Tag: University of Pretoria

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WORLD DIABETES DAY: Nearly 80 South Africans Die from Diabetes Daily – UP Expert Calls for Urgent National Action

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An illustration of blood glucose monitoring, an important aspect of diabetes management and the prevention of complications. Source: Pixabay CC0

PRETORIA – Diabetes has remained South Africa’s leading underlying natural cause of death for three consecutive years, claiming nearly 29 000 lives in 2024 alone. A University of Pretoria (UP) public health expert is calling for urgent action to strengthen healthcare and prevent avoidable deaths.

According to the latest Statistics South Africa mortality report, 28 767 South Africans died from diabetes-related complications in 2024. This represents 6.1% of all recorded deaths, or about 79 people every day.

Diabetes was also the leading underlying natural cause of death in 2022 and 2023, with 33 126 and 27 967 deaths, respectively.

Dr Patrick Ngassa Piotie, co-founder of UP’s Diabetes Research Centre and Chairperson of the Diabetes Alliance, says these figures expose a persistent public health crisis that demands immediate intervention.

“These numbers cannot be accepted as South Africa’s new normal,” he says. “Diabetes is mostly preventable and manageable. With timely support, people can lead long, healthy lives free from preventable complications.”

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body cannot properly regulate blood sugar levels. Without appropriate treatment, it can cause life-threatening complications affecting the heart, kidneys, eyes, and blood vessels.

Women and working-age adults are most at risk

The national statistics reveal significant inequalities in the burden of diabetes.

In 2024, diabetes claimed 17 429 women’s lives, accounting for 7.9% of all recorded female deaths. Among men, it caused 11 334 deaths, representing 4.5% of male deaths.

Working-age South Africans are also particularly vulnerable. Diabetes was the leading natural cause of death among people aged 45 to 64, accounting for 9 364 deaths, or 7.9% of deaths in this age group.

It also ranked as the leading natural cause of death in five provinces: Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Limpopo.

The findings reflect a broader national health challenge, with noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, accounting for 60.7% of all recorded deaths in 2024.

Why better healthcare could save lives

Dr Ngassa Piotie argues that mortality statistics tell us how many lives have been lost to diabetes, but reveal little about the circumstances surrounding those deaths, including whether they could have been prevented through earlier diagnosis, timely treatment, and better-quality care.

“We should not wait until people die to identify where our health system is failing them,” he says. “We must use the evidence available today to improve care, prevent avoidable complications, and save lives.”

Death certificates cannot reveal whether patients received timely diagnoses, had reliable access to medication, or were regularly monitored for complications.

Through UP’s Tshwane Insulin Project, researchers have demonstrated how nurse-led care can help patients with type 2 diabetes start and adjust insulin treatment at primary healthcare facilities, supported by follow-up care at home.

“Survival rarely hinges on high-tech interventions,” Dr Ngassa Piotie says.

Instead, effective diabetes care depends on trained healthcare workers, reliable medicine supplies, regular screening, continuous monitoring, and support that accommodates patients’ everyday circumstances.

From policy to action: Preventing avoidable deaths

South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases includes targets known as 90-60-50. These aim to ensure that 90% of adults know their blood pressure and blood glucose status, 60% of those with elevated levels receive treatment, and 50% of those receiving care achieve clinical control.

However, translating these commitments into effective healthcare remains a challenge.

Dr Ngassa Piotie advocates for the establishment of a national diabetes registry and the integration of digital health systems to track patients from diagnosis through treatment, identify those who discontinue care, and monitor complications.

He identifies three immediate priorities: connecting early diagnosis to sustained treatment, measuring healthcare outcomes across districts and provinces, and addressing socio-economic barriers such as food insecurity, transport costs, and limited healthcare access.

Following the 2025 Diabetes Summit, the Diabetes Alliance launched the Johannesburg Declaration for Accelerated Action on Diabetes in South Africa, calling for coordinated national leadership, sustainable financing, and stronger primary healthcare.

For Dr Ngassa Piotie, preventing avoidable diabetes-related deaths requires more than awareness campaigns. It demands a coordinated national response that ensures patients receive the continuous care they need.

“People living with diabetes must help define what quality care looks like,” he says.

Read Dr Ngassa Piotie’s full article in The Conversation.

Categories : NeurologyTags : Leave a comment

UP Neuroscience Symposium Highlights the Importance of Decision-making in Surgical Care

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From left: Dr Henry Marsh, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Professor Llewellyn Padayachy and Prof Patrick Semple at the University of Pretoria’s BTC@UP symposium.

Knowing when not to operate can be as important as surgical precision in brain tumour care, British neurosurgeon and bestselling author Dr Henry Marsh told delegates at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) third annual Brain Tumour and Translational Neuroscience Centre (BTC@UP) symposium.

“It’s always easier to do something than to do nothing, because doing nothing is frightening to the doctor,” Dr Marsh said.

His observation highlights one of neurosurgery’s enduring dilemmas: while an operation may prolong a patient’s life, the quality of that life remains a crucial consideration in treatment decisions. For Dr Marsh, good surgery requires more than technical expertise. It demands sound judgement, honest communication, and an understanding of what matters most to each patient.

These principles shaped a panel discussion featuring Professor Llewellyn Padayachy, Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Professor Emeritus Patrick Semple of the University of Cape Town, and Dr Marsh. The discussion explored decision-making under uncertainty and offered insights into the complexities of clinical judgement to an audience drawn from various disciplines within the neurosciences.

“We are ordinary, fallible human beings,” Dr Marsh said, reflecting on how his understanding of neurosurgery had evolved over decades of practice. “What is special about us is the work we do and the quite incredible fragility and complexity of the brain.”

Dr Marsh explained that he initially viewed neurosurgery as a discipline defined by advanced technology, exceptional dexterity, and technical ability. Experience taught him that, while these qualities are essential, they are not enough. The greater challenge is determining whether an operation will genuinely improve a patient’s quality of life.

