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Unveiling the power of bioinformatics: VEME workshop leaves lasting impacthttps://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10157Unveiling the power of bioinformatics: VEME workshop leaves lasting impactCERI Media and Communication - Maambele Khosa<p style="text-align:justify;">In the intricate web of scientific exploration, one thread stands out for its profound influence on clinical research and public health: bioinformatics. The week-long 27th International Bioinformatics & Virus Evolution & Molecular Epidemiology (<a href="https://veme.climade.health/">VEME</a>) Workshop, hosted by the Centre for Epidemic Response & Innovation (<a href="https://ceri.org.za/">CERI</a>) at Stellenbosch University from August 20th to 25th, recently concluded, leaving a trail of insights and inspiration. This workshop showcased the symbiosis between experts and enthusiasts, forging a path into the realm of molecular data analysis and its practical implications.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">VEME, a pioneering workshop series, has long been a vanguard of cutting-edge bioinformatics training. In an era where data reigns supreme, VEME tackled the dire need for specialized knowledge. The event brought together eminent researchers from across the globe, united by the common goal of bridging theoretical concepts with real-world application. With their expertise, they illuminated the path for future bioinformatics maestros.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">As the closing remarks of the event, Professor Anne-Mieke Vandamme, one of the organizers, eloquently summarized the main pillars of VEME's purpose. She stated, "The VEME workshop has three main pillars: to bring people together, to provide methodology and training, and to empower participants to produce tangible results." These pillars encapsulate the essence of VEME, emphasizing collaboration, skill-building, and impactful outcomes.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">At the heart of VEME27's triumph lay its commitment to building capacity. In today's landscape, where torrents of genomic data flow ceaselessly, the ability to harness this wealth is revolutionary. The workshop's structure revolved around four key modules: Phylogeny Inference, Evolutionary Hypothesis Testing, Next Generation Sequencing, and From Trees to Public Health Policy.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Professor Tulio de Oliveira, another organizer, captured the essence of the workshop's impact in a tweet: "Building expertise to quickly respond to epidemics." This sentiment resonated throughout the event, as participants engaged in a half-day module on developing genomic surveillance dashboards. The enthusiasm and interest were palpable, reflecting the shared commitment to rapid epidemic response.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The 2023 VEME transcended borders, uniting 158 eager minds from 39 countries. Through immersive hands-on experiences across the workshop's modules, participants engaged with genomics analysis under the mentorship of 44 top-tier experts. One of the teachers, from the Rockefeller Foundation & Indiana University, USA, reflected on the event, tweeting, "That's a wrap on #VEME2023! Great to catch up with colleagues from across the globe....' Can't wait for next year in #Seattle #VEME2024."</p><p>Beyond the remarkable statistics, VEME has been hosted in 18 different countries across its 27 editions. It is an integral part of a broader African Genomics Capacity Building Program, further underscoring its significance in bolstering scientific expertise on the continent.</p><p>The workshop's impact extended beyond its core activities. A public lecture, hosted as part of the event, drew more than 300 attendees. World-leading experts, Professors Edward Holmes and Marion Koopman, delivered insights that resonated far and wide. Edward C. Holmes, a Professor of Virology at the University of Sydney, Australia, is renowned for his research on the evolution and spread of infectious diseases. Marion Koopmans, a virologist and Professor at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, is recognized for her work in emerging infectious diseases, particularly zoonotic viruses with the potential to jump from animals to humans.</p><p>​​As the curtains fall on #VEME2023, the legacy of collaboration, shared knowledge, and unwavering dedication prevails. For those captivated by the confluence of bioinformatics, virus evolution, and molecular epidemiology, VEME stands as a beacon of opportunity. Its reverberations are set to shape research, public health, and the scientific landscape for years to come. ​<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><br></p>
