BSc Bachelor of Science, University of Stellenbosch 1981 - 1983 BScHons Bachelor Of Science With Honours, University of Stellenbosch 1984 - 1984 MSc Master of Science, University of Stellenbosch 1985 - 1986 PhD Doctor Of Philosophy, University of Cape Town 1994

His doctoral and post-doctoral research focussed on cardiovascular physiology, with the emphasis on myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury and its modulation by pharmacological intervention. His recent work has focussed on the impact of obesity and the metabolic syndrome on myocardial function and tolerance to ischaemia/reperfusion. He has recently demonstrated that obesity with insulin resistance decreases myocardial tolerance to ischaemia and that this intolerance can be improved by insulin and/or angiotensin II receptor antagonist treatment. His studies have also demonstrated that the effect of obesity on myocardial tolerance to ischaemia may be gender

Bakrania, B., Du Toit, E., Wagner, K.-H., Headrick, J., & Bulmer, A. (2016). Pre- or post-ischemic bilirubin ditaurate treatment reduces oxidative tissue damage and improves cardiac function. International Journal of Cardiology, 202, 27–33. Donner, D., Elliott, G., Beck, B., Bulmer, A., Lam, A., Headrick, J., & Du Toit, E. (2016). Trenbolone improves cardiometabolic risk factors and myocardial tolerance to ischemia-reperfusion in male rats with testosterone-deficient metabolic syndrome. Endocrinology, 1–15. Donner, D., Elliott, G., Beck, B., Forwood, M., & Du Toit, E. (2016). The effects of visceral obesity and androgens on bone: trenbolone protects against loss of femoral bone mineral density and structural strength in viscerally obese and testosterone-deficient male rats. Osteoporosis International, 27(3), 1073–1082. Donner, D., Beck, B., Bulmer, A., Lam, A., & Du Toit, E. (2015). Improvements in body composition, cardiometabolic risk factors and insulin sensitivity with trenbolone in normogonadic rats. Steroids, 94, 60–69. Donner, D., Elliott, G., Beck, B., Bulmer, A., & Du Toit, E. (2015). Impact of diet-induced obesity and testosterone deficiency on the cardiovascular system: A novel rodent model representative of males with testosterone-deficient metabolic syndrome (TDMetS). PLoS One, 10(9), e0138019–1–e0138019–23.