Dr Colleen Archer holds a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (Parasitology) from Durban Technikon, and MSc/PhD on parasites of invasive rats in Durban from University of KwaZulu-Natal. She has 42 years’ experience in Parasitology working for Medical Research Council of S.A., and as a research associate of Prof Chris Appleton where she expanded her expertise to encompass animal parasitology, subsequently being invited to collaborate with international researchers on parasites of non-human primates.

Colleen has consulted to an international team doing health-impact assessments for mining companies in Africa and part-time to the WASH R&D Centre from 2005 to 2016 where she guided a student to develop a technique for recovering helminth eggs from faeces/soil-based samples & subsequently adapted it for use on environmental samples. She has delivered international seminars & run training courses on helminths & use of the PRG-Helminth-Method. She is presently working with a PhD student to rigorously test the method with the aim of having it accepted as an international standard.

Outside of work, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband and pets on their Klein Karoo farm. She is into philosophy, alternative medicine, nutrition, writing, and crafts. She is happiest being with animals and nature & is nuts about teddy bears!