Tag: University of Pretoria

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

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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’

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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

Categories : Infection ControlTags :

UP Infectious Diseases Expert Explains Hantavirus Risk amid Global Interest in Andes Variant

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PRETORIA – Recent international reports of hantavirus cases linked to an outbreak on a cruise ship have raised questions about the virus, how it spreads and what level of risk it may pose to the public. According to Professor Veronica Ueckermann, Head of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Pretoria (UP), hantavirus is a rare but potentially serious infection that should be understood in context.

“Hantavirus is a rare zoonotic virus, which means it’s carried by animals – in this case, rodents,” she explains. “Humans typically become infected when they breathe in particles from the urine, faeces or saliva of infected rodents.” Rare cases of human-to-human spread have been reported.

The virus isn’t new and does not spread in the same way as more familiar respiratory infections such as influenza or COVID-19. Most hantavirus infections occur after environmental exposure (in endemic regions), particularly in enclosed spaces where rodent droppings, urine or saliva have contaminated dust. Activities such as sweeping dry droppings in garages, sheds, storage rooms or other poorly ventilated areas may increase the risk of inhaling contaminated particles.

The current outbreak has drawn attention because it’s been confirmed as the Andes variant of hantavirus. The Andes virus is unusual because it is the only hantavirus variant documented to spread between people. However, Prof Ueckermann emphasises that this form of transmission remains rare and appears to require prolonged, close contact.

“To date, human-to-human spread of hantavirus is extremely rare, and has been described only with the Andes variant and with prolonged close contact, such as people sharing a household,” she says. “There is no evidence of community-wide spread of hantavirus of the kind seen with COVID-19.”

Previous cases of the Andes virus suggest that transmission is associated with close, sustained exposure rather than brief or casual contact. Reported situations include household exposure, being in contact with an intimate partner, caregiving activities or spending extended periods in enclosed spaces in close proximity to an infected person. This distinction is important in interpreting public concern about travel and shared public spaces.

“Based on what we currently know about the Andes virus, the risk to fellow passengers on a flight appears to be low,” Prof Ueckermann says. “Simply being on the same aircraft, walking past an infected person or sitting at a distance would be considered very low risk. Sitting next to a sick person on a long-haul flight may plausibly carry a low risk, while the highest risk would be repeated close contact, such as caring for someone, touching or sharing cups.”

Prof Ueckermann adds that the public health response to the recent outbreak has been appropriate and reassuring. This has included early sequencing of the virus to confirm that it is the Andes variant, monitoring of close contacts and a coordinated approach to managing those affected.

In South Africa, hantavirus is not considered a major public health concern. Confirmed human cases are extremely rare, and the current cases being managed in the country are linked to exposure outside South Africa, not local transmission. Prof Ueckermann stresses that South Africa is not experiencing a hantavirus outbreak.

Symptoms may initially resemble influenza and can include fever, body aches, headache and abdominal pain. In most cases, especially during winter in South Africa, such symptoms are far more likely to be caused by common seasonal infections. However, anyone with a known exposure to rodent-contaminated environments or having had close contact with a confirmed case should seek medical advice if symptoms develop. Urgent care is needed if symptoms progress to shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, rapid breathing, dizziness, confusion, bluish lips or sudden worsening after a flu-like illness.

Practical prevention remains important. People should avoid sweeping rodent droppings, and instead spray the droppings with disinfectant or diluted bleach, allow the area to soak, wipe it up with paper towels and wash their hands thoroughly afterwards. They should also ventilate enclosed spaces before cleaning, wear gloves and a mask. Food and waste should be stored securely, and rodent entry points should be sealed.

“Hantavirus is a rare but potentially serious rodent-borne infection, with very rare person-to-person spread,” Prof Ueckermann says. “The appropriate response is evidence-based awareness, sensible hygiene and rodent control – not panic.”

Categories : Lab Tests and ImagingTags :

World Voice Day: UP Researchers Develop Low-cost Voice Screening Device for SA

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Dr Maria du Toit takes a close-up look at vocal cords, capturing high-resolution images and video using widely available mobile technology. Traditionally, this type of examination requires expensive equipment and specialist doctors, making it difficult to access in many parts of South Africa

Ahead of World Voice Day on 16 April, researchers at the University of Pretoria (UP) are inviting the public to take part in free voice checks using a new, locally developed device that could significantly expand access to vocal health services across South Africa.

