Biology Departmental
Staff Members
STAFF MEMBERS
Academic Staff | ||||
Contact Person | Position | Field of Interest | Research Interest | |
 | Professor | Parasitology | Fish Parasitology Trematodes Snail-transmitted trematode parasites Research focus is on freshwater and marine fish parasitology. This includes the description through light and scanning electron microscopy of all of the parasites in the tissue, muscle and intestine of different fish species from many localities. It also involves taxonomic classification of these parasites. He also focuses on snail transmitted trematode parasites studying the various larval stages of the different parasites in order to determine their life cycles. | |
 | Professor | Ecology and Environmental studies | Pollution Monitoring Studies and Phytoremediation Research focus is on biomonitoring of trace metals in the environment and its impact on human health and the ecosystem. This involves the use of plants (lower and higher) as bio monitors of atmospheric pollutants (trace metals) in plants consumed by humans and phytoremediation of soil polluted by trace metals. He is also working on occupational and environmental exposure of toxic metals around different industrial areas with the aim of checking the comparative effects on the ecosystem and health effects on people living around these areas. | |
 | Associate Professor | Palaeontology | Anatomical evolution of archosauromorphs Karoo biostratigraphy Research focus is on reconstruction of the living and non-living prehistoric paleo-environment of the South African Karoo. Projects include integrated anatomical, embryological and paleontological studies of the braincases of the ancestors of birds and crocodiles. These ancestors include dinosaurs and reptiles with an age between 250 and 190 million years old. Ideas such as that birds evolved from dinosaurs and that the South African dinosaurs are the oldest in the world are tested. Expertise includes the geology of the Karoo Basin rocks in South Africa. | |
 | Senior Lecturer | Parasitology | Morphological and molecular characterization of digenetic trematodes Research focus is on morphological and molecular characterization of digenetic trematodes of both medical and veterinary importance, especially larval stages, in freshwater bodies that are proximal to Tshwane Metropolitan. This interest was brought about by the fact that only adult worms have been studied and documented extensively since they are fairly easy to classify based on their well-developed reproductive system, but their larval counterparts have not been given similar attention. Therefore, morphological and molecular characterisation of these larval parasitic stages will assist, not only in classifying these organisms, but also in establishing their relationship with each other. | |
 | Senior Lecturer | Environmental Sciences | Environmental Management and Education: Research focus is on Environmental Management and Education. She is interested in the use of organic fertilizers as alternative amendments for soil nutrients in crop production. She is currently working on the effectiveness of organic fertilizers on the growth of leafy vegetables and the toxic effects which might be associated with the use of the organic fertilizers. The goal of her research work is to enhance food security and livelihoods of the peri-urban poor communities through improved agricultural productivity and sustainable waste management. She is also interested in disseminating information and creating awareness on various environmental issues affecting human health and the ecosystem. | |
 | Lecturer | Para-Clinicals | Multi-omics Studies: Research focus is on multi-omics studies of human traits, including type 2 diabetes and neuroblastoma and rotavirus traits. She works with various types of omics data, including Metabolomics, Proteomics and Lipidomics. She also has an interest in Molecular docking, Acarology and Anti-diabetic activities of drugs. | |
 | Lecturer | Fisheries and Conservation Genetics | Conservation Genetics Research focus is on cyanobacteria, fish biology and ecology of aquatic organism, particularly with reference to the impact of freshwater fishes and the influence of anthropogenic factors on aquatic ecosystems. My current research focus at SMU is geared towards providing information with which to better understand the aquatic biodiversity. Current interests are fisheries, aquatic invertebrates like crabs’ biology, ecology and parasites. The influence of cyanobacteria in relation to human health and impacts; relationship between different mechanisms driving the ability of cyanobacteria to adapt to extreme temperature etc. As a result, my research is multidisciplinary and includes not only research on natural systems and processes but also research on understanding how humans alter and benefit from aquatic systems. | |
 | Lecturer | Parasitology | Fish Parasitology Monogenea Research is centred on fish and amphibian parasitology. Parasitic infections are presently becoming threats for fish health in aquaculture, therefore knowledge of parasites, their hosts and prevalence is an essential prerequisite of preventative procedures for the parasite problem in aquaculture. The research involves parasites identification and morphological descriptions using various techniques (e.g. Scanning Electron Microscopy). She also focuses on traditional medicinal plant extracts as an optional chemical to treat and control high parasitic infections on fish. | |
Lecturer | Ecology and Environmental studies | Environmental Health and pollution Field of interest is in Environmental Health with special reference to trace metal pollution and toxicity to plants, animals and humans. Her research also focuses on how the environment influences human health and diseases. This involves things in the natural environment like air, water and soil, and also all the physical, chemical, biological and social features of our surroundings. Her resent involvement includes the use of biological fluids to check the health status of humans in areas of pollution and link the human race with its interaction between the internal (occupational and/or residential) and external (pollution) environment. | ||
