Heather J Zar is a South African physician and scientist specialising in the care of children with respiratory diseases like asthma, tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Heather J Zar
NationalitySouth African
Alma materUniversity of the Witwatersrand
Columbia University
University of Cape Town
Scientific career
FieldsPediatrics, Pulmonology
InstitutionsUniversity of Cape Town
Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital

Career and impact

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Professor Zar is the Chair of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Cape Town[1] and also serves as the President of the Pan African Thoracic Society.[2]

Her work on HIV/AIDS related lung disease has helped to change World Health Organization and national guidelines.[3] Work on using low cost recycled plastic bottles as spacers,[4] to help children more easily inhale aerosolized asthma medication, has garnered Zar global attention. Zar is one of the leaders of a study of about 1000 children that are being closely followed up over time to better understand and develop preventive strategies to address childhood lung disease and other ailments.[5] She is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa.[6] Professor Zar has published over 200 scientific articles.[7]

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ Kirby, Tony (2010). "Heather Zar—improving lung health for children in Africa". The Lancet. 376 (9743): 763. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61366-9. ISSN 0140-6736. PMID 20816534. S2CID 2373854.
  2. ^ "Professor Heather Zar". panafricanthoracic.org. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  3. ^ Correspondent, Mail & Guardian. "Doctor helps African kids breathe easy". The M&G Online. Retrieved 16 October 2017. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "SA doctor's asthma spacer is a winner | IOL News". Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  5. ^ Zar, H J; Barnett, W; Myer, L; Stein, D J; Nicol, M P (2015). "Investigating the early-life determinants of illness in Africa: the Drakenstein Child Health Study". Thorax. 70 (6): 592–594. doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2014-206242. ISSN 0040-6376. PMC 5107608. PMID 25228292.
  6. ^ "Members". www.assaf.org.za. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  7. ^ "Zar HJ[Author] - Search Results - PubMed". PubMed. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Heather Zar: Clinician-Scientist & World Lung Health Champion : ATS News". news.thoracic.org. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Five Laureates Named for 2018 L'ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards". en.unesco.org. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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