Category: MIL-OSI

Professor Tricia Naicker, one of South Africa’s youngest full professors in Synthetic Chemistry at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), has been recognised for her contribution to drug discovery after winning the Distinguished Young Woman Researcher category at the South African Women in Science Awards on Thursday night.

Naicker, who is Director of the Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit at UKZN, was recognised for research focused on developing new chemical compounds to combat antimicrobial resistance and improve the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

Her work centres on the chemical synthesis of biologically important intermediates and drug molecules, with a particular focus on antibacterial drug discovery, metallo-β-lactamase inhibitors, radiopharmaceuticals and hybrid imaging agents.

She has led multidisciplinary research bringing together synthetic chemistry, microbiology and biochemistry to advance drug discovery. Her research has contributed to the development of novel compounds capable of restoring the activity of existing antibiotics, some of which are now entering Phase 1 clinical trials.

The work is aimed at addressing one of the major challenges facing global health: antimicrobial resistance, which can make infections increasingly difficult to treat.

She was awarded at the 23rd edition of the South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) ceremony in Johannesburg.

SAWiSA is the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation’s flagship Women’s Month event. It recognises and rewards the excellence of South African women in science, technology, and innovation (ST&I), while honouring researchers and scientists whose achievements advance knowledge, drive innovation, and inspire the next generation of women and girls to pursue careers in ST&I.

Naicker’s research has also contributed to strengthening Africa’s capacity in antimicrobial resistance research and drug discovery, while demonstrating the role of locally driven scientific innovation in developing solutions to global health challenges.

With an NRF C1 rating, Naicker has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications, one patent and three book chapters. She also contributed to *Dear Woman in STEM: A Collection for the Next Generation*, and has produced invited works focused on mentoring and empowering women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Her scientific achievements have earned her several national and international accolades, including the South African Chemical Institute Raikes Medal, the NRF Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers, the UKZN Vice-Chancellor’s Research Award and the John C Warner Early Career Researcher Prize.

Naicker has also made mentorship a key part of her academic career. She has supervised more than 35 postgraduate students at PhD and master’s level and continues to mentor emerging scientists in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.

Beyond her research and teaching, Naicker is a member of the South African Young Academy of Science and an affiliate of the African Academy of Sciences. She is also the outgoing Chair of the South African Chapter of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD).

She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the South African Journal of Chemistry, where she contributes to strengthening scientific publishing and increasing the visibility of African research.

Her recognition at the Women in Science Awards highlights both her scientific contribution to the fight against antimicrobial resistance and her role in developing the next generation of African researchers. – SAnews.gov.za

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Professor Xanthe Hunt, an Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University and Specialist Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council, has been recognised for her contribution to adolescent mental health research after winning the Distinguished Young Woman Researcher category at the Women in Science Awards on Thursday night.

The Department of Science and Technology holds the annual Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) to recognise and reward excellence by women scientists and researchers, and profile them as role models for younger women.

The awards were held in Johannesburg on Thursday night.

Hunt, who also serves as the Mental Health Lead at the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), was recognised for research aimed at addressing the high burden of mental disorders among adolescents and young people in under-resourced settings.

Her work examines how social, structural and environmental factors shape mental health across the life course, while generating evidence that can be translated into stronger health and education systems.

In 2024, Hunt formally established the Adolescent Mental Health Research Programme at AHRI, creating one of the first large-scale, prospective multidisciplinary research platforms focused on adolescent mental health in Africa.

The programme brings together longitudinal cohort studies, data integration initiatives and participatory research, with an emphasis on co-producing research that can be applied in real-world health and education systems.

Her research has contributed to national and international policy and practice, including South Africa’s basic education sector strategy for psychosocial support. Her work has also contributed to major international evidence syntheses informing adolescent mental health and disability-inclusive programming in low- and middle-income countries.

Hunt holds an NRF C1 rating and has authored 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 11 book chapters. Her work has appeared in leading international publications, including Nature Mental Health and The Lancet HIV*

Beyond her research output, Hunt has played a significant role in developing the next generation of researchers. She has mentored more than 10 early-career researchers and has supervised students at both honours and doctoral level. She currently supervises two PhD students.

She has also received several scientific accolades, including the Stellenbosch University Chancellor’s Medal, awarded to the university’s top graduating student across all faculties in recognition of exceptional academic performance, intellectual leadership, integrity and contribution to the university community.

Hunt’s expertise has also seen her contribute directly to policy and research funding processes. She serves as a technical advisor to the National Department of Basic Education on mental health and psychosocial support, and as a funding reviewer for the Wellcome Trust and the National Research Foundation.

Her recognition at the Women in Science Awards highlights the growing importance of research focused on the mental health of young people in Africa, particularly in settings where health and social resources are limited. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Seven emerging and established women researchers have been awarded the Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung Fellowships at the 2026 South African Women in Science Awards, recognising research spanning marine biodiversity, tax justice, honeybee health, infectious disease diagnostics, forestry, agricultural genetics and astronomy.

The doctoral fellowship recipients are pursuing research with the potential to address some of South Africa’s pressing social, economic, environmental and scientific challenges, while also demonstrating a strong commitment to mentorship, innovation and science communication.

Celebrated annually during Women’s Month, the South African Women in Science Awards recognises and rewards excellence in science, technology and innovation (ST&I) by South African women.

