| Hyperspectral core scanner donated to SU for research and training | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11353 | | Hyperspectral core scanner donated to SU for research and training | Wiida Fourie-Basson (Media: Faculty of Science) | <p>Stellenbosch University (SU) will be the first university in South Africa to house a hyperspectral core imaging system thanks to a generous donation from Anglo Gold Ashanti.</p><p>The hyperspectral core scanner was set up and operationalised under the auspices of the African Rainbow Minerals Geometallurgy research chair, held jointly by Prof. Bjorn von der Heyden in SU's Department of Earth Sciences, and Dr Margreth Tadie from the Department of Chemical Engineering.</p><p>Von der Heyden says they jumped at the opportunity since these systems are usually housed at mining companies and consulting firms, given the prohibitive cost of the technology: “Anglo Gold Ashanti was eager to donate their core scanner to a university such as SU, where it will be used for research and student training," he explained.</p><p>From a research perspective, they are excited about the continuous nature of mineralogical data that the core scanner provides: “The machine can scan up to 200 metres of rock core on a daily basis, providing short-wave infrared hyperspectral data (1000 – 2500 nm spectral range) and RGB colour data at a pixel resolution of 0.1 – 2 mm, depending on the selected field of view," he explains.</p><p>The resulting spectra provide insight into the relative abundances of minerals like amphibole, tourmaline, muscovite, and gibbsite, among others. Several of these are regarded as alteration minerals, which are important exploration vectors that point the geology team towards the mineralisation of earth's critical mineral resource endowments. </p><p>Von der Heyden says it can be used in exploration geology and soil science, and the research Chair is placing a lot of emphasis on developing workflows for use in geometallurgy. Because the large datasets are amenable to application of machine learning algorithms, the ARM research chair in Geometallurgy is also advancing their relationship with the School for Data Science at SU.</p><p>Tadie adds: “Because of the scales at which the hyperspectral core scanner operates, it is a great complement to our existing geometallurgy toolkit which comprises micro-analytical characterisation, bulk sample empirical test work, and spatial- and process modelling. </p><p>“It is an incredibly robust machine which offers opportunities for students to work at remote field sites. These students will be trained to conduct multi-dimensional systems-type thinking, and will need to think of the mineralogy, chemistry and beneficiation response of the rocks in terms of their diagnostic spectral signatures which change over the spatial scales evaluated," she concludes.<br></p><p><img src="/english/PublishingImages/Lists/dualnews/My%20Items%20View/20250529_150420.jpg" alt="20250529_150420.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:410px;" /><br><strong>On the photo above: </strong>The team from Stellenbosch University and the consulting company TerraCore who operationalised a hyperspectral core imaging system donated by Anglo Gold Ashanti to Stellenbosch University, for research and training purposes. From the left, Prof. Bjorn von der Heyden, Dr Margreth Tadie, Dr Bambesiwe May, Phd student Mawande Ntantiso, Mr Thandikhaya Mxinwa (TerraCore), and Dr Boikanyo Motloba. Photo: Wiida Fourie-Basson</p><p><br></p> |
| World Environment Day: Collective action needed to address key environmental issues | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11351 | | World Environment Day: Collective action needed to address key environmental issues | Corporate Communication and Marketing | <p>Plastic pollution, rethinking bioplastics waste, environmental governance, and ethical frameworks to manage water resources. These are the key environmental issues that experts at Stellenbosch University explored in opinion pieces for the media to mark <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">World Environment Day</strong></a> on 5 June. Click on the links below to read the articles as published.<br></p><ul><li>Dominique Rocher and Dr Wessel Myburgh (<a href="https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/2025-06-05-beyond-the-bin-rethinking-bioplastic-waste-for-a-circular-future/"><span class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0"><strong>Mail & Guardia</strong><strong>n</strong></span></a>)</li><li>Prof Martin de Wit (<a href="https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-06-04-collective-environmental-governance-planetary-ecological-disaster/?dm_source=dm_block_list&dm_medium=card_link&dm_campaign=main"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">Daily Maverick</strong></a>)</li><li>Dr Lize Barclay (<a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/marketiq/134FFED/FZM-1749098338864_1350260.pdf"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">Cape Argus</strong></a>)<br></li><li>Dr Leanne Seeliger (<a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/marketiq/134FFED/PHL-1749099655210_1350241.pdf"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">Cape Times</strong></a>)</li><li> </li></ul><p><br></p> |
