Heather Zar is Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Director of the School of Child and Adolescent Health at Red Cross Childrens Hospital at UCT. She is Director of the MRC Unit on Child & Adolescent Health. Her work on childhood respiratory diseases, including pneumonia, tuberculosis, asthma and HIV-associated lung diseases has been internationally recognized; she has published more than 250 peer reviewed publications and has substantial international grant support. She currently serves as President of the Pan African Thoracic Society and on the Forum of International Respiratory Societies. She received the World Lung Health award in 2014.