Jimmy Volmink is Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, and Director of the South African Cochrane Centre, SA Medical Research Council. His previous appointments include: Deputy Dean (Research) at Stellenbosch University, GlaxoWellcome Chair of Primary Health Care at the University of Cape Town and Director of Research and Analysis at the Global Health Council in Washington DC.

After obtaining his BSc and MBChB degrees from the University of Cape Town and a DCH from the SA College of Medicine he worked as a family doctor and district surgeon in a township near Cape Town for 12 years. He later obtained a MPH degree from Harvard University followed by a DPhil in Epidemiology from the University of Oxford. He was elected to membership of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in 2000 and has served two consecutive terms as a Council member of that body.

Prof Volmink’s research has focused primarily on the evaluation of health care interventions for TB, HIV and cardiovascular disease. He has published well over a 100 scientific articles in peer reviewed journals, edited three books and authored numerous book chapters. He has extensive experience in teaching Evidence-based Medicine and in working with clinicians and policy makers to promote the use of research in decision-making. He has been chairperson of the Western Cape Provincial Health Research Committee and is currently a member of the Provincial Health Council. He has also served as Honorary President of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association of South Africa.

Prof Volmink is a current or past member of committees and advisory boards of a large number of international organizations including the World Health Organization, UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, Cochrane Collaboration, Wellcome Trust, Vienna School of Clinical Research, Belgian Red Cross- Flanders and the International Clinical Epidemiology Network. In addition, he has been a member of Data & Safety Monitoring Boards of multi-national trials, including MAGPIE (magnesium for pre-eclampsia) and IMPI (Investigation of the Management of Pericarditis in Africa. In 2005 he was Guest Editor of the British Medical Journal Special Issue on Africa. Since 2013, he is a Member of the IAMP Executive Committee.