He recalled the case of a patient with an acoustic neuroma – a benign tumour that grows on the main nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain – whose surgery was postponed after he’d suffered a heart attack. Follow-up scans showed the tumour had not grown, so the clinical team continued monitoring it. Ten years later, the tumour remained unchanged, and surgery was never needed.

The case illustrates why a diagnosis does not automatically mean that surgery must follow. A patient’s age, underlying health conditions, tumour growth, and the potential consequences of an operation must all inform the decision.

Research can help doctors establish probabilities based on groups of patients, Dr Marsh explained, but it cannot always predict what will happen to an individual. This uncertainty makes communication between doctors and patients essential. Patients need to understand not only the anticipated benefits of surgery, but also the risks and the potential impact of complications on their daily lives.

“If you’re not good at talking to patients, if you’re not good at listening to them, you won’t actually make very good decisions,” Dr Marsh stressed.

The challenge becomes more complex when patients are unconscious, and their families must help determine whether treatment should proceed. Dr Marsh argued that doctors must explain possible outcomes clearly, offer considered recommendations, and help families reflect on what the patient would want.

Improving brain tumour care through research and collaboration

At BTC@UP, the challenge of making better clinical decisions is part of a broader effort to improve brain tumour care, from early detection and precise surgery to comprehensive neurocritical care and advanced neurorehabilitation.

Prof Padayachy, who leads BTC@UP, said the centre’s specialised focus on children and adults with brain tumours was strengthening its contribution to patient care while expanding its reach across Africa and the rest of the world.

“Our specialised focus on improving early detection, delivering high-quality surgical care, and integrating multidisciplinary team care and tumour boards to improve the outcome in children and adults with brain tumours has highlighted our role as the premier entity in the country, with a growing presence continentally and internationally,” Prof Padayachy said.

His emphasis on early diagnosis and surgical precision complements Dr Marsh’s perspective on clinical judgement. Earlier detection can create opportunities for timely intervention, while precision is essential when operating on the brain, an organ where the consequences of intervention can be profound.

However, treatment does not end in the operating theatre. Comprehensive neurocritical care and advanced neurorehabilitation remain important in helping patients recover and manage the effects of brain tumours and their treatment.

The symposium explored advances in brain tumour surgery, neuro-ophthalmology, and early detection, as well as the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality in neurorehabilitation.

Collaborative projects with international research partners, including Spanish researchers specialising in computer engineering and AI, highlighted the centre’s work at the intersection of neuroscience and emerging technologies.

For BTC@UP, the value of these developments lies in translating research into practical improvements in patient care. Technology must support more effective diagnosis, informed treatment decisions, and better recovery rather than become an end in itself.

Dr Marsh’s reflections brought the human consequences of clinical decisions into focus, while Prof Padayachy’s leadership highlighted the surgical expertise, research, and international collaboration needed to improve patient outcomes.

Together, their contributions underscored a defining principle of modern neurosurgery: progress is measured not simply by what surgeons can do, but by how effectively they determine what each patient needs.

Categories : CancerTags :

UP Researchers Call for More Personalised Radiation Dosing in Cancer Treatment

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Two cancer patients can receive exactly the same amount of a radioactive medicine, yet their bodies may absorb very different radiation doses.

University of Pretoria (UP) nuclear medicine researchers argue that this is one of the next big challenges precision cancer treatment needs to address.

In a paper published in the inaugural volume of The Lancet Medical Imaging & Theranostics, Prof Mike Sathekge and Dr Kamo Ramonaheng call for greater use of patient-specific dosimetry, which measures how much radiation actually reaches a patient’s tumour and healthy organs.

Radiopharmaceutical therapy uses medicines containing small amounts of radioactive material to seek out and attack cancer cells. But treatment is still commonly based on a standard amount of radioactivity, sometimes adjusted for factors such as body weight.

The researchers argue that knowing how much is given is not the same as knowing how much radiation the cancerous cell actually receives.

“Two patients can receive the same treatment, but their bodies may handle it very differently,” explains Prof Sathekge, Head of Nuclear Medicine at UP and Steve Biko Academic Hospital and CEO of the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI).

“Precision medicine should ultimately mean precision for the individual patient. If we can measure how much radiation reaches the cancer and how much reaches healthy tissue, we have much better information to guide treatment.”

From standard treatment to individual treatment

This measurement is known as dosimetry. The principle is similar to asking not only how much medicine was prescribed, but how much of the treatment reached its intended target.

The researchers propose a practical first step which is to measure the radiation absorbed by the tumour and healthy organs after treatment. This could help doctors understand whether the cancer received enough radiation while limiting unnecessary exposure to healthy tissue.

For patients receiving several treatment cycles, information from the first cycle could eventually help doctors decide whether later treatment should be adjusted or whether continuing the therapy is likely to benefit the patient.

Dr Kamo Ramonaheng elaborates that, “The question should not only be, ‘How much did we give the patient?’ It should also be, ‘How much did this patient actually receive where it mattered?’ Dosimetry brings us much closer to answering that question.”

This could become increasingly important as these therapies are used earlier in cancer care, where patients may live for many years after treatment and reducing long-term side effects becomes particularly important.

New technology is opening the door

Sathekge and Ramonaheng say advances in medical imaging and artificial intelligence are making personalised dosimetry increasingly practical.

More sensitive scanners can provide better information about where radioactive medicines travel in the body, while AI could eventually help analyse images faster and predict how individual patients may respond. The researchers stress that these technologies must be carefully tested before becoming part of routine clinical decision-making.

The ultimate possibility is to use imaging before treatment to predict the radiation dose a patient’s tumour and organs are likely to receive, allowing doctors to plan treatment more precisely before it begins.