| Future Professors Programme: More than just a capacity-building initiative | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11346 | | Future Professors Programme: More than just a capacity-building initiative | Faculty of Science (media & communication) | <p>Dr Sanjeev Rambharose, a senior lecturer in the Department of Physiological Sciences, was selected to participate in the <a href="https://futureprofessorsprogramme.co.za/">Future Professors Programme</a>'s (FPP) from 2024 to 2025. The FPP is a flagship programme of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to prepare promising early- to mid-career academics for the professoriate through a rigorous, structured, and enriching two-year development process.</p><p>We asked <a href="/english/faculty/science/physiologicalsciences/research/bio-inspired-drug-delivery-(bioidd)-research-group">Dr Rambharose</a> about his experience of the programme thus far:</p><p><strong>It is an intensive programme with training in leadership, individual mentorship, professional coaching, writing retreats, and a 2–4-week international trip. In which of these activities have you engaged already?</strong></p><p>The programme has been both comprehensive and intentional in its design, offering a variety of touchpoints to support academic excellence and leadership. To date, I have participated in several of its core components:</p><ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li>Leadership training and seminars: These have offered invaluable perspectives on academic leadership in both local and global contexts. Led by senior scholars and thought leaders, these sessions challenge participants to think beyond disciplinary silos and reimagine what it means to lead in academia today.</li><li>Individual academic and research mentorship: I've had the privilege of being mentored by both a senior academic mentor and a research mentor. Their insights have significantly enriched my approach to scholarly productivity, publication strategies, and leadership development.</li><li>Professional coaching: This has been one of the most transformative aspects of the programme for me personally. The one-on-one coaching has sharpened my sense of academic identity, supported resilience in the face of institutional complexity, and provided guidance on how best to navigate my career trajectory with purpose and impact.</li><li>Writing retreats: Due to work-related commitments, I've not yet been able to participate fully in the writing retreats. However, colleagues in my cohort who have attended speak highly of the focus and productivity these spaces enable. I plan to participate in at least two retreats in the second half of the year to benefit from this vital component of the programme.</li><li>International visit: I recently completed an enriching academic visit to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as part of the international engagement component. The experience facilitated deep engagement with leading global scholars, expanded my research network, and opened pathways for potential collaborative projects in both research and postgraduate supervision.</li></ul><p><strong>What does it mean to you, on a personal and professional level, to be part of such an enriching programme</strong>?</p><p>Being part of the FPP has been an extraordinary honour and a profound affirmation of both my work and my potential. On a personal level, it has been a space of encouragement, reflection, and empowerment. It has reaffirmed my academic mission while offering opportunities to refine and elevate my goals within a community of similarly motivated peers.</p><p>Professionally, the programme provides access to a cross-disciplinary network of high-performing academics, fostering intellectual exchange that is both generative and expansive. It allows us to engage with the structural, pedagogical, and ethical dimensions of higher education in South Africa and beyond. The DHET's investment through the University Capacity Development Programme is a powerful statement of national intent to nurture a cadre of academics who are not only excellent scholars but also transformative leaders.</p><p><strong>Please tell us a bit more about your research – it seems extraordinarily multi-disciplinary?</strong></p><p>Yes, my research is inherently multidisciplinary and situated at the intersection of human physiology, pharmaceutics, nanotechnology, drug delivery, and biomedical engineering. The core aim is to design and optimise advanced drug delivery systems that are not only scientifically robust but also responsive to real-world health challenges, particularly in low-resource and global South contexts.</p><p>My work spans innovation, sustainability, health equity, and translational science, and requires collaboration across domains such as material science, clinical medicine, and public health. This integrative approach is essential to address the complexity of modern biomedical challenges, from improving therapeutic efficacy to enhancing patient outcomes.</p><p>My visit to UIUC further deepened this multidisciplinary ethos. I had the opportunity to engage with researchers in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, the Holonyak Micro & Nanotechnology Lab, faculty from the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences. These interactions were intellectually stimulating and opened exciting possibilities for collaborative research and postgraduate training initiatives.</p><p><strong>Anything you would like to add, as a researcher at a South African university, in these days and times?</strong></p><p>We are working within a higher education landscape that is both challenging and filled with profound potential. As South African academics, we are called upon to produce world-class scholarship while also ensuring that our work is inclusive, transformative, and grounded in the realities of our context.</p><p>The FPP exemplifies this dual imperative. It is more than a capacity-building initiative; it is a vision for a future in which South African scholarship leads globally and serves locally. It fosters the kind of academic leadership that our universities and our country need to navigate a rapidly changing world.</p><p>At a time when global inequalities continue to define whose knowledge counts and who has access to opportunity, programmes like the FPP are essential. They help scholars from the global South to stand confidently on the international stage while remaining deeply connected to the communities and institutions they serve.<br></p><p><br></p> |
