Professor Joanne Potterton is a professor in paediatric physiotherapy at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. She has over 30 year of academic experience and has led the development of focussed paediatric programmes in physiotherapy at both undergraduate and post graduate levels. She has supervised over 60 post-graduate students and continues to teach and supervise paediatric projects in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and clinical paediatrics. Prof Potterton’s research has covered a range childhood-onset paediatric disabilities and early child development. Her focus has been in paediatric HIV where her research has contributed to the understanding of the complex interplay between HIV infection and social deprivation and the impact this has on infant and child development.