Why NuMeRI matters

Much of the infrastructure needed to investigate these approaches already exists at NuMeRI, based at Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

The national research facility brings together advanced PET and SPECT imaging, radiopharmaceutical development, medical physics, radiobiology and clinical research. It is designed to help move discoveries from the laboratory into patient care and to strengthen research and training in personalised nuclear medicine.

Dr Ramonaheng is Head of Medical Physics and Radiobiology at NuMeRI and winner of the prestigious Saul Hertz Award at the Theranostics World Congress 2026. Her research includes patient-specific dosimetry.

Prof Sathekge explains that, “NuMeRI gives us a place where we can develop the science, test it, image patients and build the evidence needed to improve treatment. That is important for dosimetry because personalised treatment depends not only on an idea, but on having the technology, expertise and clinical environment to make it possible.”

The researchers caution that technology alone will not be enough. Wider use of personalised dosimetry will require trained specialists, consistent standards, appropriate funding and stronger clinical evidence.

Their paper describes dosimetry as the “compass” that could guide radiopharmaceutical therapy towards truly personalised cancer treatment.

For Prof Sathekge, the destination is clear, “We want to get closer to giving the right treatment, at the right radiation dose, to the right patient at the right time.”

Categories : GeneticsTags :

UP Researchers Say SA’s Genetic Diversity is Reshaping the Future of Medicine

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Photo by Sangharsh Lohakare on Unsplash

Being part of a genetically diverse South Africa means recognising that our differences are not obstacles to be managed, but powerful lenses through which we can better understand health and disease. Professor Michael Pepper, Director of the Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Pretoria, notes that South Africa is uniquely positioned to address this gap.

A patient arrives at a public clinic in Gauteng for diabetes treatment and responds well to standard medication. Her sister is treated for the same condition at a nearby facility, and despite identical diagnoses and treatments, their outcomes diverge sharply. In South Africa’s overstretched health system, such differences are common and point to a deeper issue: how biology is shaped by both genetic inheritance and experience.

South Africa’s diversity is often framed culturally and politically, but it is also biological. The population reflects some of the oldest human lineages, shaped by centuries of migration and admixture across African, European, Asian and other ancestries. This genetic variation is further shaped by unequal exposure to environmental and social factors, such as nutrition, infectious disease, pollution and access to healthcare, all of which influence health outcomes.

Much of modern biomedical knowledge is based on studies conducted in relatively genetically homogeneous populations in Europe and North America. While these have enabled major medical advances, findings do not always translate directly to South African contexts. Genetic risk variants and treatment responses observed in one population may differ in another, highlighting a gap between global knowledge and local reality.

“Our genetic diversity allows researchers to observe how the manifestation of diseases such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes and HIV is the result of multiple biological determinants, rather than a single one,” says Prof Pepper.

This has practical implications. South Africa faces a dual burden of infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis alongside rising non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Many patients experience both, often compounded by socio-economic inequality. Understanding how genetics interacts with the environment (including infection) is essential for effective disease management.

At research centres such as the Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, scientists are studying how genetic variation influences immune responses, cellular repair mechanisms and treatment outcomes.

“The aim is to advance precision medicine that works across diverse real-world populations, not just narrow genetic groups,” Prof Pepper says.

South Africa’s diversity also has global scientific value. Findings from its population can reveal disease mechanisms that remain hidden in more genetically uniform settings. In this way, local diversity becomes a source of international scientific insight and the common good.

Yet the impact of this research depends on inclusion. When diverse students, clinicians and researchers participate in science, the questions asked and interpretations made become more grounded in real-world contexts. This shapes not only what science discovers, but who it ultimately serves.

Why this research matters

South Africa’s healthcare system remains under strain, facing deep inequities and a growing burden of chronic disease. Yet within its population lies an underused scientific advantage: the ability to illuminate how disease truly behaves across human diversity. Recognising this does not simplify the country’s healthcare challenges, but it does offer a clearer lens through which to address them. In a system striving for equity, that perspective is not optional. It may be one of the most powerful tools we have. This research helps to address UN SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing.

This article first appeared in RE.SEARCH 15: Belonging. Read more here.

Categories : AntibioticsTags :

UP-led International Team Looks to Nature to Outsmart Antibiotic Resistance

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A human neutrophil interacting with Klebsiella pneumoniae (pink), a multidrug–resistant bacterium that causes severe hospital infections. Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health

What if part of the answer to antibiotic resistance has been growing in plants, fungi and microorganisms all along? Scientists say hundreds of thousands of natural compounds remain largely unexplored as researchers race to protect some of the world’s most important antibiotics.

An international team of scientists led by the University of Pretoria (UP) is calling for a renewed search of the natural world for molecules that could disarm antibiotic-resistant bacteria and potentially make existing medicines effective again.

Researchers from UP, the University of Oxford in the UK, the National University of Lesotho, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, and the University of North Texas Health Science Center in the US collaborated on a major review of beta-lactam (β-lactam) antibiotics and the bacterial enzymes that destroy them.

Published in Natural Product Reports, the paper highlights a largely untapped opportunity. More than 400 000 naturally occurring compounds have been catalogued, yet only a small fraction has been investigated for their ability to inhibit β-lactamases, enzymes that can render important antibiotics ineffective.

“Antibiotic resistance is often presented as a search for the next completely new antibiotic, but there is another important possibility: protecting the medicines we already have,” said Professor Vinesh Maharaj, Director of UP’s Biodiscovery Centre, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and co-author of the paper. “Nature has already provided some of the compounds that have transformed infectious-disease treatment. We should not underestimate what remains to be discovered in the enormous chemical diversity of plants and microorganisms.”

The stakes are high. β-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems, account for an estimated 60% to 65% of the antibiotic market. But bacteria have evolved increasingly sophisticated defences against them.

Among the most important are β-lactamases. These enzymes effectively break open the part of the antibiotic that allows it to work. More than 2 000 unique β-lactamases have been identified, including enzymes capable of undermining some of medicine’s last-line antibiotics.