| Strong crop of SU finalists to compete for 2025 NSTF/South32 Awards | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11340 | | Strong crop of SU finalists to compete for 2025 NSTF/South32 Awards | Corporate Communication and Marketing | <p>As in previous years, Stellenbosch University (SU) will once again be well represented at the <a href="https://nstf.org.za/awards/"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">2024/2025 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)/South32 Awards</strong></a> with nine finalists competing for these coveted accolades. Adding another feather to SU's cap are three finalists from other institutions who are affiliated with the University*. The annual NSTF/South32 Awards will be held on Thursday 31 July 2025.</p><p>Regarded as the 'Science Oscars' of South Africa, these annual awards recognise, celebrate and reward the outstanding contributions of individuals, teams and organisations to science, engineering and technology (SET) in the country.<br></p><p>The NSTF Awards Gala event will take place simultaneously in Cape Town and Johannesburg, while being broadcast live to an online audience from both cities via the NSTF YouTube channel. The patron of the Awards, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, will preside over the presentation of the awards.<br></p><p>Among the competitors are experienced scientists, engineers, innovators, science communicators, engineering capacity builders, organisational managers and leaders, as well as data and research managers.<br></p><p>According to the organisers, it is an extraordinary honour to be a finalist given the quality of the nominations received every year, the fierce competition that nominees face and growing interest from the SET community over the years.<br></p><p>The SU finalists (with department or environment) and the categories in which they will compete are as follows:<br></p><p><strong>Prof Dave Richardson</strong> (Botany and Zoology / Centre for Invasion Biology) and <strong>Prof Mark Tomlinson</strong> (Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health) </p><ul><li><em>Lifetime Award</em></li></ul><p><strong>Dr Yaseera Ismail </strong>and<strong> Prof Yin-Zhe Ma </strong>(Department of Physics)</p><ul><li><em>TW Kambule-NSTF Award for Researcher: To an individual who contributed to research and its outputs – over a period of up to fifteen years of research work from the commencement of the research career, predominantly in South Africa.</em></li></ul><p><strong>Prof Shahida Moosa</strong> (Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics)</p><ul><li><em>TW Kambule-NSTF Award for Emerging Researchers: To an individual who contributed to research and its outputs over a period of up to six years of research work from the commencement of the research career.</em> <em>Moosa is </em><em>also a finalist in the NSTF-SAMRC Clinician-Scientist category.</em></li></ul><p><strong>Prof Leigh van den Heuvel</strong> (Department of Psychiatry)</p><ul><li><em>NSTF-SAMRC </em><em>Clinician-Scientist Award</em></li></ul><p><strong>Wiida Fourie-Basson</strong> (Faculty of Science)</p><ul><li><em>Communication Award</em></li></ul><p><strong>Innovation and Commercialisation Unit – Innovus, Launch Lab and Stellenbosch University Enterprises</strong></p><ul><li><em>Innovation Award: Corporate Organisation</em></li></ul><p><strong>Prof Francesco Petruccione</strong> (School of Data Science and Computational Thinking / National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences – NITheCS)</p><ul><li><em>Special Annual Theme Award: Quantum Science and Technology</em></li></ul><p>The Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at SU, Prof Sibusiso Moyo, congratulated the finalists for their outstanding contributions to science and innovation. “Their dedication and excellence continue to elevate the University's reputation and impact on society as we continue to tackle our societal and global challenges. This is also an acknowledgement to our stakeholders, collaborators, government, science councils, communities and funders for supporting the research and innovation initiatives involving SU."<br></p><p><strong>*</strong>The following three finalists are affiliated with SU, but work at other institutions:</p><ul><li><strong>Prof Olaniyi Amos Fuwole</strong> (extraordinary professor in the Department of Food Science) – TW Kambule: Researcher Award</li><li><strong>Prof Stephanie Midgley</strong> (extraordinary associate professor in the Department of Horticulture) – NSTF-ARC Award</li><li><strong>Marion Delport</strong> (research fellow in the Department of Agricultural Economics) – Data for Research Award<br></li></ul><p><br></p> |
| Prof Florian Luca on a journey through mathematical frontiers | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11335 | | Prof Florian Luca on a journey through mathematical frontiers | Corporate Communication and Marketing | <p>Prof Florian Luca from the Department of Mathematics in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University delivered his inaugural lecture on Tuesday 27 May 2025. The title of his lecture was 'The Skolem landscape'. It can be viewed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/EZr26lB8ULc"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0" style="">here</strong></a>.<br></p><p>Luca spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about his passion for mathematics and how his research on Number Theory finds application in our daily lives.<br></p><p><strong>Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.</strong></p><p>I was interested in mathematical riddles since I was a child. As I grew up, I learned that there are some techniques to tackle such problems. As a high school student, I enjoyed some success in problem solving – making it all the way to the International Mathematical Olympiad. So, I feel that I am still doing the same type of problem solving as in my childhood except that now I have a lot more tools in my bag.</p><p><strong>How would you describe the relevance of your work?</strong></p><p>As any scientist, most of what I do is relevant to the community of scholars to which I belong. We all do our best to advance our area and better understand the mathematics that we are studying. Occasionally, a small part of what we do finds application in other areas such as computer science, coding and cryptography (securing information by using codes to prevent unauthorised access). </p><p><strong>Your research centres on Number Theory. Can you share a few ways it applies to our daily lives?