Professor Vernon Louw is the Executive Head of the Department of Medicine at Stellenbosch University (since February 2025) and Honorary Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town. He previously served as Chair and Head of Clinical Haematology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, South Africa.
He is the current President of the South African Clinical Haematology Society (SACHaS) and Chair of the Global Transfusion Forum. Internationally, he serves on the World Health Organization (WHO) Working Group on Guidance for Patient Blood Management (PBM) Implementation.
Professor Louw obtained his undergraduate medical degree and completed his training in Internal Medicine at Stellenbosch University, both summa cum laude. He specialised in Clinical Haematology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. He went on to lead the Division of Clinical Haematology and subsequently the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Free State, South Africa.
His research focuses on the role of iron and education in PBM. He has authored or co-authored more than 160 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and has delivered over 450 oral and poster presentations at national and international conferences. He is also active in medical education, hosting a YouTube channel with teaching content ranging from iron deficiency to clinical reasoning.