The review cites estimates that bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) directly caused approximately 1.14 million deaths in 2021. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa together accounted for around 47% of global fatalities associated with bacterial AMR, while AMR is projected to cause about 8.2 million deaths annually by 2050 if current trends continue.

For co-author Dr Phanankosi Moyo, a biochemist and natural-product drug discovery scientist in UP’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, this makes the search particularly important for Africa.

“Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionate burden of antimicrobial resistance, so this is not an abstract future problem for our region,” Dr Moyo said. “We need new antibiotics, but we also need smarter ways of extending the life of the antibiotics we have. Natural products give us an extraordinary starting library of chemical structures, and modern science now gives us far better tools to find the useful ones.”

Making existing antibiotics work again

There is already a powerful precedent.

Clavulanic acid, one of medicine’s best-known resistance blockers, is itself a natural product. Originally isolated from the bacterium Streptomyces clavuligerus, it has little antibacterial activity of its own. Instead, it blocks certain β-lactamases and protects an antibiotic from destruction.

Combined with amoxicillin, it became the widely used antibiotic treatment amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, a combination commonly marketed under the brand name Augmentin®. Its success demonstrated an important principle: scientists do not always have to replace an antibiotic. Sometimes they can disable the bacteria’s defence and allow the existing drug to work again.

The international team reviewed how scientists are trying to apply that principle to newer and more difficult forms of resistance.

Among the toughest targets are metallo-β-lactamases such as NDM, VIM and IMP. These enzymes use zinc to break down antibiotics and are resistant to the inhibitors used against many other β-lactamases.

Yet the natural world is producing intriguing leads. In one study examined in the review, a natural-product-derived compound called CS-23 inhibited NDM-1 and reduced the amount of the antibiotic meropenem needed to stop an NDM-1-producing strain of E. coli by 32-fold, restoring its effectiveness in the experimental system.

The review also highlights carnosic acid as the first reported natural product to inhibit NDM-1 through an allosteric mechanism. Instead of targeting the enzyme where it usually performs its chemical reaction, the compound acts elsewhere on it, offering researchers another possible route for disabling bacterial resistance.

Searching nature with new tools

The researchers argue that scientists now need to widen the search beyond familiar sources. Potential hunting grounds include Streptomyces and other microorganisms, fungi, plants, marine organisms and even lichens.

They can also search far more efficiently than previous generations. Modern approaches including metabolomics, structural biology, medicinal chemistry, computational screening, biocatalysis and synthetic biology can help identify promising molecules, understand how they work and modify them into better drug candidates.

“The next important β-lactamase inhibitor may not arrive as a ready-made medicine,” Prof Maharaj said. “Nature may give us the starting structure, and then chemistry, microbiology, structural biology and computational science can help us turn that starting point into something clinically useful.”

The international collaboration brings together expertise in natural-product chemistry, microbiology, phytomedicine, biochemistry and antibiotic-resistance research across Africa, the UK and the US.

There are still significant hurdles. A compound that works in a laboratory may struggle to enter bacterial cells, be unstable, lack sufficient selectivity or prove difficult to manufacture at scale. The researchers say promising natural compounds therefore need to be developed alongside medicinal chemistry and other modern drug-discovery approaches.

Finding broad-spectrum inhibitors capable of blocking several classes of β-lactamases at once is a particularly ambitious long-term goal.

“We have been in this race with bacteria since the first antibiotics were introduced,” Dr Moyo said. “The difference today is that we understand resistance at a molecular level and have technologies earlier generations could not have imagined.”

Much of the chemical diversity of plants and microorganisms has yet to be explored. This research shows that nature not only offers a simple cure for antibiotic resistance, but that it may still contain valuable starting points for protecting some of the medicines on which modern healthcare depends.

Harnessing artificial intelligence and metabolomics for discovery

Researchers at UP’s Biodiscovery Centre are working with collaborators to combine artificial intelligence, metabolomics and experimental screening to systematically sift through the centre’s in-house repository of approximately 11 000 plant samples in search of novel β-lactamase inhibitors.

By integrating computational prioritisation with chemical profiling and biological testing, the team aims to narrow this vast natural-product resource to the most promising candidates and accelerate the discovery of compounds that can overcome bacterial resistance mechanisms and help restore the effectiveness of existing β-lactam antibiotics.

Can nature help outsmart antibiotic resistance?

  • 400 000 naturally occurring compounds have been catalogued
  • 60% to 65% of the antibiotic market
  • 2 000 unique β-lactamases
  • 1.14 million deaths in 2021 due to AMR
  • 47% of global fatalities associated with bacterial AMR occur in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa
  • 8.2 million deaths annually by 2050 if current trends continue
Categories : General InterestTags :

From AI to Health Innovation – South Africa’s Top Science Awards #ChooseUP Researchers

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UP’s NSTF-South32 awards winners: Prof Tjaart Krüger, Prof Patricia Forbes, Prof Vukosi Marivate, Prof Llewellyn Padayachy

Four University of Pretoria (UP) staff members came out tops at the 2025/2026 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 Awards, South Africa’s premier science and innovation awards. Commonly known as the “Science Oscars”, the awards recognise exceptional contributions by individuals, teams, partnerships and organisations across a range of categories within South Africa’s science, engineering and technology sectors.

The 28th annual NSTF-South32 Awards gala event was held on 16 July 2026 simultaneously in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with a live broadcast online. This year’s awards were themed ‘Healthy Ageing’ – in line with the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021 to 2030), a global collaboration to recognise the contribution of science, engineering and technology in improving the health and well-being of older people.

“This recognition speaks to the strength and breadth of the University of Pretoria’s research and innovation, and to our commitment to excellence across disciplines,” said Professor Sunil Maharaj, Vice-Principal: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education at UP. “The achievements of our researchers reflect the ambitions of our ThriveUP 2038 strategy, demonstrating how research and innovation can generate knowledge, develop solutions and create meaningful societal impact.”

