Niresh Bhagwandin has an MSc in laser physics from the University of Natal and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Cape Town. In his doctoral studies, he investigated the laser-induced fluorescence from human arterial tissue.  In 1998 he was awarded the prestigious British Chevening Scholarship to study in the UK where he obtained the degree MBA (with distinction) in Health, Population and Nutrition in Developing Countries from Keele University.  In 2003, he was selected as an International Visiting fellow by the US State Department and spent 4 weeks in the US during 2004 undertaking a study tour of HIV/AIDS care centres, research institutions, etc. In 2017, he was a fellow of WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) and spent 3 months at their offices in Geneva, Switzerland. He is currently Executive Manager: Strategic Research Initiatives at the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) and is responsible for establishing and maintaining institutional/consortium based research initiatives and research platforms, writing research funding proposals, grant administration, and interfacing with local and overseas funders.