</strong></p><p>Number Theory is about finding patterns in the ocean of numbers. For example, there are many interesting palindromes (numbers that read the same from left to right). A Czech legend has it that the construction of the famous Charles Bridge in Prague started at 05:31 on 9 July 1357 with the first brick being laid by the King Charles IV himself. The exact time (1357 9/7 5:31) is a palindrome which was believed that it would bring additional strength to the construction. In modern times, we are surrounded by numbers from the driving directions in the GPS to price reductions in supermarkets. So, understanding numbers makes our daily lives easier. </p><p><strong>You are the principal investigator in the DynAMiCs project. How do you see it contributing to advances in mathematics and computer science?</strong></p><p>Discrete dynamical systems pervade the quantitative sciences and lie at the heart of central computational challenges in a wide variety of areas, from programme analysis and computer-aided verification to neural networks and theoretical biology. Such systems are typically simple to describe yet give rise to a rich algorithmic and mathematical theory that is replete with easily stated and compelling open problems. One such example is the famous Skolem Problem: Does the orbit of a given linear dynamical system ever hit a given hyperplane? The decidability of this question is a longstanding open problem going back nearly a century! Our project aims to makes progress on some of these difficult problems. Some partial advances will be described in my inaugural lecture which is on the Skolem landscape. </p><p><strong>Higher education can be challenging. What keeps you going when things get tough?</strong></p><p>The university community. We are not alone; we have collaborators, colleagues and students. We do research, attend conferences, lecture, mentor students and young colleagues. When something becomes hard in one aspect maybe we can put that matter to rest for a while and concentrate on a different aspect for some time. Once we make some progress there, we can come back to the previous challenge with renewed energy.</p><p><strong>What aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?</strong></p><p>Collaboration. I enjoy going to mathematics conferences, listening to what colleagues have been up to, learning about their tools and achievements and attempting to push matters forward. </p><p><strong>As someone who is passionate about mathematics, what would your message be to young people who may find it challenging or intimidating?</strong></p><p>Find your passion. Don't follow the crowd. Do what you like, even if it seems that perhaps what you like is not the mainstream. Be well-prepared but be original. </p><p><strong>Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.</strong></p><p>I like looking at maps and planning fantastic trips in my head. </p><p><strong>How do you spend your free time?</strong></p><p>I enjoy spending time in nature, hiking, and going places which are off the beaten track. </p><ul><li>Photo by Ignus Dreyer.<br></li></ul><p><br></p> |
| New velvet worm species a first for the Little Karoo | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11319 | | New velvet worm species a first for the Little Karoo | Wiida Fourie-Basson (Media: Faculty of Science) | <p>In March 2022, Stellenbosch University (SU) student Rohan Barnard was out and about on a farm in the Swartberg Mountains between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn, flipping over rocks looking for ants, reptiles and other critters, when he stumbled upon the finding of a lifetime.</p><p><img src="/english/PublishingImages/Lists/dualnews/My%20Items%20View/Rohan%20Barnard.jpg" alt="Rohan Barnard.jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-2" style="margin:5px;width:436px;" />Buried deep in the moist sand below a pile of leaf litter at the periphery of a small river, he found a slate black velvet worm. Being familiar with how rare velvet worms are, he took a specimen and also posted an image of it to the biodiversity observation app, <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1620162-Peripatopsis-barnardi">iNaturalist</a>.</p><p>“I had a basic knowledge of the Cape velvet worms, having found one for the first time on Table Mountain in 2019. My older brother was under assignment from his zoology lecturer, Prof. Savel Daniels, to collect velvet worms. With my interest in ants, I gladly assisted him in this task," Rohan, now a third year BSc student in Conservation Ecology and Entomology, explains.</p><p>Velvet worms' lineage date back to over 500 million years ago, making it a living relic of the Cambrian period. With their soft bodies and non-jointed legs, these critters have changed little over millions of years, earning them the title of “living fossils".</p><p>Little did Rohan know at the time that he had just found a new species of velvet worm, now aptly named Rohan's velvet worm or, in scientific terms, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.71256?af=R"><em>Peripatopsis barnardi</em></a>. </p><p>Even more remarkable is the fact that it represents the first ever species from the little Karoo, which indicates that the area was historically more forested than at present. In other words, with prehistorical climate changes, and aridification, the species became isolated and underwent speciation.</p><p>According to <a href="/english/faculty/science/botany-zoology/staff/academic-staff/savel-daniels">Prof. Daniels</a>, an evolutionary biologist from SU's <a href="/english/faculty/science/botany-zoology/Pages/default.aspx">Department of Botany and Zoology</a> and one of South Africa's foremost specialists on velvet worms, it is utterly remarkable that such a prehistorical lineage is still around today. After viewing this rare find on iNaturalist, he visited the same area in July 2022 and collected a paratype and another nine specimens for analysis. </p><p>The results of his analysis, and the announcement of seven new species of velvet worms, were published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.71256?af=R"><em>Ecology and Evolution</em></a> recently. Daniels, the first author on the paper, says South Africa's velvet worms are mainly found in prehistoric Afro temperate forest patches that persist in deep gorges in the Cape Fold Mountains</p><p>“The origin of these forest patches can be traced to the early Miocene, about 23 to 15 million years ago, when the region used to be temperate and sub-tropical. During the late Miocene, however, the region underwent significant climatic changes, with a decrease in rainfall due to the advent of the proto Benguela current along the West Coast, and two geotectonic uplifting events. These events resulted in a complex mosaic of habitat connectivity and isolation, what we know today as the Cape Fold Mountains, driving the speciation of habitat specialists such as velvet worms," he explains.