Senior lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dr Samantha Meyer, delivered a plenary lecture at the International Conference on Nano Structured Materials and Nanocomposites (ICN 2025), recently held in India.

Meyer said she was deeply honoured when Prof Sabu Thomas, distinguished global scientist and former vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) in Kerala, India, invited her.

The invitation came shortly after Meyer was awarded a C2-rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF).

Mahatma Gandhi University has been ranked 4th among Indian universities in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2025.

“This occasion was extremely special and poignant to me as India is the land of my ancestors. My great-grandparents came to South Africa as indentured labourers in the late 1800s. It was incredibly emotional for me to be the first person in my family lineage to visit India; the great-granddaughter of sugar-cane workers returning to her motherland to present her scientific research on a global stage.”

Meyer’s presentation was titled: Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Cotyledon orbiculata: Antimicrobial, Anti-Inflammatory and Wound Healing Effects.

Apart from being an invited plenary speaker at the conference, Meyer was also appointed as a session chairperson. These key roles at the conference give credence to her expertise and international standing in the field of Nanotechnology research. According to her Google Scholar profile, Meyer has been cited more than 1000 times in the literature.

The ICN 2025 conference included representation from universities, research institutes, and industries from around the world.

This diverse association created a rich environment for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration.

“It was an honour to represent CPUT at this global gathering of more than 350 participants. My presentation garnered much interest in both my research as well as our institution’s dynamic and beautiful campuses.”

Written by CPUT News
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The Department of Biomedical Sciences recently partnered with the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) to host the annual Stem Cell Donor Drive.

The primary objective of the event, which was held at the Bellville Campus, was to recruit new donors who can potentially provide life-saving stem cell transplants to patients in need.

This collaboration saw second- and third-year Haematology students and their lecturer, Rizqa Siebritz-Williams, work together to assist the SABMR in creating awareness about the significance of stem cell donation and its role in treating various life-threatening blood disorders and cancers.

“By engaging the student community, the drive aims to foster a culture of social responsibility and highlight the impact individuals can make through donor participation. Furthermore, the event serves to promote the mission of the SABMR and its partners, including Childhood Cancer Foundation (CHOC), the Organ Donor Foundation, Save Seven, Vitanova, and the Western Cape Blood Service, by strengthening collaboration in the field of donor recruitment and public health,” said Siebritz-Williams.

“In addition, CPUT’s HIV/AIDS and Student Counselling units engaged students around initiatives CPUT offers to support students holistically. A further objective is to recognise and express gratitude to current donors, thereby encouraging others to contribute to this vital cause.”

She thanked the student volunteers for 2025: Njabulo Dhlangamandla, Mfundo Dube, Beyonce Esau, Xiluvelo Hlungwani, Elizabeth Jacobs, Azande Maqhwara, Noliso Nesi, Emihle Ngala, Dimpho Sishiqa, Sinawo Sizani, Danielle Wentzel, Aakifah Ely and Hope Nkomo.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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In between her studies, brushing up on English and getting to grips with life in a foreign country, Biomedical Sciences student Nicole Mampuya has also been writing a book.

For two years Nicole has been capturing the stories of refugees from across the African continent and recently published her work in the form of an E-book on Amazon.

The 23-year-old says a desire to help alleviate the plight of refugees is what motivated her to embark on the book entitled ‘Black Shades of Tears and Hope’.

Tapping into her own network of friends from across the continent she spent every spare moment collating the stories of refugees who travelled to South Africa in search of a better life.

“It was really challenging getting people to trust me. They would allow me to interview them then a few hours later tell me to delete their stories,” says Nicole.

Using pseudonyms and working for months to gain her subject's trust Nicole eventually managed to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the terror of war crimes, rape and the hope for a better life that drive thousands to South Africa.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and a native French speaker, Nicole had the challenge of writing the book in her third language- English but says her pastor’s motivation kept her going.

“He was the one who mentored and encouraged me. I am going to translate it into French soon so that my family can read it too,” she says.

Black Shades of Tears and Hope is available for purchase for less than R100 on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=node%3D154606011&field-keywords=Black+Shades+of+Tears+and+Hope&rh=n%3A154606011%2Ck%3ABlack+Shades+of+Tears+and+Hope

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

A group of students in the Biomedical Sciences Department showcased their skills and creativity during a recent multilingual video project.

