“ I am among those who think that science has great beauty.” – Marie Curie
Behind every genome sequenced, every pathogen investigated, and every question asked is a scientist working to turn genomic data into knowledge that can make a lasting impact.
This Women’s Month, the University of the Free State’s Next Generation Sequencing (UFS-NGS) Unit celebrates the women who continue to drive this work forward, and the opportunities that enable more women to embrace, grow and lead in genomics. As I lead a proudly female-majority team led, my male colleagues and I see women’s role in science not as an exception, but at the heart of our work every day.
That excellence is tangible. All our postgraduate students have graduated with distinctions for their dissertations, a testament to the Unit’s impact in building capacity and producing scientists of the highest calibre.
Today, that journey comes to life at our benches. Eyong Manyi Marcelle, a PhD candidate who joined us from Cameroon, is tracing the viruses behind childhood gastroenteritis. Siphe Thabisa Mpaxa, an M.MedSc candidate, is investigating Human Metapneumovirus and was recognised with the 2024 Van Rensburg/Lancet Pathology Prize. M.MedSc candidates Angela Mbele and Joyce Tshiswaka are uncovering the respiratory and enteric viruses that others often miss, while PhD candidate Dlamini Mbasa is characterising the gut microbiome in preterm infants using metagenomics. We are also excited to welcome a wave of brilliant new postgraduate students, including PhD candidate Rihangwele Muluvhu and Master’s candidates Felicia Mabaso and Portia Raphalalani, all joining Prof. Martin Nyaga’s newly established Research Chair on the Genomic Surveillance of Respiratory and Enteric Pathogens from Children in South Africa. And holding much of this together behind the scenes is Ms. Mamello Maku, our administrative officer, whose coordination and support keep the Unit running day to day.
Through postgraduate training, mentorship and hands-on exposure to next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics, these women are building meaningful experience in genomics. Capacity building sits at the very heart of what we do, and much of that capacity is being built by women, for the next generation of women in science.
Their impact also shines on the national stage. Ms. Sesiyanda Maseko, now a proud alumna of the Unit, took first place in the University’s Three-Minute Thesis competition. In contrast, fellow alumna Ms. Somila Nazo was named first runner-up for communicating her research on antimicrobial resistance in intensive care units and hospital wastewater. Our community is further enriched by the phenomenal women scientists we host and collaborate with. We have had the privilege of welcoming researchers such as our very able Vice Chancellor and Principle of the UFS, Prof. Hester C. Klopper, our Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Deliwe Phethu and Dr. Dee Jordan from Harvard Medical School, whose work resonates deeply with the mission and values of the UFS-NGS Unit. Institutional support and collaborations like these open doors, spark new ideas, and remind our students of the global scientific community they belong to.
This environment has contributed to internationally recognised research, including publications in high-impact journals such as Nature and Science, as well as Scientific Reports, Viruses and Virus Research. Women across the UFS-NGS Unit community continue to add to this growing body of work while strengthening genomic surveillance and public health capacity in South Africa and beyond.
Empowering women in science also means opening doors before a career even begins. Through outreach programmes, laboratory visits and job-shadowing opportunities, young women and girls have stepped into the UFS-NGS laboratory, met our scientists, and gained first-hand exposure to DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing and bioinformatics. For many, it is the first time they see that a future in genomics, biotechnology or biomedical research is truly within reach.
And the journey continues well beyond our laboratory. Our alumnae, among them Ms. Sebotsana Rasebotsa, now a medical scientist at the NICD, along with Ms. Wairimu Maringa, Ms. Lesedi Mosime, Ms. Nkosazana Shange, Ms. Robyn-Lee Potgieter, Ms.Kelebogile Nkwadipo, and former interns Ms. Surprise Baloyi and Ms. Mbali Ncube, have carried their training into research institutions, laboratories and scientific spaces across the country and the continent.
At every stage of the journey, from the curious learner to the postgraduate researcher, to the alumna building her career, the UFS-NGS Unit remains committed to nurturing women in genomics. Here’s to continuing to create spaces where women can learn, discover, contribute and lead.
Happy Women’s Month! 💜
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