This year’s recipients from UP are:

  • Prof Vukosi Marivate, Director of the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and ABSA-UP Chair in Data Science, together with the TextAugment team and the Vuk’uzenzele Multilingual Corpus project, won the inaugural NSTF-SADiLaR Research Software: Human Language Technologies Award. This category recognises the development of open-source tools that help address data scarcity in under-resourced African languages, supporting advances in artificial intelligence and linguistic equity.

    Prof Marivate and the TextAugment team’s work to develop open-source language technologies for under-resourced African languages speaks to the strategy’s ‘Digital Futures and Inclusive AI’ research theme, which focuses on building trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI), strengthening data infrastructures and advancing digital inclusion.
  • Prof Patricia Forbes of UP’s Department of Chemistry and editor-in-chief of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) journal ACS Earth and Space Chemistry won the NSTF-Water Research Commission Award. She was recognised for developing analytical methods for detecting trace environmental pollutants and addressing long-standing monitoring challenges.

    Prof Forbes’ pioneering work in detecting trace environmental pollutants aligns with the ‘Climate, Land, Water and Sustainability Transitions’ theme by supporting improved environmental monitoring and the sustainable management of natural resources.
  • In the health sciences, Prof Llewellyn Padayachy, Head of Neurosurgery and Director of UP’s Brain Tumour and Translational Neuroscience Centre (BTC@UP), won the NSTF-SAMRC Clinician-Scientist Award for developing point-of-care diagnostic tools for the early detection of brain tumours.
    Prof Padayachy’s development of non-invasive diagnostic tools for the early detection of brain tumours speaks to the ‘Planetary and One Health Horizons’ research theme, which advances precision health, health system innovation and improved health outcomes.
  • Prof Tjaart Krüger of UP’s Department of Physics was a joint winner of the TW Kambule-NSTF Researcher Award, along with Prof Musa Manzi, Director of the Seismic Research Centre at the University of the Witwatersrand. Prof Krüger was recognised for developing ultra-sensitive single-molecule instruments that help reveal how nature converts sunlight into energy, with potential applications for cleaner, more efficient energy technologies.

    Prof Krüger’s work on ultra-sensitive instruments that deepen our understanding of how nature converts sunlight into energy contributes to the scientific foundations needed for cleaner, more efficient energy technologies, reinforcing the University’s commitment to research that supports sustainable futures.

In addition to staff members, first-year student Christene Beukes, who is studying applied plant and soil sciences within UP’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, was among the 22 students selected for the NSTF Brilliants Programme. The programme recognises top first-year students in the science, medicine and engineering fields from each of South Africa’s nine provinces. Beukes is also a recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Merit Award.

The UP researchers who were nominated as finalists for the 2025/2026 NSTF-South32 Awards are:

  • Prof Brenda Wingfield – Department of Science, Technology and Innovation-National Research Foundation SARChI Chairholder: Fungal Genomics in UP’s Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology and the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute – was a finalist in the Lifetime Award category for her contributions to understanding the genetics and genomics of fungal plant pathogens and for her role in educating and mentoring generations of researchers.
  • Prof Hendrik Brink of the Department of Chemical Engineering received recognition in two categories. He was a finalist in both the Engineering Research Capacity Development Award and the NSTF-TIA Green Economy Award for building South Africa’s engineering research capacity through postgraduate training focused on scalable water treatment solutions.
  • Prof Rebecca Garland of the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology was acknowledged in the NSTF-TIA Green Economy Award category for research that strengthens the evidence base for air quality management in South Africa through an integrated approach.
  • The Department of Animal Science, led by Prof Carina Visser, was a finalist for the NSTF-Agricultural Research Council Award. The department was recognised for its interdisciplinary research on low-emissions sustainable livestock production, the genetic improvement of local breeds for adaptation, and the delivery of safe, welfare-friendly animal protein.
  • Shakira Hoosain, campaign strategist and senior copywriter, and editor of UP science platform Research Matters and RE.SEARCH magazine was a finalist in the Communication Award category. She was recognised for developing a multimedia science communication platform that translates academic research into accessible public knowledge through storytelling, media engagement and digital content.

“Every one of these accolades represents years of rigorous dedication,” Prof Maharaj said. “While we celebrate the individual achievements, they also reflect the collective effort of colleagues, students and partners across the University. We congratulate all our winners and finalists for the well-deserved recognition.”

Categories : Medical Research & TechnologyTags :

University of Pretoria Research Explores How Africa’s Medicinal Plants Could Improve Healthcare

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Profs Senkubuge, Nyakudya, Schlemmer and Joubert

The University of Pretoria (UP) is advancing research that could reshape how non-communicable diseases such as metabolic syndrome are prevented and managed in Africa. The Department of Physiology’s Professor Trevor Nyakudya has called for scientifically validated phytomedicine to become an integral part of future healthcare.

Phytomedicine is the scientific study of plant-derived compounds as therapeutic agents that support health and treat disease. According to the International Diabetes Federation, metabolic syndrome is a cluster of cooccurring metabolic abnormalities that, together, dramatically increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, thus affecting the body’s ability to regulate and use energy effectively.

Delivering his inaugural professorial lecture, ‘Phytomedicine and Metabolic Health: Towards Integrative Solutions for a Global Crisis’, Prof Nyakudya presented more than a decade of pre-clinical medical research demonstrating how plant-derived bioactive phytochemicals and phytomedical plant extracts can complement existing conventional medicine in addressing metabolic syndrome, especially type 2 diabetes and related noncommunicable diseases.

His research comes at a time when the burden of metabolic disease is rising rapidly worldwide, particularly across Africa, where healthcare systems face significant resource constraints.“The plants of this continent, studied with the rigour of modern biomedical science, have something urgent and important to offer in the face of one of the defining health challenges of our time,” Prof Nyakudya said.