</p><p>Daniels used new mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequencing techniques, combined with morphological analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to determine that <em>P. barnardi</em> diverged from its most recent common ancestor about 15.2 million years ago. Another novel finding from the Cederberg Mountains, <em>P. cederbergiensis</em>, can trace its lineage to 12.47 million years ago.</p><p>Daniels welcomes the efforts of citizen scientists to share their findings on biodiversity apps: “It is thanks to citizen science data that we were able to identify the new species. In the Cape Fold Mountains, we now know that every mountain peak has an endemic species. This suggests that in unsampled areas there are likely to be additional novel diversity, waiting to be found."</p><p>Most importantly, though, it means that we must conserve these prehistoric forest fragments to limit extinction.</p><p>To Rohan, it still feels surreal to have such a fossil-like creature named after him: “It is incredible to realise that I've uncovered a living fossil. It is as if I have found a missing link that we did not even know about. It gives me hope that there is still so much left to discover. But it also makes me worried for the future, that we will lose animals and plants to extinction that we did not even know existed," he warns.</p><p>The seven new species are <em>P. fernkloofi</em>, <em>P. jonkershoeki</em>, <em>P. kogelbergi</em>, <em>P. landroskoppie</em>, <em>P. limietbergi</em> and <em>P. palmeri</em>. Apart from P<em>. barnardi</em>, all the new species were named after their places of origin.</p><p>The results were published in the article titled “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.71256?af=R">Perched on the plateau: speciation in a Cape Fold Mountain velvet worm clade</a>" in <em>Ecology and Evolution.</em></p><p><strong>Why are velvet worms so unique?</strong></p><p>Like the indestructible water bears (<a href="http://www.tardigrada.net/newsletter/tardigrades.htm"><em>Tardigrades</em></a>), modern velvet worms are looked on as a separate line of evolution (and placed in a distinct phylum) that arose independently from some long forgotten marine ancestor – probably the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/24/8838169/hallucigenia-worm-fossil-nature-study-2015"><em>Hallicogenia</em></a>. Fossils show that velvet worms have not changed much since they diverged from their ancient relative about 540 million years ago. This means Onycophorans have been living on Earth ever since what is called the Cambrian period of prehistory. Today, modern velvet worms live on land and are found only in damp, moist habitats in areas that were originally part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana<br></p><p><br></p> |
| Prof Karl Storbeck highlights role of steroid hormones in human health and disease | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11307 | | Prof Karl Storbeck highlights role of steroid hormones in human health and disease | Corporate Communication and Marketing | <p>Prof Karl Storbeck from the Department of Biochemistry in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University delivered his inaugural lecture on Tuesday 20 May 2025. The title of his lecture was 'Beyond testosterone: redefining androgen biology in human health and disease'.<br></p><p>Storbeck spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about how his research on steroid hormones can improve our understanding of their role in health and disease and help develop better diagnostics and treatment strategies.</p><p><strong>Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.</strong></p><p>I was drawn to science from an early age and always knew I wanted to pursue a career in research. During my final years of high school, I was torn between my two favourite subjects: biology and chemistry. My decision became clear when, as a finalist in the high school science Olympiad, I attended an awards ceremony at the University of Pretoria, where I was first introduced to the subject of Biochemistry. It was clear to me that this subject perfectly combined my interests, and I vividly remember deciding then and there that I would pursue a PhD in Biochemistry. It was then, during my honours year at Stellenbosch University, that I was introduced to steroid hormone research, which soon became my passion and the focus of my scientific career.</p><p><strong>How would you describe the relevance of your work?</strong><br></p><p>My research focuses on the biosynthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones, which regulate key physiological processes, including metabolism, immune function, the stress response, and reproductive health. Steroid hormones are therefore not only vital in regulating physiological function in healthy individuals but also play a role in disease states (specific conditions in which the body is not functioning normally due to illness or injury). My group has been instrumental in elucidating the biosynthesis of a previously overlooked class of adrenal-derived steroid hormones, known as the 11-oxygenated androgens, in humans. By identifying 11-ketotestosterone and 11-ketodihydrotestosterone as potent androgens (hormones that play a key role in developing and maintaining male traits and reproductive health — also found in females), our work has challenged the long-established paradigm that testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are the only relevant androgens in humans. </p><p>Our findings have been widely accepted in the endocrine community and research on 11-oxygenated androgens has grown substantially. Notably, we and others have implicated 11-oxygenated androgens as role players in several disease states, including polycystic ovary syndrome (a disorder that affects how women's ovaries work), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (a group of genetic disorders that affect the adrenal glands, which produce important hormones), premature adrenarche (when children start showing signs of puberty earlier than usual), and castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC — a type of prostate cancer that keeps growing even when testosterone levels are very low or nearly zero). By studying the biosynthesis of these steroids and their role in health and disease, we can use this knowledge to develop improved diagnostics and treatment strategies. <br></p><p><strong>How does you</strong>r<strong> research shed light on castration-resistant prostate cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome?</strong></p><p>Our research has shown that the previously overlooked 11-oxygenated androgens play a significant role in both disease states. Prostate cancer is an androgen dependent disease and as such, the primary treatment for advanced disease is androgen deprivation therapy by means of physical or chemical castration. While the cancer responds well to this lowering of circulating testosterone, invariably the disease returns in the form of CRPC. Here the tumour cells adapt to the lower circulating testosterone by expressing enzymatic machinery (group of enzymes and related proteins in the cell that work together to carry out specific biological processes) that allows them to convert circulating adrenal-derived androgen precursors to active androgens that drive the cancer's progression. Our research has shown that 11-oxygenated androgens contribute significantly to this adrenal-derived androgen pool and that they must be accounted for when considering future treatment strategies.</p><p>Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine condition affecting women, with a prevalence of 10%. While traditionally thought of as a reproductive disorder, it is now clear that PCOS is characterised by lifelong metabolic dysfunction (problems with how the body processes and uses energy), including increased risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidaemia (abnormal levels of lipids or fats in the blood), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic (an abnormal accumulation of fat) liver disease. This increased metabolic risk is driven by the excess androgen production that commonly occurs in women with PCOS. Our collaborative work, led by Prof Wiebke Arlt at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences in the United Kingdom, has shown that 11-oxygenated androgens contribute significantly to the hyperandrogenism (high levels of male hormones in the body) observed in PCOS and that these androgens likely contribute to driving the metabolic dysfunction. </p><p><strong>Looking into your crystal ball, what developments do you see in the field of steroid hormone research?</strong></p><p>Advances in mass spectrometry (scientific method used to identify and measure chemicals by looking at their molecular weight) have transformed our ability to quantify and profile steroid hormones, revealing the previously unappreciated complexity of human steroid biosynthesis and metabolism. In collaboration with Prof Jacky Snoep at Stellenbosch University, we are developing computational models of human steroid biosynthesis that, when combined with comprehensive steroid profiling, are already demonstrating promising predictive capabilities. I anticipate these models will serve as valuable tools in both research and clinical settings. My collaborator, Prof Wiebke Arlt, has played a key role in showing how steroid profiling data can be effectively paired with machine learning algorithms for diagnostic applications. As these technologies continue to evolve, I expect them to have a growing impact on clinical diagnostics and the advancement of personalised medicine.</p><p><strong>You have spent many years in the challenging environment of higher education. What keeps you motivated when things get tough? </strong></p><p>Although I'm naturally introverted, I've come to value collaboration and team science immensely. Being part of a supportive and intellectually stimulating team has helped keep me grounded and motivated during difficult times. I've also been incredibly fortunate to have the unwavering support of colleagues, friends and especially my wife — who I suspect had no idea what she was signing up for when she married an aspiring academic. Having a hobby outside of academia, specifically landscape photography, has also been invaluable for maintaining my perspective and mental health.</p><p><strong>As the leader of a research group, what aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?</strong></p><p>I'm driven by curiosity and a desire to understand how things work, so nothing excites me more than when my team or that of my collaborators generate new data that prompts discussion and discovery — especially if it's something that challenges an existing paradigm as I'm someone who likes to think outside the box and question established ideas. Being able to mentor students and witness their growth firsthand as scientists and people, is also an extremely rewarding part of what I do. Finally, as a firm believer in Team Science, I've been fortunate to be able to establish synergistic collaborations with clinical endocrinologists — thereby combining my fundamental biochemical insights with their clinical expertise, resulting in more impactful research outputs. Being able to contribute to research that helps us understand the human body and provide insights that will improve patient outcomes in future is a privilege and the most fulfilling part of what I do.</p><p><strong>Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.