| SU shines at 2024 NRF Awards | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10820 | | SU shines at 2024 NRF Awards | Corporate Communication and Marketing/Korporatiewe Kommunikasie en Bemarking | <p>Stellenbosch University (SU) has once again performed outstandingly at the annual <a href="https://www.nrf.ac.za/nrf-awards/"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards</strong></a>. Prof Richard Cowling, Dr Boitumelo Ramatsetse, Profs Herman Wasserman and Simon Schaaf, the <a href="https://tuberculosis.mrc.ac.za/"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis (TB) Research</strong></a> and the <a href="https://www.sacema.org/"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis</strong></a><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0"> </strong>(SACEMA) emerged victorious at a ceremony at Sun City Resort on 22 August 2024. The prestigious NRF Awards recognise and celebrate South African research excellence as well as the scientists behind this research.</p><p><strong>Cowling</strong>, an extraordinary professor in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, received the Lifetime Achievement Award which honours a South African or permanent resident who has made exceptional contributions of international standard and impact to the development of science in and for South Africa over an extended period. Cowling was recognised for his decades-long pioneering work in the fields of ecology and conservation. This work has had substantial impacts both nationally and internationally. Throughout his scientific career, he has devoted much time and effort to engaging with community-based conservation organisations and communicating the outcomes of his team's research to the public.</p><p><strong>Ramatsetse </strong>from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering won the Early Career/Emerging Researcher Award for his work on the application of reconfigurable manufacturing systems to develop modular, adaptable technological solutions for the mining and machine manufacturing industries. Ramatsetse led some of the first prospective multidisciplinary advanced manufacturing research studies in this field in Africa.</p><p><strong>The Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research</strong> – with nodes at SU, the University of Cape Town and the University of the Witwatersrand – won the Societal Impact Award which recognises NRF-funded researchers and research entities whose work has led to tangible and beneficial societal impact, either in terms of social impact, economic impact, innovation, or environmental impact. The Centre combines clinical grassroots investigations into TB with sophisticated laboratory research for accurate diagnosis of and appropriate therapy for multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB and extensively drug-resistant TB. It translated research into products that enabled the mass rollout of TB testing in South Africa and globally. The Centre continues to play an ongoing role in community outreach and awareness to prevent and treat TB.</p><p><strong>Wasserman</strong> from the Department of Journalism and <strong>Schaaf</strong> from the Desmond Tutu TB Centre in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health both received A-ratings. A-rated researchers are recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their field for the high quality and impact of their research outputs. Wasserman was honoured for his research on media and society, media ethics, media and conflict, media and geopolitics, and disinformation studies, while Schaaf obtained his third A-rating for his pioneering work on the drug resistance surveillance of TB in children, the pharmacokinetics of anti-tuberculosis drugs in children, HIV/TB co-infection, childhood TB diagnosis, TB meningitis and new treatment strategies. SU now boasts 22 A-rated scientists.</p><p><strong>SACEMA</strong> won a finalist award in the Societal Impact category for its significant contributions to the understanding of HIV, TB, human papillomavirus (HPV), measles, polio, trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and other infectious diseases over the past 18 years. It has been instrumental in global HIV modelling and estimation, has conducted research on the impact of HPV prevention strategies, and contributed to the design of groundbreaking studies, supporting routine TB surveillance.</p><p>Prof Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Postgraduate Studies at SU, congratulated the winners and said: “This recognition by the NRF is a significant milestone for Stellenbosch University. It highlights the vital role that cutting-edge research plays in addressing global health challenges and reinforces our commitment to advancing knowledge that benefits society."<br></p><p><br></p> |
| “I’m a problem solver!” says number theorist Prof Florian Luca | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10803 | | “I’m a problem solver!” says number theorist Prof Florian Luca | Faculty of Science (media & communication) | <p><span style="text-align:justify;">Prof Florian Luca, one of only a handful of A1-rated mathematicians in South Africa, has joined Stellenbosch University's Department of Mathematical Sciences from 1 August 2024.</span><br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Born in Romania, Luca has been a distinguished professor in the School of Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand since June 2014. He received his second <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.nrf.ac.za/about-us/nrf-awards/2022-2/a-rated-researchers-2022/professor-florian-luca/&data=05%7c02%7c%7cdabf0dc37b9842bf26eb08dc96667833%7ca6fa3b030a3c42588433a120dffcd348%7c0%7c0%7c638550614062575725%7cUnknown%7cTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7c0%7c%7c%7c&sdata=YamqhY5EMORXXhHlNvlgqLUmEmz/1cfybrag2dU%2BHZQ%3D&reserved=0">A1-rating</a> from the National Research Foundation in 2022 – meaning he is acknowledged by peers to be a leading international researcher.