The groundbreaking, low-cost, smartphone-compatible device, which is currently being tested as part of ongoing research, enables clinicians and trained users to take a close-up look at the voice user’s vocal cords by capturing high-resolution images and video using widely available mobile technology. Traditionally, this type of examination – known as laryngoscopy – requires expensive equipment and specialist doctors, making it difficult to access in many parts of South Africa.

“Your voice is something you use every day – whether for work, social interactions, or simply being heard. Yet many people ignore early warning signs of vocal problems,” says Professor Jeannie van der Linde, who is leading the research team and is Head of UP’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in the Faculty of Humanities.

Voice disorders are more common than many people realise. Prof Van der Linde adds: “International estimates suggest that up to one in five people will experience a voice problem at some point in their lives, with higher risk for those who rely heavily on their voices for work, such as teachers, healthcare workers and call centre agents. Despite this, access to specialised diagnostic services remains limited, particularly outside major urban centres.”

The research and device are part of a broader effort to rethink how vocal health services are delivered in South Africa. “Our aim was to develop a solution that is more portable, more affordable and easier to integrate into different healthcare contexts,” says Dr Maria du Toit, a Lecturer in Speech-Language Pathology and member of the research team.

“Many people ignore early signs like hoarseness or vocal fatigue, often because they don’t have easy access to assessment services,” Dr Du Toit says. “If we can identify these issues earlier, we can intervene sooner and potentially prevent more significant problems from developing.

The development of the device forms part of ongoing efforts within the department to explore how mobile anddigital technologies can be used to increase the availability of vocal health assessment and care.

Dr Roxanne Malan, a postdoctoral fellow, speech therapist and research team member, highlights the importance of designing technology that balances functionality with affordability and ease of use. “We wanted to ensure that the device is not only clinically useful but also practical in a range of settings, including those withlimited resources,” she says. “The goal is to make vocal health screening more widely available without compromising on quality.”

The technology, which has not been named yet, is being developed at UP and is currently undergoing testing to compare its performance with gold-standard laryngoscopy. “We started feasibility testing in June 2025 and preliminary tests have been very positive, demonstrating that the device is usable and produces high-quality images of the relevant structures,” Dr Malan says. “It consists of a low-cost, off-the-shelf borescope – typically used industrially – adapted with a 3D-printed handle to ensure optimal placement of the scope in the patient’s mouth, as well as the correct angle for visualisation. We have also assessed its safety for human use and its ability to be properly disinfected.”

In addition to testing the device, the World Voice Day initiative seeks to increase general awareness about theimportance of vocal health. “Your voice is central to how you communicate, work and engage with others,” Dr DuToit says. “Taking care of it should be seen as an essential part of overall health, not something to think aboutonly when there is a problem.”

Dr Malan says the team’s vision is for the scope to be readily available as a screening device in public hospitalsand clinics all over South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries. “But we still foresee numerousphases of testing to ensure that it can be used by a range of healthcare professionals, and that it makes asignificant difference in the target healthcare sectors. We will name and launch it at a stage when this has beendone.”

Dr Du Toit says members of the public can support the research by booking their free voice health check. “Byattending, you’re not only taking care of your own vocal health – you’re helping researchers develop solutionsthat could make voice care more easily available to thousands of people who currently don’t have access tothese services.”

Event details: Members of the public are invited to take part in free voice checks on World Voice Day, 16 April 2026, at the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield Campus.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about their vocal health and contribute to research that aims to make voice care more accessible across South Africa.

Who should consider a voice check?

This free check is especially recommended for:

● Teachers and lecturers

● Singers and performers

● Healthcare workers

● Clergy and public speakers

● Call centre workers

● Anyone who uses their voice extensively

You should also consider attending if you:

● frequently experience hoarseness or voice changes;

● feel your voice tires easily;

● have ongoing throat discomfort when speaking; and/or

● simply want reassurance that your voice is healthy.

To register, visit: https://forms.gle/imqeHnpGveQaEuDD6


Categories : Lab Tests and Imaging Respiratory DiseasesTags :

UP Researchers Innovate Handheld Detection Device that Could Transform TB Screening

On By ModernMedia
The new MARTI TB screening device

With their innovation of a small but powerful handheld device, researchers at the University of Pretoria (UP) are on course to redefine the tuberculosis (TB) screening process, which could ultimately help to combat the TB pandemic more effectively. TB is one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide, claiming more than 1.25 million lives each year, of which about 50 000 deaths occur in South Africa. It is the leading cause of death among people with HIV.

