CPUT recently increased its number of specialised research units with the addition of the Biocatalysis and Technical Biology Research Group (BTB).

This unique research group, which consists of researchers from various backgrounds in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, is researching biological ways to make useful chemical compounds such as anti-oxidants.

The group was formed by acclaimed researcher Prof Stephanie Burton, who was previously based at the University of Cape Town and before that at Rhodes University.

With Prof Burton’s move to CPUT to take up the Director of Postgraduate Studies post in January 2009, the group also relocated to the institution.

They are now based at the Bellville campus, in a state of the art “green” building, which was designed to house the BTB research group and their laboratory.

Dr Marilize Le Roes-Hill, who has been with BTB for several years, said they are working on a number of projects, of which many are potentially beneficial to various agricultural industries in the Western Cape Province.

Currently researchers are investigating the use of constructed wetlands to address winery waste water, since the wine industry produces huge volumes of waste water.

However, with strict legislation on pollution, they have to look for ways to treat waste water pollutants.

“Some of the wine farms have natural wetlands where they pump the winery waste water into. The water goes through the wetlands and by the time it reaches the rivers, most of the toxins have been removed,” she said.

Researchers found that fungi, bacteria and plants in the wetlands work together in order to break down pollutants.

However, some farms do not have natural wetlands and the possibility of constructed ones could be a solution to winery waste water pollution.

The BTB researchers are also investigating citrus waste water in order to see what organic oils, antioxidants and carbohydrates could be removed from fruit waste water and used to generate value added products.

They are also looking at biocatalytic production of antioxidants and investigating how they can be used in the health, nutraceutical and cosmetic industry.

Other projects are focusing on the production of bio-ethanol and the development of efficient bioprocesses.

Dr Nuraan Khan, who recently joined the group after completing her doctorate at the Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics at the University of the Western Cape , said the group is collaborating with a number of international researchers based in Italy, New Zealand, United Kingdom , Australia and Germany .

They are also working with researchers at the Universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch , Western Cape and Rhodes, as well as a number of international research groups. Dr Khan said the group consists of 12 researchers, of whom five are postdoctoral Fellows. However, plans are in place to expand the group.

“We would like to attract postgraduate students from CPUT to join the research group to do Masters and doctoral degrees,” said Professor Burton

The BTB group’s strong record of successful completion of research projects has also seen it enjoy funding from a number of sources. Over the past 16 years, the group has raised a total of R24 000 000 in research funds.

The group's main funders have included the National Research Foundation, Water Research Commission, Innovation Fund, BHP -Billiton, Winetech, TMO (Pty) Ltd and the Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP).

By Candes Keating

Photo: Prof Stephanie Burton (sixth from left) and the members of the BTB Research Group stand outside their new research building.

Written by CPUT News
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Head of the HIV/Aids Unit, Dr Ashraf Mohammed, was recently awarded a doctorate in Public Health from the University of Cape Town.

Dr Mohammed, who holds degrees in Microbiology and Medical Science, conducted research on the prevention of Tuberculosis (TB) in advanced HIV-infected patients. This study, which was partially funded by the prestigious Diana Princess of Wales HIV Research Foundation, is one of seven studies of its kind to be conducted in the world.

As a result, the findings of this significant study will be used by several international health organisations (WHO/CDC) in order to undertake a meta-analysis study.

The study, which is titled, “The efficiency of intermittent directly observed Isoniazid for preventing tuberculosis in HIV-infected adults with advanced disease,”was undertaken at public hospitals in the Western Cape.

In order to conduct the study, patients were randomly selected from various health facilities in the Western Cape.

“They were then assessed for eligibility for the trial,” said Dr Mohammed.

Those selected for the study were screened for TB and only those that were free from TB were enrolled for the trial and were required to follow a 24 month treatment programme. The treatment programmes were conducted at Tygerberg, Groote Schuur and Somerset Hospitals.

Dr Mohammed said the study took place over several years because patients entered the programme at different times. As a result of the study, Dr Mohammed devised a TB screening instrument.

Through this method, they detected several undiagnosed TB cases (8.5%) in patients who were referred by clinicians as being free from TB. This TB screening instrument for patients with advanced HIV infection in a hospital setting has now been incorporated into the South African National TB Policy Guidelines. Dr Mohammed said he plans to further research in this area.

“I want to extend the study and develop it into a research niche at CPUT,” he said.

Dr Mohammed has already published widely in peer-reviewed journals and also presented his research at several international conferences. Prior to his graduation he had already published two articles in international peer-reviewed journals and is currently drafting a third paper for publication.

He was also awarded the Foggarty Fellowship, which allowed him to complete various aspects of his doctorate at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York.

He was also a recipient of the Guy Elliot Medical Research Fellowship. Dr Mohammed is currently supervising 5 postgraduate students, 2 of which are medical doctors,

Written by CPUT News
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Winemaking is not a task for the fainthearted.

It requires patience, a sound scientific background as well as a love of wine, says second-year students following the Viticulture and Oenology stream in the Department of Agriculture.

To ensure that students have the knowledge and hands-on experience that will give them the edge in the wine industry, the class is currently producing their first wines, a several-week process that starts by crushing and destemming grapes and will culminate in the bottling process and final taste test.

Oenology lecturer, Anton Nel, says the task is part of the Oenology module designed to develop students' foundation in biochemistry and microbiology and ensure they gain an understanding of all the processes involved in the production of wine.

“In the first year, they are introduced to winemaking and we look at the history, biochemistry and microbiology. In the second year we focus on the practical part of winemaking. This involves the crushing of grapes, separation of skins and juice, balancing of the must, fermentation of juice and stabilization and filtering of the finished wine,” says Nel.

“In the third year, we look at the post-handling of the wine.”

Nel says this year he encouraged students to be creative and to put their skills to the test, tasking them to create a wine of their choice, and so far he is impressed with their efforts.

Student Amanda Gwiji opted to produce a merlot with a wooded taste, which required her to add blocks of French oak to the wine after the fermentation process.

“There are a lot of factors involved in the process of winemaking. You have to be very specific because you need to get a certain outcome.”

“Winemaking is an art that is science-based,” says Amanda.

Her classmate, Koos De Wet, is producing a wooded merlot and hopes that by introducing blocks of American oak during the fermentation process, the final product will by soft and full-bodied. He is also producing an unwooded chardonnay, with fresh, vibrant and fruity characteristics.

Koos welcomes the practical task and says it provides the class with an opportunity to put their theory into practice and gives them insight into what they can expect in industry.

Click here for more information on the National Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

The Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability Research Focus Area (RFA) will host a symposium tomorrow (8 June) to commemorate World Environment Day and Oceans Day.

World Environment Day is marked on 5 June every year and is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach. This year’s theme is Only One Earth: The United Nations celebrates World Oceans Day on June 8 every year, and this year’s theme is: “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean”.

The symposium will be held online (MS Teams) and is scheduled to start at 10 am.

Prof Beatrice Opeolu, Leader of the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability Research Focus Area, said the symposium aims " to create awareness about the existential threat of climate change and our daily life choices to man and the environment”.

“We have only one earth, so it must be cherished and handled with care rather than abused. Oceans play an important role in ecosystem balance, so unhealthy practices against our oceans affect oceans economies and human and environmental health.”

She said attendees will be privileged to listen to environmental scientists within and outside CPUT discussing some of these issues.

“We also hope to use the event to foster collaborations for research and community engagement activities.”

Chioma Chikere, Professor of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology in the Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, will deliver an invited speech.

Department of Environmental and Occupational Studies staff will also share their waste management initiatives with the CPUT community.

Click here to join the meeting.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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