Meet Carmell Pillay: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4555Meet Carmell Pillay: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p>​<strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Carmell Pillay.</strong></p><div>Carmell Pillay is a first-year B Speech, Language and Hearing Therapy student from Durban. </div><div><br></div><div>She’s the first grandchild in her family to go to university and it was her parents who encouraged her to apply to Stellenbosch University. “Being an Indian and not from Cape Town, I was apprehensive of not fitting in. But I have embraced the change and being away from home. I have met some great people.” </div><div><br></div><div>She says campus life has been even better than what she expected it to be and she looks forward to learning practical skills in her course that she can pass on to patients. “I want to give people the tools they need to combat their impediments,” she explains.</div><div><br></div><div>“One of the last things my grandfather told me was to do everything to the best of my ability, even when it’s difficult.” And that is also a lesson she would like to pass on.</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Quick questions:</strong></div><div><ul><li>If you were an animal, what would you be? “An owl. They are calm, wise and observant, with the potential to capture their target (prey)."<br></li><li>What message would you put on a billboard? “Be the person you’d like to meet."<br></li><li>What is your pet hate? "Stereotyping. People are more than what they appear to be."<br></li><li>Motto you live by? “‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, and not our darkness that most frightens us.’ This quote by Nelson Mandela reminds me that we are all born to shine and that we should use the talents given to us, regardless of our fears.”<br></li></ul></div>
Meet Perfect Mavimbela: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4529Meet Perfect Mavimbela: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p>​<strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Perfect Mavimbela.</strong></p><div>Perfect Mavimbela believes in new beginnings.  “Your life is like a movie: you’re the director, you choose the actors and you choose the scenes. It’s never too late to shout ‘Cut’ and start from the top.”</div><div><br></div><div>Mavimbela is a first-year B Occupational Therapy (OT) student from Nelspruit and believes in optimising each hour every day. </div><div><br></div><div>“Everyone has the same amount of time, it just depends how you use it.” </div><div><br></div><div>He chose to study OT because he believes it’s a good convergence of the various health disciplines. </div><div><br></div><div>After his father passed away when he was eight years old, he and his sister were raised by his mother who experienced many financial obstacles to put him them through school. “I have learnt that the more pressure and pain we feel, the more we grow. I have been through a lot, but the pain forges us to be stronger.”</div><div><br></div><div>He has big dreams and hopes to one day specialise in adult neurology, with the letters “PhD” behind his name.</div><div><br></div><div>“I’m ambitious and hardworking,” he says, “but my actions actually define me better.”</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Quick questions:</strong></div><div><ul><li>Favourite TV-character? “Sheldon Cooper from <em>Big Bang Theory</em>. He’s just too cool.”<br></li><li>What makes you laugh? “African comedy, such as Thenjiwe Comedy,  Mark Angel Comedy and Kamsiime.”<br></li><li>Favourite food? “Mom’s beef stew is the best!”<br></li><li>Mantra you live by? “If not now, when? If not you, who?”<br></li><li>What is the purpose of life? “To bring about change.”<br></li></ul></div>
Meet Megan Smith: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4524Meet Megan Smith: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p> <strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Megan Smith.</strong></p><div>Megan Smith has big ambitions and an even bigger heart. Though she’s now still a first-year Occupational Therapy student at Stellenbosch University, she dreams of one day being the head of an organisation such as LIV Village in KwaZulu-Natal – a project that houses and fosters orphans and abandoned children. “I would like to use my skills and my knowledge to change the lives of our orphaned children,” she explains.</div><div><br></div><div>Smith says she decided on her course because she is passionate about helping people and making a positive change, particularly in South Africa. She says her Afrikaans high school teacher, who was tasked with trying to instil a love for Afrikaanse literature to a group of English KZN girls,  proved to her that through passion and perseverance anything is possible.</div><div><br></div><div>The motto she lives by sums up her attitude of positivity: “Every day, in every way, things get better and better.”</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Did you know…</strong></div><div><ul><li>She has a way with words and likes to write poetry in her free time.<br></li><li>She likes baking and one of her specialties is her grandmother’s vanilla cake with a twist – it’s filled with nougat!<br></li><li>The most important lesson she’s learnt in her life thus far is to never give up. “My dad taught me to always drive through the storm, and not to hang around waiting for it to end.” <br></li><li>She studies six to nine hours per day.<br></li><li>Her best habit is keeping a daily to-do list, and her worst is not folding her jerseys properly.<br></li><li>She is crazy about dogs.<br></li></ul></div>