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Luca's research in mathematical sciences and applied mathematics centers<br> on Number Theory with a focus on the areas of Diophantine equations and arithmetic functions. He holds various visiting professorships at mathematics research groups at Oxford University, the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in Bonn, and the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in Saarbrücken. Earlier this year, he received another feather in his cap when he was named a <a href="https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/research-news/2024/2024-04/global-collaboration-adds-up-for-mathematician-.html">Fellow-Ambassador</a> by France's national centre for scientific research (CNRS – <em>Centre national de la Recherche Scientifique</em>).</p><p style="text-align:justify;">According to MathSciNet Luca has authored and co-authored almost 800 publications with 351 co-authors. He has more than 8 000 citations on Google Scholar with an h-index of 37 and an Erdös number of 1. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Luca says he came to know Stellenbosch better during his time as a <a href="https://www.stias.ac.za/fellows/florian-luca/">Fellow</a> at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies (STIAS) in 2023. When the opportunity arose to take up a position in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at SU, it was easy to make the transition.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">He is looking forward to collaborating with colleagues in other departments and faculties: “I'm a problem solver! Other research groups come to me when they get stuck. That is one of the reasons I have been able to sustain such a high research output," he quips. </p><p>Prof Ingrid Rewitzky, executive head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, says they are much looking forward to welcoming Florian to the department: “His appointment will improve our research footprint in Number Theory nationally and internationally. By attracting more postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows, his contributions will also ensure the longevity and productivity of Algebraic Number Theory and Algebraic Geometry at Stellenbosch."</p><div><span style="text-align:justify;">Image: Prof. Florian Luca. Credit: Stefan Els</span><br></div><p></p> |
| Prof Yin-Zhe Ma helps to unravel mysteries of the Universe | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10792 | | Prof Yin-Zhe Ma helps to unravel mysteries of the Universe | Corporate Communication and Marketing/Korporatiewe Kommunikasie en Bemarking | <p>Prof Yin-Zhe Ma from the Department of Physics in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University (SU) delivered his inaugural lecture on Tuesday 13 August 2024. The title of his lecture was “Unravelling the mysteries of the Universe".<br></p><p>Ma, who also holds the Chair in Computational Astronomy at SU, spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about how he uses innovative observational methods and computational tools to help deepen our understanding of the fundamental laws of the Universe and to unravel its mysteries.</p><p><strong>Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.</strong></p><p>My research is about the Big Bang Theory of the Universe and its observational tests. The Big Bang Theory is the idea that the universe started from a very hot and dense beginning about 13,8 billion years ago and has been expanding ever since. </p><p>I became interested in this topic when I was a second year undergraduate student at Nanjing University in Jiangsu, China while listening to a very interesting seminar given by Prof Tan Lu on neutrinos (tiny, electrically neutral particles produced in various process, such as the sun's energy production, and during radioactive decay), dark matter (invisible stuff in space that doesn't emit light or energy, but helps hold galaxies together because of its gravity), and dark energy (a mysterious force/energy that accelerated the expanding of the universe over time). </p><p>I immediately knew from then on that this was the subject for me, because the Universe is the biggest thing you can ever work on. I eventually did my PhD in astronomy (the scientific study of everything in the Universe beyond Earth's atmosphere, including stars, planets, galaxies and other celestial objects and phenomena) at the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University. </p><p><strong>How would you describe the relevance of your work?</strong></p><p>I would say that my work is relevant as far as our curiosity about the sky, nature, the fundamental laws of the Universe, and the nature of dark energy and dark matter is concerned. After all, we are possibly just one of many species in the cosmos. There could be tons of other intelligent species out there but too far away to connect with us. Astronomy is the knowledge about all these intelligent species. For example, if they live in our Milky Way, they can also realize that we are orbiting around the centre of a bulge of all stars where a supermassive black hole resides. So, in that sense, it is very relevant to all intelligences in the cosmos.</p><p><strong>To what extent do innovative observational methods and computational tools help us unravel the mysteries of the Universe?</strong></p><p>They help a lot. We get most of our information about the cosmos through observations. So, observational tools and the computational capacity to analyse the data are key to advance this subject.</p><p><strong>Based on your research, why is it so important to invest in astronomy and astrophysics research and infrastructure?</strong></p><p>Investing in such a high-end subject can push the boundary of human knowledge and make people ask unimaginable questions. It can also and drive new technologies and innovations in such a way that they benefit people's lives.</p><p><strong>We've all heard about the Big Bang Theory. What are some of the remarkable achievements and unique challenges encountered in this area?</strong></p><p>There are many achievements indeed. These include the accurate prediction of primordial abundance of light elements, the prediction of the microwave background radiation which has been verified in high precision, and the prediction of galaxy formation and clustering on large scales to name a few. </p><p>Of course, there are also unique challenges. The nature of dark matter, dark energy, neutrino mass hierarchy, primordial lithium abundance, and the physical nature of inflation etc, are still mysteries of the Universe. But as observations are improving, we are gradually unravelling these mysteries.