</strong></p><p>Outside of science, my greatest passion is landscape photography. I've been known to hike up Lion's Head at 03:00 before work to catch the fog rolling into the city or stay up into the early hours to photograph the Milky Way. When others are avoiding adverse weather, my photography friends and I will be heading directly towards it. I'm fortunate that one of my best friends is a professional landscape photographer and I make it a priority to join on adventures whenever my schedule allows. I particularly enjoy planning specific images that we want to capture when conditions align, as these, much like a good result in the lab, are particularly rewarding when they materialise. </p><p><strong>How do you spend your free time?</strong></p><p>As an introvert, I like to recharge by spending time either at home with my wife and our feline child or immersed in nature, usually with my camera in hand. I'm a devoted Formula 1 fan, and race weekends are sacred downtime for me. Photography remains a top priority. Even when I don't feel like going out, I've learned that engaging in the process is always worth it as the mental focus required always helps clear my mind.</p><ul><li>Photo by Ignus Dreyer</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p> |
| Strategic appointment will integrate microbiome research into freshwater monitoring | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11304 | | Strategic appointment will integrate microbiome research into freshwater monitoring | Faculty of Science (media & communication) | <p><br><br></p><p>Stellenbosch University's <a href="/english/faculty/science/microbiology/research/makhalanyane-lab">Prof. Thulani Makhalanyane</a> has been appointed as an Honorary Research Associate of the <a href="https://saiab.ac.za/about-us/">NRF-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity</a> (SAIAB), an internationally recognized institute, famous for their work on the coelacanth and other rare aquatic creatures.</p><p>Prof. Makhalanyane leads the <a href="https://africanmicrobiomeproject.org/">African Microbiome Project</a> at Stellenbosch University, with roots in the Department of Microbiology and the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking. </p><p>He will in particular join forces with SAIAB's chief scientist, <a href="https://saiab.ac.za/doctor-albert-chakona-promoted-to-chief-scientist-at-the-nrf-saiab-advancing-aquatic-research-in-africa/">Prof Albert Chakona</a>, in a strategic effort to integrate microbiome science into aquatic research. The appointment will also allow for a range of joint research initiatives, student exchanges, and data sharing frameworks.</p><p>Makhalanyane says on the table are several potential projects focused on understanding the effects of pollution on freshwater systems in the area: “We are excited at the possibility of a series of collaborative projects. For example, our team is interested in understanding the effects of wastewater treatment plants on the ecology of freshwaters, and we'll be using microbiomes as sentinels of change. These types of projects are important and will help to drive societal change."</p><p>According to. Makhalanyane the African Microbiome group's research is underpinned by the “<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/one-health/about/index.html#:~:text=One%20Health%20is%20a%20collaborative%2cplants%2c%20and%20their%20shared%20environment.">One Health" concept</a> which recognises the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their environment: “Microbial communities play vital roles in both ecosystems and human health. Although the interconnections between the environment and health are increasingly recognised, comparatively few studies have focused on the central role of microbiomes. As a result, we lack mechanistic insights into how microbial communities function across ecosystems.</p><p>“Recent evidence shows that microbiomes underpin all United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is therefore essential to deepen our understanding of microbial processes in both natural ecosystems and host-associated environments," he concludes.</p> |
| New dataset will support global scale analysis of climate trends in river flow | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11291 | | New dataset will support global scale analysis of climate trends in river flow | School for Climate Studies (media) | <p></p><p>With one of the largest streamflow networks globally, administered by South Africa's Department of Water Affairs (DWA) and the <a href="https://www.saeon.ac.za/">South African Environmental Observation Network</a> (SAEON), South Africa is one of 30 countries worldwide to have contributed to a global dataset to detect climate-driven hydrological trends.</p><p>The newly released dataset, called the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/robin">Reference Observatory of Basins for International hydrological climate change detection</a> (ROBIN), contains daily river flow data for 2, 386 gauging stations across the globe which have natural or near-natural catchments. Data from river basins that are relatively undisturbed by human impacts are important for efforts to detect climate-driven hydrological trends and make informed decisions on climate adaptation strategies. </p><p>The ROBIN dataset is now publicly available <a href="https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/3b077711-f183-42f1-bac6-c892922c81f4">here</a>. Additionally, a new open access <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-025-04907-y">Data Descriptor paper</a> explains how the network and dataset were developed.</p><p>Dr Andrew Watson, a senior researcher in Stellenbosch University's <a href="https://climate.sun.ac.za/">School for Climate Studies</a>, says they worked with SAEON to contribute streamflow data to ROBIN: “SAEON has a number of critically important observation points away from human-made distribution infrastructure such as reservoir releases, wastewater treatment plants, and irrigation. This data can be used to analyse climate change impacts and trends," he explains.