Meet Dudu Kasonkola: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4514Meet Dudu Kasonkola: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p>​<strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Dudu Kasonkola.</strong></p><p>After achieving top mathematic marks in Gauteng, Pretoria Girls High matriculant  Dudu Kasonkola was offered a bursary to go study at any institution of her choice. “I picked Stellenbosch University.” She is now busy completing her first year as MB,ChB student on the Tygerberg campus.</p><p>“I suppose it’s just the way God made everything work out,” she answers when asked why she chose her specific course.<br></p><p>She says uncertainty in diagnosing patients is the biggest challenge doctors have to deal with. “Each human is created so unique that a generic umbrella approach doesn’t always apply. Sometimes the symptoms don’t add up.”<br></p><p>In 10 years time, sees herself to moving between countries in other parts of Africa. “I want to make a difference in the environment and empower more people to take health into their own hands with what they’ve been given in their circumstances.” <br></p><p>Kasonkola says she also likes to play devil’s advocate for those who don’t have a voice and talks a lot about the environment and the shrinking tree population.  <br></p><p>She’s learnt that that nobody understands her quite as well as her family does, and her desire to give back to them motivates her. “I want their sacrifices to bear worthy fruit.”<br><br><strong>Did you know…</strong><br></p><ul><li>She ’s a vegetarian. “I’ve learnt to make amazing wraps with the most interesting vegetable combinations.”</li><li>Her best habit is greeting strangers.</li><li>Her worst is drinking too much coffee.</li><li>The last book she read was <em>The Famished Road</em> by Ben Okri.</li><li>She cannot study with her back towards a door.</li></ul><p></p>
Meet Sarah Bosch: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4512Meet Sarah Bosch: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p>​<strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Sarah Bosch.</strong></p><p>Sarah Bosch wants to follow in the footsteps of her father. “He’s a GP that specialised in family medicine,” she explains. <br></p><p>Bosch, a Bredasdorp native, also has an older brother, who is currently a sixth year medical student at the Stellenbosch University’s Tygerberg campus.<br></p><p>She was in grade 8 when she decided that she too wanted to become a doctor to be able to help people. Bosch has an older sister who is mentally disabled and says it is one of the reasons that contributed to her decision to study medicine. <br></p><p>“I’ve learnt a lot from her about empathy, caregiving, responsibility and seeing the best in every situation.”<br></p><p>She, however, recognises that her chosen career path will set many challenges. “You work long, hard hours and don’t see your family that often. It’s expected of you to give more of yourself than you can expect back, and you have a huge responsibility.”<br></p><p>So far, she’s enjoyed her studies, and says the second semester was especially nice because “the work is actually about what you are going to do one day”. She looks forward to learning how to put up a drip.<strong><br></strong></p><p><strong>Did you know…</strong><br></p><ul><li>If she could be an animal, she’d be a penguin. “They are my favourite animals.”</li><li>If she could write a message on a billboard, it would be: “The world needs what you’ve got.”</li><li>Her favourite food is her mother’s mac-’n-cheese.</li><li>Her best trait is laughing a lot. “Especially at myself.”</li><li>Her message to campus is: “Always remember to make the best of your opportunities.” </li></ul><p></p>
Meet Lindokuhle Mazibuko: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4495Meet Lindokuhle Mazibuko: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p>​<strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Lindokuhle Mazibuko.</strong></p><p>Lindokuhle Mazibuko received nine distinctions in matric. He can play 11 musical instruments and one day wants to be remembered as the doctor who found the cure for HIV/Aids. </p><p>He plans on completing his MB,ChB-degree at the Stellenbosch University and then going on specialise in virology and then neurosurgery at Harvard University in the USA.</p><p>“I have learnt hard work is the key,” he shares the most valuable lesson his learnt in his life. “I don’t believe in short cuts.”</p><p>Mazibuko, a first-year student from Bergville in KwaZulu-Natal, is now a resident of Huis Kerkenberg. He says he chose to study medicine to change lives and make it into the history books.<br></p><p>He describes himself as curious and someone who questions just about everything. “I believe in myself and those that surround me. I strongly believe that I am special in God’s eyes and that I am destined for greatness.”</p><p>Mazibuko says adapting to the new environment this year has been difficult, especially with regards to making the necessary adjustments to survive and learn with the new academic challenges. The skill he’s most eager to learn during the course of his studies is perseverance. <br></p><p>“'Ayikho inkomo yobuthongo.' It’s a Zulu saying that means ‘no discomfort, no gain’.”<br><br><strong>Quick questions:</strong><br></p><ul><li>Favourite food: “Jeqe noBhontshisi (steamed bread and beans).”</li><li>Message to the campus? “Never forget where you come from, where you are and where you are going.”</li><li>YouTube or Instagram? “Khan Acadamy (on YouTube).”</li><li>Best habit? “Reading up about HIV.”</li><li>And worst? “Sleeping.”</li></ul><p> </p>