</p><p><strong>What are some of the observational explorations planned for the next decade at the forefront of cosmology?</strong></p><p>Several frontiers can be foreseen. One is about the nature of dark matter because there are many probes, and direct and indirect detections in many dimensions in our search for dark matter. My <a href="https://physics.sun.ac.za/astro/"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">research group</strong></a> is working on using South Africa's MeerKAT telescope to search for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axion"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">Axion dark matter and Axion-Like dark matter</strong></a>, and also <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weakly_interacting_massive_particle"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">weakly interacting massive particles</strong></a> (WIMP), which are candidates of dark matter with different masses. Stellenbosch University is also investing in the <a href="/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10432"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">PaarlAfrica Underground Laboratory</strong></a> (PAUL) that will also search for the dark matter decay signal. </p><p>The other frontier is the Epoch of Reionization, which is the critical period (roughly 150 million to 1 billion years after the Big Bang) when the first stars and galaxies formed and emitted radiation that ionized the surrounding hydrogen gas, making the universe transparent to light. My team is heavily involved in <a href="https://reionization.org/"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">Hydrogen Epoch Reionization Array</strong></a> (HERA) which is an experiment aiming to measure the signal of this epoch.</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>I don't think it is tough at all, it is quite fun to be honest! There are many students in this country who have great potential and worthy of being educated and cultivated intellectually. The important thing when we select students, is to look at intellectual merit and capabilities, irrespective of other factors. Because we are a developing country, we cannot afford to lose talented minds. I believe every talented person is an asset to this country.</p><p><strong>What aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?</strong></p><p>If I derive some equations for the first time or run my computer code to get some new results, I would be <em>very</em> happy. I feel that some of nature's secrets are only revealed to me at that point, which is astonishing, exciting and fulfilling. What I usually do, is to take a long walk outside, often into the park, contemplate the results I just found while I am surrounded by the birds singing, fresh air and tranquillity of the forests, and give my subconsciousness an opportunity to think. Then I return to my room, open my book or computer, and check whether the results are “still there" (verify my results). I enjoy this process — the “power" to comprehend nature is something that really fascinates me.</p><p><strong>Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.</strong></p><p>I am fortunate to have travelled to 26 countries, including many countries people don't usually visit. If you want to know some exotic locations, you are welcome to talk to me. </p><p><strong>How do you spend your free time?</strong><strong> </strong></p><p>I don't have much free time actually! But I do intend to slow down a bit and enjoy a bit of Stellenbosch's social life. I actually plan to start learning Afrikaans soon so that I can hold my own when I'm in the company of Afrikaans speakers. </p><p> </p><p><br></p> |
| SU postgrads in earth science win best thesis awards in South Africa | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10786 | | SU postgrads in earth science win best thesis awards in South Africa | Faculty of Science (media & communication) | <p>Postgraduate students in the Department of Earth Science at Stellenbosch University (SU) are making history this year, with two awards from the <a href="https://www.gssa.org.za/">Geological Society of South Africa</a> (GSSA) for the best MSc and the best BSc Honours thesis in earth sciences produced at a South African university in 2023 coming home to SU.</p><p>Rutger La Cock received the Johan Handley award for the best MSc thesis in earth sciences for his work on the gold-carbon coupled geochemical cycle, with a particular emphasis on how these cycles intersected in gold-bearing samples from the more than three-billion-year-old Barberton Greenstone Belt. </p><p>Llelani Coetzer received the Haughton award for the best Honours project in earth sciences for her work on metamorphic conditions in the plumbing systems of the Darling Batholith within the Saldania Belt. She was supervised by Prof. Gary Stevens, and is currently continuing with an MSc looking at the minerals and internal structures of meteorites.</p><p>What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that La Cock was also awarded the Haughton award in 2022. This makes him one of a very select group of only four student scientists who have won both the best Honours thesis and the best MSc thesis awards in their respective years. In both instances he was supervised by Dr Bjorn von der Heyden.</p><p>La Cock, who describes himself as a bit of a nerd, says he has always been passionate about science and more specifically geography and physics: “A degree in earth sciences seemed to marry the two. In the end, it was quite an easy decision for me to make, even though it is not the largest academic department out there."</p><p>For now, this former Fairmont High School learner is enjoying a break from academia and working in the mineral exploration sector for a company called Gryphon Exploration. They focus on exploration projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, mostly looking at precious metals and base metals.</p><p>Coetzer, who matriculated from Strand High School in 2012 and firs completed a BSc in Human Life Sciences, followed by a Honours in psychology, now reckons geology is the best discipline to pursue: “We're doing such cool research. From geochemistry and isotopes and tiny minerals to massive mountains – there is indeed something for everyone!"<br></p><p><br></p> |