</p><p>One such observation point is at Jonkershoek outside Stellenbosch – the <a href="https://fynbos.saeon.ac.za/?p=3183">Jonkershoek multiple catchment experiment</a> has been running since the 1930s and is the oldest in Africa and one of the longest running in the world. One can even view real time data from SAEON's high altitude weather station <a href="https://lognet.saeon.ac.za/Dwarsberg/index.html">here</a>. The streamflow data, shared with ROBIN, is archived and stored on the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://catalogue.saeon.ac.za/&data=05%7c02%7c%7c9fbe1e92e5ce46991c7708dd8c8e4795%7ca6fa3b030a3c42588433a120dffcd348%7c0%7c0%7c638821264964770792%7cUnknown%7cTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7c0%7c%7c%7c&sdata=LQ5xr2b7X0t70KVLA2K0OZT5ccM9p1sgrfUcIt6128g%3D&reserved=0">SAEON Data Portal</a>. </p><p>The ROBIN initiative, established in March 2022 and led by the United Kingdom Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), has created a long-term collaboration of international experts, now including more than 60 partner organisations from 30 countries across five continents. </p><p>In a media release issued by UKCEH, Prof. Peter Thorne from Maynooth University in Ireland said the latest <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/">Assessment Report</a> of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicated “low confidence" in patterns of observed change in global streamflow trends: “Much of this lack of confidence relates to the relative absence of rivers which are unperturbed by other human factors. With ROBIN providing a set of long-term, sustained measurements which are, to the extent practical, free of human perturbations, future assessments of global streamflow can potentially discern with higher confidence any signal that may exist."</p><p>By bringing this information together and making it available for wider use, ROBIN represents a significant advance in global-scale, accessible streamflow data. The ROBIN dataset also has full metadata for 3,060 gauging stations, including those providing daily flow data. Most records span at least 40 years, though some date to the late 19th century.</p><p>According to the media release, global-scale analysis of trends in river flows using undisturbed catchments is important for many reasons. Future IPCC assessments and other policy-relevant reports need such data to better understand how climate change affects river flows but there are other potential uses beyond looking at climate impacts. Hydrologists and water managers need to know natural variations in river flow in order to detect the impacts of human disturbances (dams, abstractions) in more modified catchments. In turn, ecologists can help understand these impacts on river ecosystems. </p><p><strong>Notes on the dataset</strong></p><p>ROBIN is an 'open science' initiative where all data and code are shared, to enable partners (and the wider community) to replicate analysis. A code library for ROBIN is <a href="https://github.com/NERC-CEH/ROBIN_pipeline">available here</a>, highlighting its potential for research and educational purposes across the environmental sciences. </p><p>Data were quality controlled by the central ROBIN team before being added to the dataset, and two levels of data quality are applied to guide users towards appropriate the data usage. <br></p><p><br></p> |
| Maths undergrads make history with published research paper | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=11292 | | Maths undergrads make history with published research paper | Faculty of Science (media and communication) | <p></p><p>Two mathematics students from <a href="https://math.sun.ac.za/">Stellenbosch University</a> (SU) have made mathematical history when their week-long internship with a mathematician at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) resulted in a paper accepted for publication in the <em>Journal of Algebra and its Applications</em>.</p><p><a href="https://pure.uj.ac.za/en/persons/amartya-goswami">Dr Amatya Goswami</a>, an expert in associative rings and algebras, general topology, order, lattices and ordered algebraic structures at UJ, says it is an exceedingly rare event for undergraduate students to produce publishable research in a reputable journal in mathematics.</p><p>He was visited in November 2023 by SU students Ms Kerry Porrill (then a second-year mathematics student) and Ms Danielle Kleyn (then third year mathematics) as part of an internship initiative managed by the <a href="https://nithecs.ac.za/">National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences</a> (NITheCS).</p><p>“Initially, I intended to assign them some routine exercises in Ring Theory. However, I quickly realised that they were far too advanced for such tasks. I therefore set aside my original plan and proposed that we work on a research problem.</p><p>“To my utter surprise, within just one week, a substantial number of highly non-trivial results were proved. These developments subsequently culminated in a research paper. While the process of writing and submitting the paper took some time, the essential mathematics was almost entirely completed during that one week of their visit. Yesterday, I received official confirmation of the paper's acceptance in the <em>Journal of Algebra and its Applications</em>," he wrote in an email to NITheCS recently. </p><p>The two SU students say while ring theory was very new to them at the time, they both found the challenge “quite interesting": “It was quite challenging at first, especially since a lot of it was new. We spent the whole week just thinking about the ring we were studying and bouncing ideas off each other," Kerry commented.</p><p>The exposure to this field of mathematics certainly sparked their interest in algebra in general. Kerry is currently doing a BSc Honours in Mathematics, planning on specialising in algebra, while Danielle is doing her MSc in Mathematics in lattice theory and universal algebra under the guidance of <a href="https://math.sun.ac.za/research/groups/categorical-algebra/">Dr Michael Hoefnagel</a>.</p><p>The paper, titled “<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.10824">On Structures of the Ring of Arithmetical Functions: Prime Ideals and Beyond</a>", is available online at arXiv.</p><p>The NITheCS Internship Programme provides aspiring mathematicians with an opportunity to engage with research-level mathematics early in their academic journey. According to Dr Goswami, such an initiative is both profoundly beneficial and urgently needed, especially in the South African context.<br></p><p><br></p> |
