Prof. Derrick Smit is an associate professor in the Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University. He completed his undergraduate, masters and doctoral studies at Stellenbosch University.

Prof Smit is the only member of the International Uveitis Study Group (IUSG) in Southern Africa and serves as the IUSG uveitis ambassador to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Lesotho. Membership of the IUSG is by peer review only and Prof. Smit serves on the credential committee that evaluates new membership applications. He is also a member of the International Ocular Inflammation Society (IOIS) and has presented his research at international conferences arranged by both societies.

Prof. Smit was a former Editor-in-Chief of Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, the official journal of the IUSG which has the highest impact factor of ocular inflammation journals globally and currently serves as the associate editor. He is an NRF-rated researcher with a special interest in infectious causes of ocular inflammation.