ABOUT US
Meet the writing team
Julia Aalbers
Founding Director
Julia is an experienced science writer and editor. In the 1980s, she developed and extended the scientific publishing division of the South African Medical Research Council, enabling it to provide comprehensive conference reports and reviews of research.
Capitalising on her training as a pharmacologist, Julia developed the ‘Drug Trends in Cardiology’ forum within the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa and the South African Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease. This became a well-respected source of information on new treatments. As managing editor of the two aforementioned journals for more than 20 years, Julia introduced many innovations in including real-time conference reports, CME-accredited programmes and comprehensive coverage of drug launches and specialist meetings.
Mike Gibbs
Mike is a veteran of healthcare communications and publishing. He has been responsible for developing and executing marketing and communication strategies for global pharmaceutical clients, contributing to the successful pre-launch and launch of many leading medicines.
He has developed international journals for healthcare professionals, including the Primary Care Cardiovascular Journal and the British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research. He contributed to the development of the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa and the South African Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease. He was communications advisor to the group that launched what would become the South African Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Further to his early career in journalism, Mike has also developed film, radio, print and e-media.
Glenda Hardy
Glenda has more than 20 years’ experience in medical science education. Her early work included being a junior lecturer (Wits University) and a specialist HIV sales representative (Roche).
In 2002, in association with the late Dr Steve Andrews and Professor Gary Maartens, she launched a clinical education initiative for doctors and allied healthcare workers in sub-Saharan Africa. She designed and developed educational materials for online learning, lecture series and clinical aids. Clients included PEPFAR, Aid for AIDS, Aspen Pharmaceuticals and De Beers.
In 2011, she joined the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa and the South African Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease as development editor. Since 2013, she has been a freelance medical science writer, editor and proofreader.
Peter Wagenaar
Peter holds an Honours degree (English Language and Linguistics) and a MA (English Literature). He has more than 25 years’ experience in the publishing industry.
He started out as a technical copy editor on the South African Medical Journal and its satellite publications, a position he held for six years. He was subsequently deputy editor of Medical Chronicle, among other positions.
In his decade as a freelancer/consultant he has undertaken work for most of South Africa’s medical publications. He has also worked with pharmaceutical companies on in-house copy, and PR companies with healthcare clients, writing disease awareness articles, conference reports and press releases. He is deNovo Medica’s chief copy editor/proofreader and one of the specialist writing team.
David Webb
Dr David Webb has worked in clinical medicine and the pharmaceutical and advertising industries. As a professional medical writer he is widely published on subjects including cardiovascular health and diabetes, mental health, wellness, pain, mindfulness and addiction. He is co-author of seven treatment guidelines
David is registered with the HPCSA as a general practitioner and is an associate at the Houghton House Group of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres in Johannesburg. He has a BSc (Hons) in zoology (Wits), is a qualified personal fitness trainer (HFPA) and has completed the two-year postgraduate certificate in mindfulness through the Department of Family Medicine, University of Stellenbosch.
Olivia Rose-Innes
Olivia Rose-Innes is a freelance journalist based in Cape Town, specialising in health and environmental issues; with a particular interest in how these two areas overlap.
Her educational background is in biology and environmental studies, and she holds master’s degrees in environmental science (University of Cape Town), and in animal welfare science (University of Winchester).
In addition to her work for deNovo Medica, she has written for various print and online publications, including Health24/News24, and for Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Meet the production team
Wendy Wegener
Wendy has more than 20 years’ experience in publishing, having worked for Media24’s magazine division and several other publishing companies, specialising in production, copy co-ordination and advertising. With experience as picture editor for a popular weekly family magazine, her range embraces weekly and quarterly magazines, specialist magazines, higher education books and newspapers.
Further experience gained in the publication of journals and digital publishing arise from her work at the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa and the South African Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease, before the start of deNovo Medica at its inception.
With Business Management qualifications, Wendy works on the day-to-day administration and assisting in marketing of deNovo Medica.
Jody Reid
Jody fulfils a key role of smoothly co-ordinating the production flow of all modules and webinars published by deNovo Medica.
With her marketing education and creative experience, she brings a fresh perspective to our web and marketing design and campaigns.