According to figures cited during his lecture, diabetes currently affects 589 million adults globally, with that number projected to increase to 853 million by 2050.Although conventional medicines remain essential, Prof Nyakudya argued that their effectiveness is often constrained in African settings by affordability, accessibility, long-term adherence and dependence on imported pharmaceuticals.“My argument is more specific: conventional pharmacotherapy, as currently deployed in African contexts, is structurally insufficient,” he said.

Over the course of his career, Prof Nyakudya has built one of South Africa’s leading research programmes in phytomedicine and metabolic health. His body of work spans 60 research-linked outputs and has established a coherent scientific framework linking indigenous medicinal plants with modern biomedical research. Working with collaborators and postgraduate students across South African universities and international research institutions, his laboratory has combined physiological techniques, molecular biology, histology and biochemistry to uncover how plant-derived compounds influence metabolic health at the molecular, cellular and organ levels.

Rather than validating traditional medicine through anecdotal evidence, his research applies rigorous scientific methods to establish the mechanisms by which phytochemicals regulate metabolism, inflammation and glucose control. This mechanistic approach positions phytomedicine firmly within evidence-based biomedical science and creates opportunities for translating indigenous knowledge into future therapeutic interventions.

A cornerstone of his research has focused on several naturally occurring bioactive phytochemicals found in numerous indigenous plant species. Through preclinical studies, his team demonstrated that administering some of these compounds during early critical periods of developmental plasticity could produce lasting protection against metabolic dysfunction later in life by reprogramming key metabolic pathways.

“The implication is profound: plant compounds administered in early life can reprogram metabolic vulnerability, shifting the therapeutic frame from lifelong adult pharmacotherapy to targeted prophylactic early-life intervention,” Prof Nyakudya said.

His research has identified critical molecular pathways through which phytochemicals influence glucose uptake, inflammation and energy metabolism, generating the mechanistic evidence required for future clinical translation. “Phytomedicine, done with mechanistic rigour, is not alternative medicine. It is integrative pharmacology. It engages the same molecular pathways as metformin. It applies the same scientific standards as conventional drug development. The difference is the source – and that difference is an advantage, not a limitation.”

Beyond metabolic disease, Prof Nyakudya is expanding his research into cancer biology and bone metabolism, investigating how plant-derived compounds may simultaneously address multiple chronic diseases through shared biological pathways.

Categories : CancerTags :

UP Professor Pioneers Novel Approach to Advance Precision Treatment for Aggressive Breast Cancer

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UP Vice-Principal: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education Prof Sunil Maharaj, OMT chair Rebecca Oppenheimer, Prof Mike Sathekge, head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at UP and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, as well as President and CEO of NuMeRI, UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Francis Petersen and OMT CEO Tracey Webster.

Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer among women in South Africa, and globally. Too often it is discovered too late – but a new approach promises a radical change in survivability for patients.

The solution, called theranostics, stems from the field of nuclear medicine. It holds the potential to turn the tide against breast cancer and, like the fight against HIV/Aids, change it from an outright killer to a manageable disease.

Behind this initiative is world-renowned nuclear medicine specialist Professor Mike Sathekge, head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, and president and CEO of the South African Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI), a globally leading, not-for-profit imaging facility situated at the hospital.

He has been presented the 2025 Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award, a R3-million grant from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) to complete his research and develop a way to make it widely available.

“Theranostics, brings diagnosis and treatment together, is a combination of early diagnosis with treatment that is personalised and precise down to mere cells, which allows us to exactly detect and assess tumours, devise specific treatment regimens and assessment of treatment response over time,” says Sathekge.

“The earlier the breast cancer is detected, the more accurately it is assessed and the more precise the treatment, the exponentially better the patient’s prognosis.”

In South Africa, however, this is too often not the outcome. A comprehensive study into the availability of breast cancer services in the public healthcare sector, published recently in the South African Medical Journal, found that 67% of patients had late-stage breast cancer at diagnosis. In other words, their cancer had metastasised and spread to other parts of their bodies, and their prognosis was poor.

The study also noted that South Africa is expected to face a substantial rise in cancer cases over coming decades, driven by population growth, ageing and changing disease patterns. Sathekge’s Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award nomination was one of 80 received by OMT, covering a wide range of academic fields. Finalists shortlisted included proposals on a system for measuring the environment, air and our health; frost exposure in tropical Africa; a model for testing modified gravity; conversion of CO2 into useful products (such as fertilisers); and tissue T-cell response profiling of tuberculosis. “There were so many excellent applicants for this year’s award, touching on vital issues impacting the world we live in, and worthy of further research and development,” says OMT chairperson Rebecca Oppenheimer.

“This made our selection panel’s final decision all the more challenging, but I believe we have made an exciting choice that will have far-reaching, positive ramifications for South Africa’s public healthcare system and the people who use it.

“In developing a technology that makes diagnosing and treating cancers more effective, affordable and available, Prof Sathekge and his colleagues hold in their hands the potential for a quantum leap forward in improving South African patients’ health outcomes and human dignity, as well as for beating breast cancer globally. OMT is proud to support his endeavours.”

Sathekge’s solution is, essentially, one whose time has finally come. First conceived around 15 years ago, it capitalises on a protein called trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2, or Trop2. This molecule, found in high levels in breast cancers (and others, including cervical, pancreatic and lung cancers), helps the cancer multiply and makes it stubborn to treat.

Although Trop2 is already recognised as an important target in several cancers, there is still no widely established, clinically scalable way to show exactly where Trop2 is present across a patient’s entire cancer burden.

The answer may lie in nanobodies: tiny, engineered antibody fragments that are designed to bind specifically to Trop2. Their small size allows them to reach tumours rapidly and clear from the bloodstream faster than conventional antibodies, making them particularly attractive for same-day PET imaging.

