She then joined RSM Betty & Dickson (Johannesburg) in 2008 under a training contract and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in January 2011. Carina has audit experience in retail, manufacturing, property and investment companies and also gained extensive experience in the audit of retirement funds. Carina joined Netcells as Financial Manager in February 2011 and is responsible for the financial management, accounting and related administration functions of Netcells’ operations.
Catherine Brazier
Marketing and Communications Manager
Bachelor of Business Science, Marketing Honours (University of Cape Town)
Catherine was schooled at St Mary’s in Kwa-Zulu Natal and matriculated in 2004. Catherine graduated from the University of Cape Town in June 2009 with a Bachelor of Business Science and Honours in Marketing. The last year of her degree was spent doing a thesis which was an investigation into the South African wine industry and the role of monopolistic co-operatives. After graduating she worked at Quintessentially, a luxury lifestyle company where she marketed their services and interacted with many of their high-profile clients. Catherine joined Netcells in June 2010 as Marketing and Communications Manager, where she is responsible for all aspects of client-related marketing and communications.