| SU student one step closer to becoming a killer whale specialist | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10788 | | SU student one step closer to becoming a killer whale specialist | Faculty of Science (media & communication) | <p>With a research grant from the Ocean Stewardship Fund (OSF), Stellenbosch University (SU) student Lindiwe Makapela hopes to finally realise her dream of one day becoming a killer whale specialist.<br></p><p>She is one of 32 researchers from eight countries who have received OSF grants from the <a href="https://www.msc.org/media-centre/news-opinion/news/2024/07/25/500-000-gbp-awarded-to-fishery-research-projects-through-msc-ocean-stewardship-fund">Marine Stewardship Council</a>, totalling nearly one million pounds.</p><p>Lindiwe recently had to take a year's break from her postgraduate studies due to financial constraints. Instead of giving up, she worked as a volunteer data analyst at the National Zoologic al Gardens in Pretoria. </p><p>“The grant has not only enabled me to further my studies but will also empower me to make a lasting contribution to the field of marine science," this former learner from Prestige College in Hammanskraal says.</p><p>Despite having grown up far away from the ocean, she says the marine environment holds a special fascination for her: “The study of marine life, especially killer whales, has been a constant source of inspiration. Their intelligence, intricate social structures, and ecological significance have inspired me to explore these majestic creatures." </p><p>For her BSc Honours at Nelson Mandela University, she studied bottlenose dolphins. In her free time, she worked with rehabilitated marine animals at the Bayworld Oceanarium in Nelson Mandela Bay. After completing her BSc Honours, she worked as a field specialist at the Shark Research Unit where she acquired skills such as skull morphometry, eDNA sampling, and marine mammal identification.</p><p>For her MSc research she joins the <a href="https://seasearch.co.za/">Sea Search</a> team associated with SU's <a href="/english/faculty/science/botany-zoology/Pages/default.aspx">Department of Botany and Zoology</a>. Under the guidance of Dr Simon Elwin she will investigate <a href="https://www.msc.org/what-we-are-doing/our-collective-impact/ocean-stewardship-fund/impact-projects/investigating-interactions-of-south-african-longline-fisheries-with-orcas-and-cape-fur-seals-2024">killer whale and Cape fur seal depredation on longline fisheries</a> in South Africa.</p><p>“Depredation in the context of my research means that seals and killer whales are feeding off fishery catches or 'stealing' fish from longline fisheries. This behaviour has various ecological impacts because the animals are prone to injury or even being killed by fishermen," she explains.</p><p>The objective is to analyse depredation patterns and how these are driven by natural and human factors. The ultimate objective is to understand this behaviour to mitigate negative interactions.</p><p>She has already started looking at fishery observer data that has been made available through the Department of Foresty, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and CapMarine: “The data gives insight into which species is depredating as well as which prey or fish species are being targeted on the longlines. This kind of information then helps us to gain an understanding of the extent of this behaviour and how it has changed over the years." </p><p>Lindiwe says she is deeply grateful for the OSF grant and strives to be a voice of encouragement for all the little boys and girls of colour who, like her, grew up being discouraged from pursuing careers within science because it is “too difficult".</p><p>“Although I have not yet reached my dream of becoming a killer whale specialist, I'm now well on my way," she concludes.<br></p><p><br></p> |
| Microbes and their interactions the focus of major international meeting | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10780 | | Microbes and their interactions the focus of major international meeting | Faculty of Science (media & communication) | <p></p><p style="text-align:justify;">One of the academic world's largest international meetings addressing topics in microbial ecology, the 19th <a href="https://isme19.isme-microbes.org/">International Symposium on Microbial Ecology</a> (ISME), will take place in Cape Town, South Africa in August.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">More than 1 500 scientists from over 50 countries worldwide will convene at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CT-ICC) from 18 to 23 August 2024. This will be the first time that this prestigious meeting is held on the African continent.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Prof. Thulani Makhalanyane, chair of the ISME organising committee and <a href="/english/faculty/science/microbiology/research/makhalanyane-lab">professor of microbiology</a> at Stellenbosch University (SU), says attending this meeting as a PhD student was instrumental in shaping his science: “It provides an excellent opportunity to interact with global leaders in the field of microbial ecology. Holding this meeting in Cape Town will hopefully provide similar opportunities for other young academics and provide a basis for showcasing microbiome research in Africa".</p><p style="text-align:justify;">He says microbial communities – including bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses – drive important ecosystem services that are conducive to the environment and to human and animal health: “The field of microbial ecology aims to understand the relationship between microorganisms and their environment. Although advances in genomic sequencing have provided remarkable insights regarding the extent of microbial diversity, we lack important mechanistic insights," he explains.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">For example, microbial ecologists focused on human health have shown the profound importance of the microbiome in nutrient acquisition and growth. