Professor Nicola Wearne, PhD, is Associate Professor and Head of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town (UCT). She currently serves as President of the South African Nephrology Society (SANS) and President of Women in Nephrology Africa (WIN-Africa).

Her clinical and academic interests focus on the evolving spectrum of kidney disease in sub-Saharan Africa, with expertise in HIV-associated kidney disease, peritoneal dialysis, and conservative kidney management (CKM). She is first author of the South African Consensus Statement on CKM, which provides a national framework for equitable, patient-centered kidney care. Her PhD research defined the histological and clinical burden of HIV-related kidney disease, shaping both local practice and global
understanding.

Professor Wearne is strongly committed to teaching and training. She established Nephro-ECHO, a national tele-mentoring programme that links academic specialists with clinicians across South Africa, building nephrology capacity and extending expertise to underserved areas. She has supervised numerous postgraduate students and contributes actively to undergraduate and postgraduate training as well as national and international CME.

Through research, education, and policy engagement, Professor Wearne continues to advance kidney care in South Africa and across the continent.