 | Dr J Lebepe Tel: 012 521 5894 E-mail: jeffrey.lebepe@smu.ac.za PhD (UL) | Lecturer | Aquatic Health | Research focus is on freshwater ecosystem health. He explores the fate and effect of metals in aquatic ecosystems, bioaccumulation and fish edibility; histopathologic, biochemical and/or enzymatic response to contaminants exposure. I also look at macroinvertebrate response to change in physical habitat, climatic conditions and pollution level. |
 | Dr NMD Buthelezi Tel: Email: duduzile.buthelezi@smu.ac.za PhD (UKZN) | Natural Scientist | Plant/ Botanical/Horticultural and Environmental Sciences | Research focus is on establishing and promoting environmentally friendly techniques such as natural biostimulants for enhancing plant production, particularly medicinal plants. Her research areas include the impact of nanotechnology on eliminating or reducing environmental problems e.g., heavy metals in water and soil, as well as on reducing or controlling food diseases. She mainly focusses on the cultivation and sustainable practises or uses of medicinal plants, including natural resources. She also works on processing of medicinal plants including other botanical and horticultural plants e.g., for healing or medicine and encapsulation. |
 | Ms TA Modise Tel: E-mail: tshegofatso.modise@smu.ac.za MSc (SMU) | Lecturer | Environmental Sciences | Phytoremediation and monitoring of pollution Research focus is on biomonitoring of trace metals using plants and small mammals. This involves the assessment of trace metals bioaccumulation in the environment and its impacts on the ecosystem. Currently, dealing with the assessment of microplastics occurrence and distribution in the freshwater systems. |
 | Mrs S Nyathi Tel: Email: nyathisenzeni@yahoo.co.uk MSc (SMU) | Lecturer (Part-time) | Environmental Management | Research focus is mainly on solid waste management, how mismanagement of waste can lead to adverse effects on human health and the environment. Currently dealing with recycling and composting as a form of waste management and also as a source of income. Have also focused on the impact of COVID-19 on waste management. |
 | Mr OE Aina Tel: +27(12) 521 5843 Email: woleainajnr@gmail.com MSc (SMU) | Lecturer (Part-time) | Plant Science | Environmental and Plant Science Research focus is on microbial and nutritional quality of agricultural food crops. This involves assessment of the quality of food crops as well as possible pollutant like toxic trace metals with respect to the method of cultivation and how the overall quality of the farm produce can impact human health. |
 | Ms C Motshudi Tel: Email: mcheryl.motshudi@gmail.com MSc (SMU) | Lecturer (Part-time) | Phytomedicine and Metabolomics | Metabolomics, Transcriptomics and Proteomics Research focus is on plants with some form of medicinal properties. Researching phytochemicals, anti-oxidants and anti-microbial activities of plants. Using transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics for analysis of various samples to discover vital and fundamental core properties of specified sample. |
Technical Staff | ||||
Snr. T/ Officer | Phytomedicine | Research focus is primary on medicinal plants and their activities against human pathogens with the aim to find alternative treatments, manage or cure certain ailments. The scope of his research encompasses the ethno-pharmacological, phyto-chemical, ethnobotanical and biochemistry of medicinal plants. | ||
 | Technical Officer | Toxicology | Toxicological and biochemical analyses of selected organisms using plant extracts | |
 | Snr. Lab Asst | Paleontology | Research focus is on comparative anatomy of ancient vertebrates predecessors of birds and crocodiles of the South African Karoo. | |
POST- DOC | ||||
Dr MC Selala Tel: Email: callies.selala@smu.ac.za PhD (UP) | Post-doctoral fellow | Aquatic Ecology | My research focuses on assessing drug metabolites and derivatives of cosmeceutical products in aquatic resources. The immersion of adsorbent materials at exit points of final treated effluent from various wastewater treatment plants destine to the river catchments, and entry point into the dam catchment acting as a pollution sink trapping these chronic health hazard pollutants. Characterizing and quantifying these adsorbed pollutants then compare operational efficiency of individual wastewater treatment plants to South African quality guideline limits permissible for ecosystem. The project will establish a baseline dataset and an approach to rehabilitate aquatic resources, and establish a biodiverse ecosystem. | |
Dr BC Iweriebor Tel: Email: benson.iweriebor@smu.ac.za PhD (UNIVEN) | Post-doctoral fellow | Virology, Environmental disease ecology | Medical/veterinary virology, Tick-borne pathogens, Environmental disease ecology | |
Dr OO Olaokun Tel: +27(12) 521 5662 Email: oyinlola.olaokun@smu.ac.za PhD (UP) | Post-doctoral fellow | Paraclinical Sciences Phytomedicine | Medicinal plant research Cell culture research The research focus is on the hypoglycaemic efficacy of plant with medicinal plants in respect to biomarkers of diabetes in in vitro and in silico models as well as cytotoxicity. This includes cell culture assays techniques, antidiabetic assays techniques, anti-inflammatory assays techniques, phytochemical screening methods, and antioxidant assays techniques, metabolomics, molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies. Discovery of new active chemical entity from plants for potential drug production. Cell culture assays includes working with cells/tissues culture as of primary cells isolated from animals and established commercial cell lines, production of immortalised cells from chicken and production of recombinant proteins in cell culture model for treatment of specific diseases | |