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">In his capacity as director of the Ambassador Programme of the <a href="https://www.isme-microbes.org/">International Society for Microbial Ecology</a>, Makhalanyane is also organising a public outreach event on “Microbes and Climate Change" at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on Wednesday 21 August. During this event, the public will have the opportunity to engage with internationally renowned researchers on climate change and microbial ecosystems. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Makhalanyane says they hope to encourage people to become stewards of the microbes in their environments – from microbial communities in the soil and oceans to your own gut microbiome. <a href="/english/Lists/Events/DispForm.aspx?ID=5882&RootFolder=%2Fenglish%2FLists%2FEvents&Source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Esun%2Eac%2Eza%2Fenglish%2FPages%2Fdefault%2Easpx">Click here</a> for more information and to register.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Several leading microbiome scientists will feature as plenary speakers during the symposium. This includes <a href="https://knightlab.ucsd.edu/">Prof. Rob Knight</a> from the University of California San Diego and recently featured in the hit Netflix documentary “Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut"; <a href="https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/people/jill-banfield">Prof. Jillian Banfield</a>, from the University of Berkeley and known for her pioneering work and the discovery of <a href="https://www.yourgenome.org/theme/what-is-crispr-cas9/">CRISPR-Cas9</a>; as well as <a href="https://www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimpact/2022/11/10/prof-tulio-de-oliveira/">Prof. Tulio de Oliveira</a> from SU's Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI). <br></p><p><br></p> |
| New isotope hydrology technique reveals secrets of river flow | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10762 | | New isotope hydrology technique reveals secrets of river flow | School for Climate Studies (media) | <p>Researchers used isotope hydrology techniques to develop a pioneering method to assess how different sources of water sources contribute to river flow dynamis.<br></p><p>Dr Andrew Watson, a post-doctoral fellow in the <a href="https://climate.sun.ac.za/">School for Climate Studies</a> at Stellenbosch University, collaborated with researchers from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to advance this new method. The result, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-024-00280-z">Nature Water</a> recently, is an important breakthrough in the understanding and prediction of deep water drainage (aquifer recharge) and flooding risk. </p><p>For this study, the researchers analysed data from 136 perennial rivers and 45 large catchments globally, including the Orange and Tugela rivers in South Africa and the Congo river in west-central Africa. They used measures of the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen making up water molecules to characterise the fraction of river flow that is due to “young water" (i.e., water derived from recent rainfall events), compared to “old water" (ranging from a few months to hundreds and even thousands of years). </p><p>The study was also able to characterise river flow dynamics through developing a dynamic water retention indicator. In rivers with high dynamic retention, water moves through the catchment slowly, indicating a slower response to hydroclimate events. The study further attributed these indicators to key factors such as land cover (e.g. crop and forest cover) and climate (such as air temperature and precipitation). </p><p>In the case of the African rivers, all three had low dynamic water retention capability, implying that they will be more susceptible to hydrological extremes like droughts and floods, Dr Watson explains.</p><p><strong>Revealing the secrets of river flow</strong></p><p>Rivers flow long after rain has fallen and can flow far from the origin of the rain and snow that supplies rivers with water. This is because rain and melted snow can follow a complex path through a catchment, over the surface, or via storage in the soil or even deeper in aquifers. Water is also evaporated or transpired by plant roots. </p><p>The fractions of all these varies from river to river and these fractions can be used to predict how a river will respond to changing conditions. </p><p>“With climate and land-use change now significantly altering how water moves through river catchments, this approach offers a new tool for risk assessment and water planning purposes," commented Prof Guy. Midgley, interim director of the School for Climate Studies and not involved with the study.</p><p>“This will be valuable in climate change adaptation across the world and has direct relevance in South Africa and the southern African region," he added.<br></p><p>Image above: The Orange river at Vioolsdrif in South Africa. Credit: RudiBosbouer, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons<br></p><p><br></p> |
| Social Impact: SUNCOI inspires passion for chemistry in learners | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10758 | | Social Impact: SUNCOI inspires passion for chemistry in learners | Corporate Communications and Marketing (Hannelie Booyens) | <p><em>With Stellenbosch University's (SU) focus on social impact awareness in July, this series of profiles celebrates remarkable individuals and teams who make a meaningful contribution beyond the University's walls. The recent inaugural Social Impact Awards recognised academic and professional administrative support services (PASS) staff at SU who are driving positive change in diverse spheres of life. </em><em><strong>Dr Ebrahiem Botha</strong></em><em> and </em><em><strong>Jabu Lukhele</strong></em><em> won an award for their dedication to a programme that provide high school leaners and teachers access to practical chemistry laboratory work. </em></p><p>It takes two very special men to not only put their heart and soul into a programme that helps high school learners and teachers excel in chemistry, but to also constantly strive to honour the legacy of the formidable woman who started one of SU's flagship community outreach programmes. </p><p>When Dr Ebrahiem Botha and Jabu Lukhele talk about SUNCOI (SU Chemistry Outreach Initiative), their passion for sharing the wonders of chemistry with young people is tangible. Both credit Dr Rehana Malgas-Enus, who tragically passed away in 2022, as their inspiration to dedicate time over weekends and after hours to nurture a love for chemistry in learners. </p><p>Lukhele, Principal Technical Officer of the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, says Malgas-Enus was his friend, mentor and supervisor. “Dr Rehana was one of the most remarkable and driven people I ever met. I learned so much from her. When I joined SU in 2014, she told me about the chemistry outreach idea and asked me to come on board to help with technical aspects of the laboratory work." </p><p><strong>'How do schools do it?'