Helen Payne

Clinical Lecturer

Occupation:

Clinical Lecturer
Email:

hpayne@sun.ac.za
EDUCATION:

MD

EXPERIENCE

Dr Helen Payne is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College London, dividing her time between research, teaching and working clinically as a consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

Helen Payne Profile | Imperial College London

She is also an honorary Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University. Dr Payne’s research interests are in congenital and neonatal infection, co-infections and neonatal immune ontogeny. The theme of her work is understanding mechanisms of severe cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in infants and immune-suppressed young children, with focus upon stratifying treatment approaches, and she is running several studies within this theme.

ASSOCIATED PROJECTS

CHERI

CHERI Study

OTHER ASSOCIATED PROJECTS

TINI-CC

TINI-CC aims to identify transcriptomic and immunological signatures associated with neurodevelopmental and hearing outcomes in congenital CMV (cCMV). Such biomarkers might be used to predict long-term and late onset sequalae, support universal screening and inform treatment strategies for infants with cCMV. This study started at St Mary’s Hospital and is now running at 14 sites including Attikon University, Athens, funded by Imperial Biomedical Research Centre. Samples from children recruited to these studies are being used in collaborator studies to improve cCMV diagnostics such as a point-of-care saliva test and/or as part of the newborn screening heel-prick blood test. Our study group has been awarded funding from The Imperial Health Charity and CMV Action to fund a clinical psychologist to work alongside the cCMV clinic at St Mary’s Hospital to characterise the issues faced by families with cCMV, and demonstrate the benefit of a clinical psychology service for these families. We are also working with parents of infants with cCMV to produce a short film, funded by St Mary’s Children’s Fund to raise awareness about cCMV.

CHECKPOINT

The CHECKPOINT Study at St Mary’s Hospital, London examines how co-infection with EBV or CMV in young people with paHIV may be associated with immune activation and dysregulation, and subsequent increased risk of lymphoma, and cardiovascular and respiratory disease. These relationships are being explored a cohort of young people with paHIV in Zimbabwe (The Breathe trial).

INTERVIEWS

INTRODUCTION

🔬 Meet Dr Helen Payne – RIRCA’s Paediatric Clinical Lecturer and MD 🩺

🇬🇧 Originally from the UK, Helen has been part of the Stellenbosch paediatrics and immunology team since 2012. Her clinical and research work bridges congenital and neonatal infections, co-infections, and immune development in early life.

🥼 Her current focus?
Understanding the mechanisms behind severe cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in infants and immunosuppressed children and using that knowledge to guide more targeted treatment strategies.

🧬 Her role at RIRCA?
A consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology. Helen is also a clinical lecturer, mentor and guides some of RIRCA’s students in experimental design and analysing data.

💪 Helen’s work aims to improve reproductive and paediatric immunology through collaboration, compassion, and cutting-edge science.

YOUR CURRENT PROJECT

🎬Get to know Dr Helen Payne 🩺

🌍 From paediatric wards in the UK to research labs in South Africa, Helen’s mission is to improve children’s lives through science!
🔬 Her research focuses on CMV and explores potential treatment strategies.
💡Helen also mentors the next generation of clinicians and researchers, guiding students through clinical and lab-based studies.
👣 Outside the lab, Helen is a proud mum, a hiking enthusiast, and she finds joy in travel, cooking and exploring Cape Town.

BEHIND THE SCENES

🎬 Dr Helen Payne: MD and Mentor 🩺

🔬 From paediatric consulting to the lab bench to the lecture hall, Helen’s work bridges clinical care and cutting-edge research.

👩‍🏫She mentors students in experimental design and data analysis, while continuing to explore CMV and the development of the neonatal immune system.

Helen shares what drives her and how she’s guiding the next generation of scientists.

FUTURE PLANS

🧬 Dr Helen Payne’s Aims and Advice

From caring for children with HIV to the CHERI trial – Helen’s journey into immunology is rooted in compassion, curiosity, and impact.

🔍 Her aspirations? Helen aims to further build a research team focused on congenital CMV (cCMV), develop clinical tools to guide treatment decisions, and advocate for universal CMV screening so more infants can receive timely care.

💡 Her advice to future immunologists:

Take your time reading and understanding what’s already known
Be curious, ask questions that lead to knowledge with real-world health impact
Don’t fall in love with your hypothesis – unexpected results often hold the greatest insights.

📍 Where does she see herself in 10 years? Leading a vibrant research team at RIRCA and shaping the future of CMV care in South Africa.

We’re proud to have her as part of our RIRCA team!