MARTI (mycolate antibody real-time immunoassay) is the name of the handheld device that can provide very high certainty that a person at risk does not have TB. Using just one drop of blood – and no laboratory – it is set to change the way TB is detected. It may even be adapted for use in both human and veterinary healthcare. The diagnostic is fast, accurate, affordable and – the intellectual part of it – proudly South African.

An internal validation trial was recently completed to confirm the accuracy of the test. These trial results show remarkable promise in terms of the specificity, sensitivity and accuracy of the diagnostic test, coming close to the range of targets set by the World Health Organization for the “perfect” test, making MARTI an ideal screening and diagnostic tool. An earlier trial demonstrated great potential in using this test to monitor TB treatment; these results were published in the journal Biomarkers in Medicine.

“Many people aren’t aware that TB doesn’t always sit in the lungs – it can be present in bones, joints and the brain,” says Professor Jan Verschoor, former research leader of UP’s Tuberculosis Research Group in the Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology and now an emeritus professor of biochemistry who has been leading this discovery. “The ‘gold standard’ TB test that involves growing cultures from lung sputum can take about six weeks, by which time, many more people could have been infected by the patient or the patient’s health could have deteriorated beyond the prospect of cure. From a simple finger-prick blood sample, the MARTI test gives us a result in 30 minutes. This has profound cost and public health implications in a country like South Africa, where we conduct three to five million TB tests a year.

Tuberculosis bacteria. Credit: CDC

Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, this resilient bacterium has long evaded simple detection methods, particularly in regions where healthcare infrastructure is limited. But now, an unexpected hero has emerged in the war on TB: a molecule in the bacterium’s waxy coat – specifically its mycolic acid (MA) – holds the key. These wax-like substances form a nearly impenetrable barrier, making the bacterium both drug-resistant and difficult to detect.

But while other scientists focused on breaking through this barrier, Prof Verschoor took a different approach: what if the wax itself could be used to detect the disease? He was the first to demonstrate that antibodies to the waxes are reliable indicators of active TB, irrespective of whether someone had been vaccinated or was coinfected with HIV.

A key aspect of the innovation came from Carl Baumeister, a PhD candidate under Prof Verschoor. He made the leap from slow laboratory-based biosensing to a handheld device that detects anti-MA antibodies accurately and affordably in less than 30 minutes. The result is a test that’s as clever as it is simple and cost-effective.

Detecting these anti-MA antibodies requires sophisticated sensing technology: the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode is pre-coated with a thin layer of MA. MARTI works by flowing a drop of blood over this electrode. If a patient has TB, the sensor detects these antibodies in the blood sample; if a patient does not have TB, no signal would be generated since there are no anti-MA antibodies in the blood sample.

“The device fits in the palm of your hand and requires only a single drop of blood – no sputum, no needles, no laboratory,” says Carl Baumeister, Head of Operations of the UP spin-off company MARTI TB Diagnostics. “This may become a game-changer to diagnose TB in paediatric and HIV-positive patients, where obtaining sputum samples is often neither feasible nor safe. The same could apply to the 20% of all extra-pulmonary cases.”

“If MARTI says you don’t have TB, you can trust it,” Baumeister says. “That’s a critical trait when trying to rule out cases during an outbreak or in mass screening campaigns, much like what was needed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unlike other TB diagnostics, MARTI offers something rare and powerful: near-perfect negative predictive value in typical screening applications.

The internal validation trial across six healthcare facilities in Tshwane was led by Prof Veronica Ueckermann, Head of Infectious Diseases at Steve Biko Academic Hospital and UP’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

“Collecting, transporting, processing and analysing the samples from the various sites within the temperature and time constraints of the validation trial protocol posed a significant logistical challenge – but we succeeded,” says Mosa Molatseli, a senior research scientist who heads up the MARTI laboratory.

Recognising its potential, UP established the start-up company MARTI TB Diagnostics (Pty) Ltd to develop and eventually commercialise MARTI.

“This is designed to ensure that the technology remains in South African hands while attracting investment and serving global needs,” says Gerrie Mostert, interim CEO of the company. “The next steps are to get investors, funding and partner organisations on board, obtain regulatory approval and start manufacturing the kit. Ultimately, MARTI should be rolled out to clinics worldwide.”