</strong></p><p>A lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science at the time, Malgas-Enus started the programme in 2013 with the idea to give grade 12 students from five underprivileged schools access to the laboratory facilities at SU to fulfil the practical assessments that are necessary for physical science. <br></p><p>Lukhele has a vivid memory of the inception of the SUNCOI programme. “Dr Rehana and I were looking at one of the matric question papers. The students were expected to name different laboratory equipment such as pipettes and burettes or beakers. We looked at each other and wondered how the learners were supposed to know about such things. Both of us went to schools where we didn't have labs, we only got to interact with such equipment when we came to university," Lukhele says. </p><p>The question “how do schools do it?" led Malgas-Enus to reach out to subject advisors at the Department of Education. Not receiving a satisfactory answer ignited her drive to find a solution. “We contacted local schools to understand what they needed, and we got hold of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document for Grade 12," Lukhele recalls. </p><p>Teachers said they needed help with complying to CAPS guidelines, so Malgas-Enus and colleagues decided to design a series of CAPS compliant physical sciences experiments for Grades 10 to 12. It was well received and with an endorsement by the physical science subject advisor, approved by the Western Cape Education Department. </p><p><strong>Help for learners and teachers</strong></p><p>Although the collaboration with local schools began with the CAPS workbook, soon another need was identified. Many teachers lack the know-how to conduct chemistry experiments. To address this, SUNCOI started organising annual workshops for teachers from around the Cape Winelands, training them to perform the experiments. The teachers are incredibly grateful for this hands-on experience, Lukhele says. <br></p><p>Recognising that physical science teachers would still face challenges in their own schools, the SUNCOI team developed a cost-effective kit that contains chemical reagents and basic lab consumables for the different experiments the teachers need to conduct in the classroom. </p><p>The initiative started with laboratory workshops for Grade 12s only, but quickly expanded as Grades 10 and 11 teachers, and eventually others, also expressed interest. SUNCOI's programme now covers experiments from Grade 4 through Grade 12, with each experiment supported by a purchasable kit for classroom use.</p><p>Over the past ten years, thousands of learners and their teachers have donned white lab coats and safety spectacles to perform the prescribed experiments in several of the Chemistry Department's fully equipped laboratories.</p><p><strong>Inspirational role models</strong></p><p>Botha started working at SU in 2020 and didn't hesitate to join the SUNCOI programme shortly after. “I teach the Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) students. This course is designed for matrics who need to improve their marks to be able to enrol in a mainstream degree programme," he explains.</p><p>After Malgas-Enus' passing, Botha put up his hand to take on the role of coordinator of the SUNCOI programme. “I wanted to honour her legacy by continuing the work. Jabu and I make a very good team. We both have a passion for chemistry and teaching. Our energy resonates with each other," he says. </p><p>Botha's own journey as an academic serves as an inspiration to students. “I was one of those learners who didn't do well in school," he shares. “Through the University of the Free State, I completed a bridging year at a satellite campus in Oudtshoorn to improve my matric marks. I then went all the way through university to complete my PhD in chemistry. I want to be an inspiration to students, especially those who didn't do that well in school, to show them if you just work hard, you can also become successful."</p><p>Lukhele notes that Malgus-Enus had a similar background. She grew up in Mitchell's Plain and her mother, who was widowed at age 31, worked in a steel factory to support herself and her two daughters. “Dr Rehana's mom inspired her to believe she could be anything if she set her mind to it and worked hard. Part of her drive was to go back to her community and tell kids: 'Don't look at your circumstances, don't look at what you don't have. We're here to help you achieve your dreams'. </p><p>“I also grew up in a township. Stellenbosch is worlds apart from my childhood circumstances in Johannesburg. I'm fortunate and grateful that people like Dr Rehana believed in me and gave me support to establish a career in science. It inspires me to do the same for others," Lukhele says.</p><p><strong>For the love of science</strong></p><p>Most of SUNCOI's workshops, for as many as 100 learners at a time, happen over weekends but the two chemistry boffins never complain about the extra load. “Nobody is forcing us to do this," Botha emphasises. “We do it as volunteers for the love of science. Luckily, we have a very dedicated team of about 15 postgraduate students and support staff from the chemistry and polymer science department who assist us in the laboratory when we conduct the workshops." </p><p>Some of the participants in the SUNCOI programme have been so inspired that they've continued to study at SU. Lukhele loves the thrill of encountering former SUNCOI learners in the chemistry laboratories as SU students.