With the aim of helping to address the lack of educational resources available in many of our official languages, Extended Curriculum Programme students were tasked with creating an educational video in their home language (excluding English).

The video had to be targeted at future first-year students studying immunology and cell biology.

The students worked in groups and their videos were recently screened to their peers.

Senior lecturer, Dr Lisa Graham, said the main objectives were for students to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and to foster a sense of pride and responsibility, “as they were contributing to transformation in the Higher Education sector”.

“Generating a multilingual library containing educational videos about scientific topics which are generally only discussed in English is an additional bonus.”

The project was initiated as a concept for a community engagement project when Graham was doing the Teacher Development Programme in 2018.

“The Service-Learning Department encouraged me to register the project and it was piloted in 2019. The pilot was a great success and initiated the development of our own departmental YouTube channel. These videos are published on the channel and serve as a learning aid for current and future students.”

Graham said she was very proud of the videos the students produced. “The students were innovative and brave, took full responsibility and initiative and put care into the project. I feel the results align wonderfully with the graduate attributes we wish to foster at CPUT – enhancing technological capability and foresight, fostering resilience and problem-solving capabilities, and improving relational and ethical capabilities of the participants. I am very excited about the future of this project.”

The Fundani Centre for Higher Education Development: Language Unit’s Nomxolisi Jantjies and Alexa Anthonie assisted with the project.

“Since the scripts are indigenous languages, our unit assists with quality checking and ensuring that the language used is within context. In cases where scripts are developed in languages other than English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa we source external language experts to quality check.”

Jantjies said the videos were a great way for students to showcase their creativity and their contribution to knowledge production.

“It is evident that a lot went into producing the videos. What was more amazing is that they were able to transfer knowledge using indigenous languages, languages that are often thought of as lacking for scientific thought. The students demonstrated that with collaboration it is possible to create field-specific content in indigenous languages while also contributing in documenting these languages.”

Students described the experience as a wonderful learning experience, which taught them more about their topics as well as new words.

“I learnt more than I expected and it was a great experience,” said student Bukho Joni.

The project was showcased at the 2022 CPUT Language Indaba:

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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More than 230 matric learners from three high schools participated in a Life Science revision session presented by various departments in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences.

The successful programme, initiated by the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences’ Prof Kareemah Najaar, has been running for the past few years and aims to provide socio-economic disadvantaged students with an opportunity to qualify and apply for science programmes at the tertiary level.

At the first revision session for 2022, Wynberg High School hosted the matric pupils of Lavender Hill High School and Langa High School.

The topics covered by the CPUT students who serve as tutors were selected by the teachers [Ms N. Israel (WHS), Ms M. Lewis (LHHS), and Ms N. Mandongana (LHS)] and revision worksheets were based on the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).

Najaar said COVID-19 restrictions continued to present the tutors with the challenge of providing face-to-face revision sessions.

“This was easily overcome with the incorporation of the horseshoe shape design (a concept created in 2021), in which desks are spaced adequately apart and students are then able to engage with the tutors who are positioned in the centre of the horseshoe, thus creating safe social distancing.”

Cognisant that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics remain a focus area for the economic growth of the country, “and in the true spirit” of the Community of Practice, the collaborating departments, Emergency Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Somatology, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences, Ophthalmic Sciences, and Dental Technology, with the Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning’s Service-Learning (SL) division, once again successfully created an environment in which the matric learners were able to attend the revision programme while conforming to COVID-19 protocols physically.

Najaar and Dr Wendy Solomon (Biomedical Sciences) worked closely with department heads, school principals, the respective dedicated Faculty staff, teachers, the Service-Learning division, the CPUT printing division and donors in this successful endeavour.

Najaar believes that the success of this project lies within the principles and implementation of a Community of Practice (CoP), a construct based on “a group of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis”.

“The unselfish and tireless efforts from all stakeholders, particularly the grade 12 learners and the tutors, is why this community project has succeeded since 2018. The continued efforts by the Health and Wellness Sciences lecturers and school teachers to adapt and improve the system to amplify the students’ learning is a testament to their sincerity and dedication to serving the community.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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Various departments in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences have been working in unison to assist schools with a Life Sciences revision programme and plan to continue the good work this year.