Meet Priya Pillay: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4482Meet Priya Pillay: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p><strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Priya Pillay.</strong></p><div>If it hadn’t been for her parents and grandparents’ hard work, Priya Pillay wouldn’t have been able to be a first-year MB,ChB student at Stellenbosch University. </div><div><br></div><div>“They faced adverse times to raise and educate themselves and their family. My grandparents started off with nothing, yet enforced the importance of education and in so doing gave my parents the key to their future, that has now been passed on to me.” </div><div><br></div><div>Their work ethic also passed on to Pillay, who matriculated for St Dunstan’s College in Benoni with six distinctions and currently studies five to seven hours per day. “Don’t count the days, but make the days count,” is her mantra.</div><div><br></div><div>Pillay is interested in treating and ‘fixing’ the human body, but hopes one day to be able to heal not only physical wounds, but also the wounds of society. </div><div><br></div><div>She describes herself as an open-minded soul-searcher on the path to happiness and she is inspired by the multitude of opportunities available in the modern world, eager to find and make use of them. </div><div><br></div><div>“The purpose of life is finding what you love and being good at it, so that it influences people’s lives in a positive way.”</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Quick questions: </strong></div><div><ul><li>Best time-management tip? “Limit social media and cellphone time. Switch off data during the times you need to complete a task.”<br></li><li>Can you cook or bake? “Yes (both).”<br></li><li>Signature dish(es)? “Stuffed marinara mozzarella and spinach chicken, and a rosewater cream meringue cake.”<br></li><li>Message to campus? “In difficult times, we must support each other and unite.”<br></li></ul></div>
Meet Cathanja Slabbert: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4481Meet Cathanja Slabbert: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p><strong>​As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Cathanja Slabbert.</strong><br></p><div>Cathanja Slabbert believes that more people should live with gusto and warns adults not to dampen the youth’s lust for life. “If they’re excited about something, let them be excited! Don’t make them feel negative about our country’s future – negative people won’t make a difference.”</div><div><br></div><div>Slabbert, a first-year MB,ChB student at Stellenbosch University, sees herself as someone with heaps of energy and doesn’t believe in living an unhappy or ungrateful life. “Smile, because life is good,” is one of her mottos.</div><div><br></div><div>Slabbert was head girl of Bloemhof High School in Stellenbosch and also earned Western Province colours in athletics during her school career. She is still very active and says she exercises almost every day. “If you find your rhythm, it’s easy to stick to it.”</div><div><br></div><div>Sport has also taught her the value of dedication. “Hard work trumps talent every time.” </div><div><br></div><div><strong>Did you know…</strong></div><div><ul><li>After qualifying, she would like to explore the world by working on a cruise ship as their onboard doctor. “After that I would like to work in Africa before returning to South Africa.”<br></li><li>She loves ice cream and biltong.<br></li><li>Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber are her favourite artists.<br></li><li>Her dad, who is a Matie-alumni and doctor, taught her the importance of good planning and she believes in also leaving room in her schedule for unexpected events, such as someone popping in for quick cup of tea.<br></li></ul></div>
Meet Sinthivhele Sinthumule: #MyTygerMaties60https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4460Meet Sinthivhele Sinthumule: #MyTygerMaties60FMHS Marketing & Communications<p> <strong>As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Sinthivhele Sinthumule.</strong></p><div>Sinthivhele Sinthumule has been involved with charity organisations since school, and if she was given R5 million, she would use it to start her own charity. Her big heart is also the reason why she chose to study medicine. </div><div><br></div><div>After matric, she was accepted into Stellenbosch University’s (SU) SciMathUS programme which offers students the opportunity to improve their National Senior Certificate marks in maths and science in order to qualify for higher education. “If it wasn’t for the programme, I wouldn’t have been able to study medicine,” she says.</div><div><br></div><div>Now she is first-year MB,ChB student and hopes to one day improve the availability of healthcare services in Limpopo. “I believe that if I want to see a change in the healthcare sector, the change starts with me.”</div><div><br></div><div>She thinks the biggest challenge the profession faces is the lack of resources to provide optimum services. In ten years’ time, she sees herself being involved in research on “better ways for doctors to give disadvantaged citizens best services”.</div><div><br></div><div><strong>In a nutshell:</strong></div><div><ul><li>Best habit? “I don’t get offended easily.”<br></li><li>Motto you live by? “Never get tired of doing little things for others. Sometimes those things occupy the biggest part of their heart.”<br></li><li>If you were an animal, what would you be and why? “An elephant, because they are strong, intelligent, loyal and unstoppable.”<br></li><li>What message would you like to give to the campus? “Remember why you are here and don’t lose sight of the goals you have set for yourself.”<br></li></ul></div>