Scientific Background
2021–2022: Junior Research Fellow in chemical biology
From 2021 to 2022 I was appointed as a Junior Research Fellow at the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre and in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cape Town (UCT) under the mentorship of Professor Kelly Chibale. This position was funded through the Carnegie Developing Emerging Academic Leaders (DEAL) programme which aims "to support the development of the next generation of African research leaders".
2019–2020: Postdoctoral fellowship in medicinal chemistry
After two years in the world of molecular and cell biology, I joined the H3D Centre as a postdoctoral fellow in medicinal chemistry under the mentorship of Professor Kelly Chibale. I designed and synthesised potential drug leads for malaria through an integrated medicinal chemistry approach for a project jointly funded by the Strategic Health Innovation Partnerships (SHIP) of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).
2017–2018: Postdoctoral fellowship in molecular and cell biology
After my postgraduate studies, I spent two years as a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Professor Janet Hapgood in the UCT Department of Molecular and Cell Biology. My contributions focused on HIV acquisition in the context of steroid receptors and hormonal contraceptives. I acquired expertise in mammalian tissue culture in BSLII and BSLII+ facilities, metabolite profiling, in silico molecular docking and immunofluorescence. As a chemist, I brought a unique small-molecule approach to the group. Other responsibilities included chairing a weekly seminar series for postgraduate students and being the postdoctoral representative on the departmental health and safety and postgraduate committees.
2011–2016: Postgraduate education
I completed my BSc(Hons), specialising in chemistry, at the University of Cape Town in 2011. In 2016, I submitted my doctoral thesis in the Department of Chemistry at that institution under the supervision of the late Professor Timothy Egan and Professor Roger Hunter. My thesis was broad in scope and embraced a wide range of analytical, inorganic and organic chemistry techniques and contributed new insights to the mode of action of two historically-important antimalarials, quinine and chloroquine, through live-cell imaging and chemical proteomics. During that time, I was a tutor and demonstrator for the undergraduate chemistry courses and was enthusiastically involved with the Department of Chemistry’s outreach programme.
From 2021 to 2022 I was appointed as a Junior Research Fellow at the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre and in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cape Town (UCT) under the mentorship of Professor Kelly Chibale. This position was funded through the Carnegie Developing Emerging Academic Leaders (DEAL) programme which aims "to support the development of the next generation of African research leaders".
2019–2020: Postdoctoral fellowship in medicinal chemistry
After two years in the world of molecular and cell biology, I joined the H3D Centre as a postdoctoral fellow in medicinal chemistry under the mentorship of Professor Kelly Chibale. I designed and synthesised potential drug leads for malaria through an integrated medicinal chemistry approach for a project jointly funded by the Strategic Health Innovation Partnerships (SHIP) of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).
2017–2018: Postdoctoral fellowship in molecular and cell biology
After my postgraduate studies, I spent two years as a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Professor Janet Hapgood in the UCT Department of Molecular and Cell Biology. My contributions focused on HIV acquisition in the context of steroid receptors and hormonal contraceptives. I acquired expertise in mammalian tissue culture in BSLII and BSLII+ facilities, metabolite profiling, in silico molecular docking and immunofluorescence. As a chemist, I brought a unique small-molecule approach to the group. Other responsibilities included chairing a weekly seminar series for postgraduate students and being the postdoctoral representative on the departmental health and safety and postgraduate committees.
2011–2016: Postgraduate education
I completed my BSc(Hons), specialising in chemistry, at the University of Cape Town in 2011. In 2016, I submitted my doctoral thesis in the Department of Chemistry at that institution under the supervision of the late Professor Timothy Egan and Professor Roger Hunter. My thesis was broad in scope and embraced a wide range of analytical, inorganic and organic chemistry techniques and contributed new insights to the mode of action of two historically-important antimalarials, quinine and chloroquine, through live-cell imaging and chemical proteomics. During that time, I was a tutor and demonstrator for the undergraduate chemistry courses and was enthusiastically involved with the Department of Chemistry’s outreach programme.