The collaborating departments are Emergency Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Somatology, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences, Ophthalmic Sciences and Dental Technology, and the Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning, Service Learning division.

Dr Kareemah Najaar, senior lecturer in the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences, said the pandemic has further disadvantaged many underprivileged matric Life Sciences learners because they cannot access Wi-Fi or smartphones. Thus online remote learning was not an option for them.

She said the development of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains a focus area for the country's economic growth.

To support the STEM vision and provide socio-economically disadvantaged students with an opportunity to qualify and apply for science programmes at the tertiary level, Najaar sought to expand inter-departmental collaboration within the faculty.

She said Dr Wendy Solomon (Biomedical Sciences) and Michael Paulse (Somatology) had been integral to this project since 2019.

“We realised that for this community engagement to be more effective within the current climate, inviting our sister departments to join could only amplify and accelerate the vision.”

In August last year, Wynberg High School hosted the Grade 12 learners of Lavender Hill High School.”

Four major topics, selected by the teachers, Nabeelah Israel (Wynberg) and Monia Lewis (Lavender Hill) were revised. A maximum of 15 learners were placed with three tutors.

“121 learners attended the session with an astonishing number of faculty lecturers, postgraduates, and undergraduates available as tutors and facilitators. The tutors diligently provided a safe environment for the students, and consequently, the system's efficiency was remarkable to observe.”

The collaborating departments created an environment where the participating matric learners could still physically attend a Life Science Revision programme while conforming to COVID-19 protocols.

“The Covid-19 ‘friendly’ classroom was designed into a classical horseshoe shape, with desks spaced adequately apart. Thus, The students could engage with the tutors who positioned themselves within the centre of the horseshoe while maintaining a safe social distance.”

Before entering the classroom, a register was taken, all participants’ temperatures were recorded, and their hands were sanitised. In addition, all desks were sanitised before each session and after, and the classrooms remained well-ventilated. It was compulsory to wear a facial mask covering the mouth and nose.

 “This model proves that it is possible to conduct revision programmes for those who do not have access to basic technology such as Wi-Fi and smart devices under COVID-19 conditions. We are excited to run our revision programmes with the 2022 matric students. We are most certainly prepared for the challenges that may have previously limited us, in the past,” said Najaar.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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The Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences’ Life Science Revision project is growing from strength to strength, with nearly 200 matrics from three high schools joining in a recent revision session at CPUT.

The project was launched in 2018 by the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences’ Prof Kareemah Najaar, to help more learners achieve the minimum requirements to qualify for programmes in the science field.

Matric learners and teachers from Lavender Hill High School, Wynberg High School and Langa High School visited the Bellville Campus for the first revision session of the year, with 43 tutors volunteering to assist the learners.

The tutors included staff and students from all seven departments in the Faculty: Emergency Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Wellness Sciences, Nursing, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences, Ophthalmic Sciences and Dental Sciences and, for the first time, tutors from the Department of Medical Biosciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

“Over the years, since its inception in 2018, this community project has grown in numbers and evolved in design, efficiency and leadership. What started as a project with myself and 15 tutors and one department supporting one high school with Life Science revision, now has a pool of approximately 100 tutor volunteers from seven FHWS departments as well as volunteers from UWC who are supporting three high schools,” said Najaar.

“I am also now part of a powerful leadership team, with Dr Wendy Solomon and Ms Marnel Germishuys, who work tirelessly to ensure the efficient planning and execution of each revision session. We are very proud of what has been termed as a Faculty Flagship.”

In previous years, a school would serve as the venue for the revision session, but this year learners were welcomed on campus, where they received valuable exposure to the institution.

Plans to expand the project are in the pipeline.

“Before the end of 2024, we intend inviting two additional schools from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Paarl district. We also intend to invite the Medical Biosciences Department, UWC to officially partner with us and continue to increase the number of adopted high schools.”

Najaar said a fundamental component of the project’s success was to use the feedback from the teachers and learners and adapting operations and revision content to their needs.

“I do believe that we have created a tutoring model that is able to adapt to various scenarios, from serious events such as the COVID-19 pandemic (when technology is not available to the disadvantaged) to an unexpected significant decrease in tutor numbers. The ever-adapting model ensures that the matric learners are provided with quality revision sessions in preparation for their final exams.”