</p><p>Since it started, the popularity of the SUNCOI programme has had a ripple effect. Other universities have expressed interest and asked for assistance from SU to implement similar programmes. “We've collaborated with the University of Pretoria and Nelson Mandela University," Lukhele mentions. </p><p>They recently also received a request from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) for assistance. “One of our postgraduate students who's now a lecturer at the CPUT wants us to help implement the programme there. Another student who completed his PhD at SU recently reached out from the University of Johannesburg to collaborate," Lukhele says with a proud smile.</p><p>The SUNCOI team has even been approached by one of the world's largest scientific societies, the American Chemical Society, to organise a workshop. </p><p>At the heart of what these two men do at SUNCOI is a passion to motivate learners not to give up challenging subjects. “We encourage learners to stick with maths and science subjects, because it can open so many doors in future," Lukhele says. “Our department's motto is 'chemistry is life'. Chemistry is everywhere. We tell learners when you buy chocolate, there's chemistry behind it. If you're making coffee or tea, by adding all those things, you're doing chemistry. It's that simple and magical."<br></p><p><strong>PHOTO: Prof Nico Koopman (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel), Dr Ebrahiem Botha, Jabu Lukhele and Dr Leslie van Rooi (Senior Director: Social Impact & Transformation) at the Social Impact Awards. </strong><strong><em>(Photo taken by Stefan Els)</em></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><br></p> |
| Research on Alzheimer drug memantine sheds light on novel mechanism in maintaining cell health | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10759 | | Research on Alzheimer drug memantine sheds light on novel mechanism in maintaining cell health | Wiida Fourie-Basson (Media: Faculty of Science) | <p><span style="text-align:justify;">Memantine is one of the main drugs prescribed for patients with mild to severe Alzheimer's disease. Yet, despite an 8.5% increase worldwide in the use of the drug between 2008 and 2018, uncertainties remain regarding the most favorable treatment concentrations.</span><br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">To address this question, scientists in the <a href="https://www.neuroresearchgroup.com/">Department of Physiological Sciences</a> at Stellenbosch University (SU) investigated the concentration-dependent effect of memantine in a neuronal cell model. Intriguingly, they found that low (and not high) concentrations of memantine led to the induction of mitophagy – that is, the selective degradation of mitochondria within the cell; a process that has been shown to enhance cell survival and longevity through the removal of dysfunctional mitochondria. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">In Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, dysfunctional mitochondria are an early hallmark of the disease. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Dr Sholto de Wet, main author of the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37443760/#:~:text=Taken%20together%2c%20our%20findings%20have%2cto%20the%20induction%20of%20mitophagy.">paper</a> published in the journal <em>Cell</em>, says they found that memantine increases the rate at which dysfunctional mitochondria are degraded: “This ensures the presence of new and properly functioning mitochondria that then contribute towards the cell's energetic state. However, when higher concentrations were used, it was noted that autophagy, a pathway responsible for the degradation of proteins, was increased," he explains. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Further research is now needed to translate these findings into more complex model systems, including the brain. </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>What drives neurodegenerative diseases on a cellular level?</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The latest work was done against the background of <a href="https://www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimpact/2024/07/24/studying-neurodegenerative-diseases-on-cellular-level-and-in-3d/">ongoing research</a> in Prof Ben Loos' research group in SU's Department of Physiological Sciences on the role of cell death in driving neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinsons' and Huntington's disease. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">“We are now starting to understand that there is an interdependent relationship between three important processes in the cell, which can be compared to our digestive system," De Wet explains.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">For example, the rate at which proteins are degraded through autophagy can be compared to the mouth, taking in the damaged parts of the cell. The second process (called lysosomal acidification) is akin to the stomach, where acids aid in digesting those parts. Lastly, the mitochondrial network function provides energy to the cell to function properly, enabling lysosomes to acidify and thereby ensuring that the food can be digested in the first place, he explains.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Previously, these processes were studied separately or only as one related to another, rather than considering all three interdependently. This new way of thinking allows them to understand much better the molecular defect that drives these diseases. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Moreover, thus far scientists have mostly focused on the insoluble aggregates of misfolded proteins, deposited in regions of the brain that correspond with the symptoms of the disease at later stages. According to de Wet, how these proteins are degraded inside the cell as well as the role of mitochondria during this process is gaining increasingly interest. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">De Wet and Loos now argue that these aggregates are not the root cause of neurotoxicity <em>per se</em>, but rather that they arise due to the disfunction of the protein degradation pathway, i.e., autophagy.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">In another <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2023.1225227/full">article</a>, they show that the moment the interdependent relationship between those three processes is disrupted, the system will be thrown out of balance and the problematic proteins won't be degraded. In the case of neurodegenerative diseases, the proteins will continue to be over-produced and interact with different parts of the cell, including the mitochondria, effectively leading to the cell dying if their levels aren't kept low.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">This means that targeting any three sides of this triangle, for example by enhancing mitophagy, will lead to protecting the cell: “This is relevant, as many problematic proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases have been shown to damage the cell by interrupting mitochondrial activity. Memantine may therefore offer an avenue by which the mitochondria that are being interfered with, can be removed from the system, possibly along with the problematic proteins," de Wet explains. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">According to Loos, this action of the drug memantine had not been described previously: “Our research points to an important mechanism, which, if exploited in a well-targeted manner, may contribute to a new way of thinking and approaching the treatment of Alzheimer's disease." </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><img src="/english/PublishingImages/Lists/dualnews/My%20Items%20View/Memantine%20effect.png" alt="Memantine effect.png" style="margin:5px;width:690px;" /><br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">In the image above, the effect of the two different concentrations of memantine within the cells are shown. The cells treated with low concentrations of memantine (50 uM) had more events occurring (more pink and white dots), whereas with higher concentrations (100 uM) it did not happen to the same degree. Image: Sholto de Wet<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The article titled “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37443760/#:~:text=Taken%20together%2c%20our%20findings%20have%2cto%20the%20induction%20of%20mitophagy.">The highs and lows of memantine – an autophagy and mitophagy inducing agent that protects mitochondria</a>" was recently published in <em>Cell</em>. <br></p><p>On the photos above, Dr Sholto de Wet and Prof. Ben Loos. Images: Wiida Fourie-Basson and Stefan Els<br></p> |
| New species of dog-sized dinosaur lived in underground burrows | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10734 | | New species of dog-sized dinosaur lived in underground burrows | Faculty of Science (media & communication) | <p>A newly discovered ancestor of <em>Thescelosaurus</em> shows evidence that these animals spent at least part of their time in underground burrows.<br></p><p>According to a media release issued by North Carolina State University, the new dinosaur, named <em>Fona herzogae</em>, was a small-bodied, plant-eating dinosaur about the size of a large dog, covered in a downy coat of colourful feathers.<br></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/english/PublishingImages/Lists/dualnews/My%20Items%20View/Fona%20herzogae%20v2%20credit%20Jorge%20Gonzalez.jpg" alt="Fona herzogae v2 credit Jorge Gonzalez.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:342px;" /><br></p><p><em>Fona</em> lived 99 million years ago in present-day Utah, while <em>Thescelosaurus</em> lived just before the mass extinction event about 66 million years ago. During <em>Fona's</em> time on earth, the area was a large floodplain ecosystem sandwiched between the shores of a massive inland ocean to the east and active volcanoes and mountains to the west. Overall, it was a warm, wet, muddy environment with numerous rivers running through it.</p><p>Dr Ryan Tucker, a sedimentologist from Stellenbosch University's Department of Earth Sciences, was part of the team of scientists from North Carolina State University (NCSU) and the North Carolina Science Museum (NCSM) who unearthed several specimens from the same species in the Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation in 2013.</p><p>For the past decade, Dr Tucker's on-going collaboration with Dr Lindsay Zanno from NCSM and NCSU has focused on describing and dating the immediate environmental and climatic conditions of the area where <em>Fona</em> and other newly discovered fossils have been found. </p><p>He recently discovered several well-preserved volcanic ash fall beds associated with this and other key fossil finds (such as <em>Moros intrepidus</em> and <em>Iani smithi</em>), which facilitated more accurate dating as the deposited ash is laid down relatively instantaneously in geological time. This newly formulated temporal framework was recently published in the Journal <em>Geology. </em></p><p>Tucker indicates that there is still a great deal of work to be done in the mid-Cretaceous Western Interior Basin to better understand climate change during this period of Earth's history. The above efforts are currently supported by the National Science Foundation in the United States of America.</p><p>Tucker and postgraduate student Kira Venter will again be joining Zanno and an internationally diverse multidisciplinary team for a two-month field expedition to the East Gobi Basin in Mongolia. Funded by National Geographic, the expedition forms part of a large-scale study to understand paleoclimate trends in eastern Asia 125 to 83 million years ago. </p><p>“If successful, we will be able to better understand climate change on a hemispheric scale (with comparison to North America), along with generating data that could facilitate meaningful climate forecasts for our own near future if current trends remain unchanged," he explains.</p><p>Click here to read the full media release from North Carolina State University about the newly described dinosaur <em>Fona herzogae</em> – https://naturalsciences.org/calendar/news/life-underground-suited-new-dinosaur-fine/</p> |