Through a long-standing collaboration with Prof Frederik Cleeren, assistant professor in the Laboratory for Radiopharmaceutical Research, in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, and his team at KU Leuven in Belgium and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Karlsruhe, who bring expertise in nanobody engineering and radiolabelling, Sathekge’s team is combining these strengths with South Africa’s capabilities in molecular imaging, actinium-225 radiopharmaceutical development and targeted radionuclide therapy.

Together, the collaborators are developing a Trop2-targeted theranostic approach that links diagnosis with treatment. The first step uses a tiny targeting protein, known as a nanobody, designed to bind specifically to Trop2 on cancer cells. This nanobody is labelled with fluorine-18, a short-lived radioactive tracer that allows doctors to visualise Trop2-positive tumours on a PET/CT scan.PET/CT is an advanced imaging method that uses a small amount of radioactive tracer to show biological activity inside the body. In this case, it could help clinicians map Trop2 expression across a patient’s full cancer burden, including disease that may not be accessible for repeated biopsy. It may also allow doctors to monitor changes in the target and treatment response over time.

Where imaging confirms sufficient Trop2 expression, the same targeting strategy can be developed for treatment using actinium-225, a powerful alpha-emitting isotope. Actinium-225 can deliver highly localised radiation over a very short distance, with the aim of concentrating treatment in Trop2-positive cancer cells while limiting radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.

The ambition is to move beyond treating patients based on limited information from a single biopsy, towards a more personalised approach: seeing the target throughout the body, selecting patients more accurately, and laying the foundation for future Trop2-targeted alpha therapy.

Sathekge’s work puts South Africa at the forefront of worldwide research into effective responses to breast cancer, says the University of Pretoria’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Francis Petersen.

“South Africa urgently needs better ways to detect, understand and treat aggressive breast cancer. Too many patients still present late, when the disease is more difficult to manage and treatment options are limited.

“Prof Sathekge’s work at NuMeRI brings together advanced imaging, radiopharmaceutical science and targeted treatment in a way that could help doctors make more informed, patient-specific decisions. The research aims to improve how cancer is identified, how treatment is selected and how response is monitored over time.

“It also demonstrates the depth of scientific talent, innovation and academic rigour in South Africa. Through work of this calibre, African researchers are not only responding to local health challenges, but helping to shape the global future of cancer care. We look forward to seeing this research strengthen South African capacity and contribute to better outcomes for patients here and internationally,” says Petersen.

For Sathekge, the most exciting element of his work is how it centres on the patient, giving them dignity and the opportunity to live long and fulfilling lives.

Provided by The University of Pretoria

Categories : Diet and NutritionTags :

Young UP Researchers Develop Citrus-based Supplement to Fight Diabetes and Obesity

On By ModernMedia
Dr Kadima Tshiyoyo, Marni Oberholzer and Ryan Bosch

A team of young researchers at the University of Pretoria (UP) is developing an innovative health supplement that transforms citrus peel waste into a potentially powerful tool against lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol, while also improving the affordability and accessibility of preventative health products for low-income communities.

The NutraPectin project is led by postdoctoral research fellow Dr Kadima Tshiyoyo, alongside recent Master of Science in Biochemistry graduates Ryan Bosch and Marni Oberholzer. Together, the team from UP’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) is converting citrus processing waste into a pectin-rich nutraceutical using green extraction technology. When consumed with food, pectin can help slow sugar absorption, reduce cholesterol levels and support gut health.

“South Africa’s growing burden of lifestyle diseases and abundance of agricultural waste inspired our work,” Dr Tshiyoyo said. “NutraPectin uses sustainable green methods to extract bioactive compounds from waste, which are valuable and essential in the management of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity.”

Turning science into solutions

The development of NutraPectin addresses two growing challenges: the rising prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases and the environmental cost of agricultural and food processing waste. Citrus peel, which is typically discarded in large volumes by the citrus industry, is rich in pectin and other bioactive compounds that can be recovered and repurposed.

Bosch says the NutraPectin research was his honours-degree project under Prof Samkelo Malgas of UP’s Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology. “I was drawn to the project as I am passionate about maintaining the environment, and I was excited to investigate how food waste could be converted into useful healing products.”

For Bosch and Oberholzer, the project represents more than laboratory research. It is an opportunity to demonstrate how student-led science can be translated into solutions with tangible social and economic impact, particularly in a country where both healthcare access and food system sustainability remain pressing concerns.

“Sustainability should both underlie and overarch most research if we want to see true economic and social growth,” Oberholzer said. “South Africa has so much potential to sustainably improve and empower our agricultural industry by targeting circularity through waste valorisation. UP was foundational in this development, most markedly through our excellent supervisor’s guidance. We were allowed to explore beyond the strict boundaries of our degrees.”

The project is rooted in the Biocatalysis and Processing Research Group in the Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology within the NAS Faculty, under the supervision of Prof Malgas. He says the work highlights the importance of university-based research in advancing both innovation and entrepreneurship, while also addressing societal challenges through science-driven solutions.

“This pectin extraction from citrus waste represents a remarkable advancement in enzyme biotechnology. The student-led innovation model effectively merges hands-on research with mentorship, equipping students with essential skills in biotechnological methods,” Prof Malgas said. “It demonstrates that active student involvement is crucial in driving innovation and developing talent. The technology promises significant environmental benefits by promoting sustainable waste use and reinforcing the circular economy. Additionally, it has the potential to drive economic growth for South Africa’s citrus industry through the production of high-value pectin.”

Catalyst competition winner

A major milestone for the project came in 2024 when NutraPectin was named the winner of the Catalyst competition, an early-stage biotech start-up pitch event organised by Immobazyme in partnership with UVU Bio. The competition brought together seven finalist teams developing biotech solutions aimed at real-world challenges.

