Research output per year
Research output per year
Research Fellow in Natural Product Discovery on the Newton Fund/MRC/SAMRC - South Africa-UK Antibiotic Accelerator https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/uk-nil-south-africa-research-team-to-establish-hub-for-discovery-of-new-antibioticswith Prof. Mathew Upton of the Antibiotic resistant pathogens research group https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/biomedical-research-group/antibiotic-resistant-pathogens-research-group.This research project in Marine biodiscovery forms part of an exciting initiative between the United Kingdom and South African Medical Research Councils', with the principle aim of setting up an SA-UK Antibiotic Accelerator Initiative or Discovery Hub; particularly, investigating SA, UK, and Polar marine environments for novel antimicrobials.
Prior to taking up this position at the University of Plymouth, I did a short-term postdoctoral research fellowship on the SA-leg of the project, working with Prof. Rosemary Dorrington at Rhodes University (Marine Natural Products), whilst being seconded to CPUT, with Dr Marilize Le Roes-Hill at the Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute (Actinobacterial Research).
During my postgraduate studies I previously held a position as Biotechnology tutor and practical demonstrator. My duties consisted of assisting students and practical co-ordinators during practical sessions and included scientific writing, conceptualisation, and communication; tutoring, marking of tests, assignments, and examinations; and invigilating tests and examinations.
The modules I tutored were: Introduction to Microbiology (BTN 211), Quantitative Methods in Biotechnology (BTN 215), Environmental and Food Microbiology (BTN 213), Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology (BTN 312) and Plant Biotechnology and Proteomics (BTN 324).
Research interests:
My interests include marine genetic resources, marine biodiscovery, novel antimicrobials, and antimicrobial resistance. In my postdoctoral project, I will be exploring biodiversity-rich marine environments to combat the pressing need for new antibiotics to treat antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, funded by the Newton Fund/MRC/SAMRC - South Africa-UK Antibiotic Accelerator Initiative.
During my PhD, I worked on previously unexploited Antarctic deep-sea sediments to discover novel species of marine bacteria that could possess new antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant pathogens.
In my MSc, I investigated endemic species of seaweed from South Africa for sulphated polysaccharides including fucoidan and determined their therapeutic potential including anticancer activity in vitro.
Invited lectures:
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
PhD Molecular Life Sciences, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli
… → 2020
MSc (Marine) Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape
2013 → 2015
BSc (Hons) Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape
2008 → 2012
Postdoctoral Researcher on the SA-UK Antibiotic Accelerator Initiative, Rhodes University
Jul 2020 → Oct 2020
EU Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) PhD fellow, National Research Council of Italy
Mar 2017 → May 2020
Manufacturing Scientist, Roche Sequencing Solutions
Jan 2016 → Mar 2017
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review