Langa High School teacher, Nandipha Mandongana, said the project afforded learners the opportunity to revise topics that they may otherwise not have time for.

“The exposure to CPUT also serves as a motivation. They know what is expected of them in terms of their results if they want to make it (to CPUT) next year.”

Najaar said that in 2021 a significant component was added to the community project, that seeks to empower the young women in matric.

“In support of the national Sanitary Dignity Programme, we provide feminine hygiene products to the female students, in the hopes of making a small difference to the quality of education for young women.”

She thanked all role-players who contributed to the project’s success.

“We would always first give thanks to our tutors who volunteer their time and create a welcoming environment for the matric learners, without whom this project would not be possible. A warm thank you to our colleagues from UWC, who volunteered their time and skills. A heartfelt thank you to our teachers who provide us with the opportunity and guidance during the planning and execution of the revision sessions. We are also in appreciation for the received support from the Dean’s office as well as the Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning, Service-learning division.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Senior lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dr Yvonne Prince, says it is an “incredible honour” to be awarded the prestigious Self-Initiated Research (SIR) Grant from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) for her work on the oral microbiome.

Prince, a researcher with the SAMRC/CPUT Cardiometabolic Health Research Unit, said the grant not only recognises the value of her work but also provides the necessary support to advance scientific knowledge and contribute to improving health outcomes.

“I am excited to embark on this journey and look forward to the positive impact my research will have.”

Prince explained that the oral microbiome is the second largest microbial ecosystem after the gut microbiome, containing more than 700 species of microorganisms. Therefore, the oral cavity is a major gateway to the human body.

“Evidence has shown that any disruption in the diversity of the oral biome can be associated with inflammatory conditions such as periodontitis, diabetes and metabolic syndrome and kidney disease.”

She said the complex mechanisms linking these disorders remain unclear with most studies having been performed outside of Africa.

“Three preliminary studies have been conducted by the primary investigator and supervisors within the research unit. These were carried out on 128 plaque samples, which had been collected between 2014 and 2016. Despite the small sample size, this work demonstrated significant disruptions in the microorganisms residing in the oral cavity of patients with diabetes and metabolic syndrome compared to individuals who were normoglycemic or who had no features of metabolic syndrome.

“This implied that disturbances in the diversity of the oral microbiota could lead to an increase in chronic inflammation predisposing patients to low grade inflammatory disorders and the development of cardiovascular traits. Furthermore, factors such as smoking allow certain oral microorganisms to gain dominance and therefore predisposes individuals to the progression of periodontal disease.”

She said the awarding of the SIR grant aims to build on these initial findings by expanding the sample size and investigating other habitats within the oral cavity to fully validate these initial findings. Secondly, it would investigate the effects of lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol on the oral biome. Thirdly, it would investigate if there is an association between the diversity of oral microorganisms and other disorders such as renal disease and the severity of bacterial infections and the final aim would be to translate these findings into improving oral health in the surrounding community.

A primary goal is to enrol and mentor two (PhD and an MSc) candidates who will join the other postgraduate students within the research unit. These students will receive training in the isolation of DNA and RNA as well as expertise in 16S RNA next generation sequencing, and bioinformatics which is a scarce skill in South Africa.

“In addition, CPUT offers several training courses on various aspects of performing research and therefore all students will graduate with the attributes to develop into independent researchers. In addition to training students, young emerging scientists and postdoctoral fellows will be mentored in supervision skills. This will be achieved by involving them as co-supervisors with experienced supervisors.”

A collaboration has been formed with the University of the Western Cape Dental School to contribute to furthering the training of dental and biomedical postgraduate students.

“The cardiometabolic health research unit is committed to transformation and the reduction of gender inequality. This is reflected in the fact that many of the recent graduates are young women of colour. “

Prince will be working with the unit’s director, Prof Tandi Matsha, co-director Prof Glenda Davison while the other collaborators are Prof Manogari Chetty (UWC) and CPUT’s Dr Saarah Davids, Dr Stanton Hector, Dr Shanel Raghubeer and Dr Lisa Graham.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the SAMRC, the SAMRC/CPUT Cardiometabolic Health Research Unit and its directors Prof Tandi Matsha, Assoc Prof Glenda Davison, the laboratory manger and the research staff in the unit.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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