Vol 1 - Support Services Ufs Ac Za - University of the Free State

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collaboration with the UFS RIEP. The Sasol TRACLaboratory will provide valuable research andcommunity engagement opportunities for academicstaff members and students at the UFS.In 2007, BioPAD awarded a R13.7 millionbiotechnology research contract to the UFSDepartment of Microbial, Biochemical and FoodBiotechnology to conduct research into prehistoricmicro-organisms which live under extremeconditions. This is one of the largest researchcontracts awarded to the UFS in recent years andincludes equipment, student bursaries andpostdoctoral fellowships.The contract involves the establishment of aPlatform for Metagenomics – a technique whichallows researchers to extract the DNA from microbesin their natural environment and investigate it in alaboratory. The Platform aims to tap into the uniquegenetic material in South African mines which willlead to the discovery of new genes and theirproducts. These new and unique products will findapplication in the medical field (anti-cancer, antibacterialen anti-viral cures), the industrial sector(nanotechnology, commercial washing agents andthe food industry) and the environmental sector(pollution management, demolition of harmfulmetals and other toxic waste). The Platform furtheraims to establish unique expertise for spin-offconsultation and service companies run by thestudents trained in the Platform.The project is endorsed by the Department ofScience and Technology and the National ResearchSome of the guests attending thelaunch of the UFS/BioPAD Meta genomicsPlatform contract are, from theleft: Dr Siyabulela Ntutela (DeputyDirector for Biotechnology at the Department of Science and Technology),Dr Godfrey Netswera (Manager ofThuthuka and the Support Programmeat the National Research Foundation),Prof Esta van Heerden (Platform Managerand Lec turer at the Department ofMicrobial, Biochemical and FoodBiotechnology at the UFS), Mr ButanaMboniswa (Chief Executive Officer ofBioPAD), and Mr Vuyisele Phehani(Portfolio Manager for BioPAD).54
Foundation (NRF), which contributes to thebursaries of the 17 postgraduate students currentlyon the programme. The project also engages anumber of industrial and academic collaborators,both local and international. These include PrincetonUniversity and the University of Tennessee in theUnited States of America (USA); GeosynecConsultants Inc. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory(both in the USA), the Universities of theWitwatersrand, North West and Limpopo in SouthAfrica (SA); BHP Billiton and MINTEK (SA); andSouth African mining companies Harmony, GoldFields and AngloGold Ashanti.The Platform will provide valuable op por tunitiesfor some of the Strategic Academic Clusters,specifically Advanced Biomolecular Research andTechnologies for Sustainable Crop Industries inSemi-Arid Regions. Gene and product discovery, aswell as extending microbial impact in plant breedingare some areas where joint research between theseClusters and the Platform will be conducted.Research at the UFS Faculty of Health Sciencesalso received a significant external investment in2007. The Netcare Private Hospital Group donatedR265 000 to the Department of Haematology andCell Biology with respect to the establishment of abone marrow transplant programme and thedevelopment of a molecular biology laboratory andanti-leukemia remedies.In 2006, the UFS became the first tertiaryinstitution in the country to sign a joint ventureagreement with Empowerdex – South Africa’sCelebrating the donation of R265 000from Netcare Private Hospital Group tothe Department of Haematology andCell Biology are, from the left: ProfGert van Zyl (Head of the School ofMedicine at the UFS), Prof LetticiaMoja (Dean: Faculty of Health Sciencesat the UFS), Prof Dion du Plessis(Director: Netcare Holdings), and ProfPhilip Badenhorst (Head of theDepartment of Haematology and CellBiology at the UFS).55
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Celebrating research development an
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Table of ContentsForeword .........
Page 7 and 8: Message from Prof Frederick FourieF
Page 9 and 10: Message from Prof Teuns VerschoorTh
Page 11 and 12: Message from Prof Frans Swanepoelma
Page 13 and 14: Future VisionA new strategic framew
Page 15 and 16: Significant Institutionalplishments
Page 17 and 18: Significant Institutional Accomplis
Page 19 and 20: Prof James duPreez, B2-ratedresearc
Page 21 and 22: students from priority groups - exh
Page 23 and 24: Table 1: Promising Emerging Researc
Page 25 and 26: There has been a similarly signific
Page 27 and 28: Minister Mosibudi Mangena (Minister
Page 29 and 30: Attending the recognition functionf
Page 31 and 32: The Strategic Academicr Initiative2
Page 33 and 34: The Strategic AcademicCluster Initi
Page 35 and 36: odies are sustained by their ecosys
Page 37 and 38: programmes are not imple mented eff
Page 39 and 40: transformation. Such transformation
Page 41 and 42: y biotic and abiotic constraints in
Page 43 and 44: Focus Areas1. Nano solid state mate
Page 45 and 46: dimensional electrophoretic analysi
Page 48 and 49: 44Internat
Page 50 and 51: Staff members at the UFS Internatio
Page 52: and expansion of research membershi
Page 55 and 56: Research Commercialisationand Coope
Page 57: Research Commercialisation andCoope
Page 62 and 63: 58Student
Page 64 and 65: Postgraduate students are the resea
Page 66: students; post graduate topics; sup
Page 69 and 70: Outstanding Researchements65
Page 71 and 72: Outstanding Research AchievementsTh
Page 73 and 74: Prof Max Finkelstein, Senior Profes
Page 75 and 76: Prof Johan Meyer, Senior Professor
Page 77 and 78: evalua tion panel for the European
Page 79 and 80: of the Free State’s Department of
Page 81 and 82: Delivered the best presentation on
Page 83 and 84: Shaw, WDepartment of Medical Physic
Page 85 and 86: At Judge Fritz Brand’s inaugural
Page 87 and 88: At Prof Alice Pell’s inaugural le
Page 89 and 90: Research85
Page 91 and 92: Economic and Management SciencesMes
Page 94 and 95: Prof Letticia Moja (Dean: Faculty o
Page 96 and 97: leukaemia and to test new anti-canc
Page 98 and 99: It is also a priority to make funds
Page 100: esearch and development. In the fol
Page 103 and 104: LawMessage from the Dean: Prof Joha
Page 105 and 106: through the unlocking of a source t
Page 107 and 108: 103
Page 109 and 110:
Natural and Agricultural Sciencesth
Page 111 and 112:
107
Page 113 and 114:
TheologyMessage from the Dean: Prof
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Vol 1 - Support Services Ufs Ac Za - University of the Free State

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