The awards also celebrate outstanding researchers and scientists, whose achievements inspire the next generation of women and girls to pursue careers in ST&I.

The DSTI Fellowships have been renamed in honour of the late Professor Shirley Keolebogile Motaung, one of South Africa’s most distinguished black women scientists and academics.

The DSTI-Prof. Keolebogile Motaung Fellowships are awarded to young women pursuing their master’s and doctoral degrees in recognition of their academic excellence and research potential.

Among the recipients on Thursday night was Makwena Melita Sebone, who is pursuing a PhD in Genetics, specialising in Marine Molecular Ecology, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), in collaboration with the Oceanographic Research Institute of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research.

Sebone’s research uses DNA metabarcoding of zooplankton communities to map and understand marine pelagic ecosystems along the South African coastline. By combining molecular ecology, bioinformatics and oceanographic data, she is investigating biodiversity patterns and the connectivity and structure of pelagic ecosystems across different oceanographic regions.

Her work could contribute to improved marine conservation, spatial planning and sustainable management of marine resources, particularly as ocean ecosystems face environmental and climate-related pressures. Sebone has already published five peer-reviewed scientific papers and presented her research at national and international conferences.

Associate Professor Jane Ndlovu, an Associate Professor and PhD candidate in Law at Wits University, is examining the intersection of taxation, constitutional law and feminist theory through her research into what she describes as the “care penalty” in South Africa’s tax system.

Ndlovu’s research investigates how apparently gender- and race-neutral tax rules, including the denial of childcare deductions, can create financial barriers for caregivers. She argues that these barriers have a particularly significant intersectional impact on black African women, including women heading households.

Her research seeks to demonstrate how tax policy could instead become a tool for economic protection and empowerment. She hopes the work can help women build the financial security needed to leave abusive environments and contribute to the broader fight against gender-based violence.

At North-West University, Nolwandle Nolen Khumalo is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Sciences focused on the relationship between honeybees, pollen and microorganisms.

Her research investigates how pollen and honeybee-associated microbes are exchanged during sunflower pollination by Apis mellifera colonies, and how these microbial communities influence honeybee health and ecosystem functioning.

Khumalo hopes the research will contribute to the development of probiotics that can help honeybees resist pathogens, improve pollination efficiency and ultimately support agricultural productivity.

Nondumiso Nkosi, a PhD candidate and Junior Lecturer in Medical Virology at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, is working at the intersection of infectious disease research, diagnostics and innovation.

Her research focuses on viral hepatitis and HIV, with particular attention to hepatitis B virus diagnostics and the detection of occult hepatitis B infection. She is optimising and validating a novel diagnostic assay, HepaSure Diagnostics, designed to enable rapid, decentralised and cost-effective disease detection, including in resource-limited settings.

Nkosi’s research aims to address shortcomings in existing hepatitis B screening approaches and improve access to inclusive diagnostic technologies. She believes the work could help strengthen early disease detection, reduce healthcare inequalities and support locally developed biotechnology innovations.

A patent holder for the novel diagnostic assay, Nkosi has received numerous innovation and scientific awards, including the 2026 Women Shaping IP Award at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission IP Youth Awards. She also received the Innovation Hub Gauteng Accelerator Programme Medical Award and the Breakthrough Innovation Award at the Vice-Chancellor’s Research and Innovation Awards in 2025.

Vhuhwavho Tshavhungwe, a Lecturer at the University of Venda, is investigating the competitiveness of South Africa’s sawmilling industry as part of her PhD in Engineering Management at the University of Pretoria.

With a Master’s Degree in Forestry and Wood Science, Tshavhungwe has published 10 academic papers across journal articles, conference proceedings and a book chapter. Her research examines how the South African sawmilling industry compares with international competitors and how its competitiveness can be strengthened.

She hopes her findings will support the growth of the sector, benefiting communities located around sawmills while contributing to economic development.

The fellowship recipients also include Victoria Rankotsane Hlokoe, a PhD candidate in Agriculture specialising in Animal Breeding and Genetics at the University of Limpopo.

Hlokoe’s research investigates genetic variations in the GREM1 gene in chickens and their relationship with important egg-production traits, including yolk, albumen, shell and overall egg weight. She is comparing indigenous Potchefstroom Koekoek chickens with commercial Lohmann Brown layers.

The research has a strong rural development focus. Hlokoe aims to help smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, improve egg quality and market value, strengthening household food security and income while increasing access to affordable protein.

Rounding out the doctoral fellowship recipients is Annarien Headley, who is pursuing a PhD in Astronomy at the University of South Africa (Unisa).

Headley’s research explores the physical properties of stars forming in molecular clouds across the Milky Way. Her project examines more than 50 star-forming regions across the galaxy, investigating young stellar objects and how their distribution changes according to their location within the Milky Way.

Preliminary findings from nine regions suggest that the galactic environment may influence the formation of transition disks, with an increase in younger stars and a decrease in older stars with increasing distance from the galactic centre. Headley is now extending the investigation using a larger dataset.

She published a pilot study on star formation scenarios in the Milky Way in New Astronomy in 2026 and presented her research at the 2024 International Astronomical Union General Assembly.

Together, the seven fellowship recipients demonstrate the breadth of research being undertaken by women scientists in South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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