NutraPectin stood out to judges for its dual impact: addressing lifestyle diseases while simultaneously offering a scalable approach to waste valorisation in the agricultural sector. The win signalled growing confidence in the commercial viability of the technology, moving it beyond academic research into the early stages of commercialisation.

Indeed, the Catalyst win also unlocked a structured support package designed to accelerate start-up development. This includes access to laboratory space, a reagent and consumables credit facility, mentorship from industry executives, business development training, and specialised technical support to help refine and scale production processes.

The team has also secured a Technology Innovation Agency Seed Grant, which will further support the optimisation of production methods and the transition from prototype to scalable manufacturing.

However, NutraPectin remains in the early stages of development. The current focus is on developing a production pathway that can support larger-scale manufacturing, enabling the product to be brought to market.

Looking ahead, the team envisions NutraPectin as a locally produced, widely accessible nutraceutical that supports preventative health while creating value from South Africa’s agricultural resources.

To move from a laboratory success to a market-ready product, the team is now seeking additional funding and industry partnerships to support pilot-scale production and regulatory development.

“It is envisioned that NutraPectin can move from optimisation and scale-up to a market-ready prototype supported by partnerships and collaboration to expand within South Africa,” Dr Tshiyoyo said. “Our long-term goal is to make the product affordable and accessible while creating sustainable health and commercial impact. We see NutraPectin growing into a versatile innovation with potential in the supplement, health additive, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.”

As South Africa’s Youth Month draws to a close, the NutraPectin team’s work reflects the growing role of young researchers in developing solutions that integrate health, sustainability and innovation. Dr Tshiyoyo advises other young researchers to stay focused and work steadily towards their goals. “My message to the youth is think long term but act today; many consistent steps over the years can lead to your breakthrough,” he said.

Provided by University of Pretoria

Categories : Implants and ProsthesesTags :

Clinical Trials Are Part of UP Professor’s Dream of ‘Making Deafness History’

On By ModernMedia
University of Pretoria’s Professor Mashudu Tshifularo is leading a groundbreaking clinical trial for 3D-printed ossicles,

Forty-five patients with conductive hearing loss from middle-ear damage are eagerly awaiting the start of clinical trials, led by University of Pretoria’s Professor Mashudu Tshifularo, on a ground-breaking procedure to restore hearing.

The trials, due to begin within weeks at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, come seven long years after Prof Tshifularo successfully performed the world’s first middle-ear transplant using 3D-printed bones made from titanium. The patient was Thabo ***, whose middle-ear bones – the ossicles – had been injured in an accident, causing almost total hearing loss until he had the transplant in March 2019.

In a video screened at a UP Roundtable event held in April this year to announce the launch of the upcoming clinical trials, a beaming Thabo *** confirmed he had regained his hearing after the transplant and had continued to enjoy excellent hearing ever since.

While this procedure was hailed as a surgical breakthrough at the time, its full acceptance by the South African and global ear, nose and throat (ENT) community depends on formal clinical validation. Despite the many obstacles he knew would lie ahead, Prof Tshifularo, joint head of UP’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology, was determined to take his innovation through clinical trials.

“Today is a culmination that I never thought would come. There was a time when I cried, there was a time when I was very depressed, there was a time when I nearly gave up, but something inside me told me to remain steady,” he said at the Roundtable, where the announcement was made that clinical trials could finally move ahead now that all the necessary regulatory, ethical and licensing clearances have been obtained, including from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).

The years since Prof Tshifularo performed that first transplant have also been spent developing, perfecting, testing and patenting a prototype of the titanium material and implants for the clinical trials. UP’s engineering partner on this project, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), was responsible for the materials and prototype development, while HH Industries manufactures the implants, using 3D printing technology, and Marcus Medical is providing the robotic technology to be used during the surgery. Seed funding was provided by the Motsepe Foundation.

Ready to transform lives

Now that it is all-systems-go for this all-South African collaborative effort, Prof Tshifularo and his team aim to perform this life-changing surgery in the next 12 months on all 45 patients who have expressed interest in participating in the clinical trials.

The team will then focus on publishing their research and training future researchers and medical teams so that the work can be amplified far and wide for the benefit of humanity.

“My dream is to make deafness history,” Prof Tshifularo said, noting that an estimated two billion youth are living with undiagnosed, mostly noise-induced hearing loss, which would become a severe problem in the next 20 to 25 years. Hearing loss is also common among the world’s rapidly ageing population.

The procedure itself takes about three hours and uses advanced robotics to remove the damaged middle-ear bones and replace them with the 3D printed titanium bones. This is minimally invasive, carries significantly less risk than conventional procedures and leaves minimal scarring. The titanium used to manufacture the ossicles is biocompatible, meaning it can be introduced into the ear without causing harmful reactions.

“This innovation will ultimately transform the lives of many people, including newborn babies born with congenital middle-ear defects,” said Prof Themba Mosia, Vice-Principal: Student Life, who gave the opening address at the Roundtable. “It exemplifies the spirit of innovation and collaboration at the university, combined with the deep medical expertise needed to restore hearing.”

UP at the forefront of healthcare advancements

Prof Flavia Senkubuge, Dean of UP’s Faculty of Health Sciences, said innovations such as Prof Tshifularo’s middleear surgical procedure place the university “front and centre” of healthcare advancements on the African continent and the world stage.

She reiterated UP’s commitment to deploying its innovations for the benefit of local communities, such as by establishing a “one-stop shop” – most likely in the form of a private day hospital – where community members could benefit from advanced clinical technologies and the expertise of its researchers.

Paying tribute to Prof Tshifularo, long-time colleague Dr Christian Quitter thanked Prof Tshifularo “for having the guts” to persevere with his innovation, even when it was not always supported by the ENT establishment.

He also thanked the university for supporting researchers who “think out of the box in seeking to improve the lives of all humanity”.

Provided by the University of Pretoria