Research, conference and webinar attendance 2023

Dr C Tiloke was awarded a certificate for NRF rating at the UFS Research Awards 2023. The event recognised scholars at the University of the Free State (UFS) who are conducting outstanding research in their respective fields of expertise. Dr P Maass and Dr C Ntsapi participated in the Emerging Scholar Accelerator Programme in 2023. Dr Tiloke was invited to speak at the Second International Conference on Pharmaceutics and Novel Drug Delivery (Euro Pharmaceutics 2023), held in Rome, Italy, from 21 to 23 September 2023.

Dr A Mostert was elected to serve on the SAAHE national council (portfolio: Secretariat). She presented research results at the SAAHE Conference at the Nelson Mandela University from 19 to 21 June 2023. She also acted as session chair and adjudicator for poster presentations at the SAAHE conference from 19 to 21 June 2023. Dr C Ntsapi presented research results and acted as session chair at the International Microscopy Conference hosted by the University of Pretoria from 12 to 15 June 2023. Dr Ntsapi was also an invited panellist for the Women in Autophagy (WIA) Beth Levine's Legacy Network Fourth Annual Hybrid Conference from 26 to 27 October 2023. Dr Ntsapi served on the organising committee for the 2023 Faculty Forum, and Dr Mostert was an internal evaluator for the educational research presentations. Dr A Mostert serves as a member of the SAAHE central regional management committee (portfolio: Administration). Dr Ntsapi was elected Society for Advanced Cell Culture Modelling for Africa (SACCMA) committee secretary (2024 to 2026) . Dr Abrahams was re-elected to serve as the vice-chairperson of SACCMA in 2023. Dr Abrahams attended the European Association for Cancer Research Conference from 12 to 15 June 2023.

Dr R Vorster-De Wet gave an oral presentation, titled Assessment: teaching journey as a candidate for the Vice-Chancellor's Awards in 2023. She was a featured speaker at the International Conference on the Future of Teaching and Education (ICFTE) from 16 to 18 June 2023 in Austria and online. She presented research results at the 10^th South African Education Research Association (SAERA) Conference, hosted by Rhodes University in East London from 31 October to 3 November 2023, and acted as an external assessor for the Health Professions Education PGDip (postgraduate diploma). Dr P Maass served as an external examiner for a Master of Science in Anatomy dissertation at the University of Pretoria and for the BSc(Hons) degree in Human Biology at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Dr Maass was elected to serve for a third term as a member of the ASSA council and was invited to present a lecture on the legal aspects of forensic anthropology in the UFS Department of Public Law. She was also invited to present the Free State Collection for Anthropological Research (FS-CAR) at the Biological Anthropology Brown Bag Lunch Talk on 13 September 2023. She gave a lecture on forensic anthropology research and practice in the Free State at the Academic Meeting of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, on 14 November 2023. Dr Maass was an adjudicator for the Three Minute Thesis competition of the departments of Genetics and Forensic Sciences (UFS) in the student and staff categories. Mr Anirudh presented the research of Dr Maass and her former honours student, Danielle van der Merwe, at the XXVIII International Symposium on Morphological Sciences (ISMS XXVIII) in Cape Town, 5 to 8 August 2023. Ms Masiu presented research at the symposium and co-chaired the forensic anthropology session. Ms Rethabile Masiu was also invited to speak at the Paleopathology Workshop 2023 at the University of the Witwatersrand. Ms R Masiu completed the Engaged Leadership Programme and the Professional Development Programme in 2023.

Dr S van Zyl served on the evaluation committees for a PhD student in Dietetics, three PhD students in Health Professions Education, and one master's student in Anatomy and Cell Morphology. Dr C Ntsapi served as the evaluation committee chairperson for one master's student in Virology and one PhD student in Cardiothoracic Surgery. Dr Mostert acted as an evaluation committee member for the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Division of Health Sciences Education. Dr Tiloke acted as external examiner of two master's dissertations from the Department of Physiology and the Department of Chemical Pathology at the University of Pretoria. Dr C Tiloke and Mr E Anirudh acted as internal reviewers for the NRF doctoral applications in 2023. Dr S van Zyl acted as a reviewer for the African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine; Dr R Vorster-De Wet acted as an article reviewer for the South African Journal of Higher Education; Dr A Mostert for the journal Curationis, Dr P Maass for the Anthropologischer Anzeiger, and Mr E Anirudh for three articles in the journal Heliyon.

Postgraduate student activities in the department:

BMedSc Honours (Anatomy) projects (2023):

The following postgraduate students with BMedSc Honours (Anatomy) were registered in the department in 2023:

Van der Merwe, Daniëlle. MMedSc (Anatomy and Cell Morphology). Title: Profiling baseline data for health and physiological stress in a Free State skeletal population. Supervisor: Dr P Maass; co-supervisor: Ms S Govender.

Nkoi, Mojalefa. MMedSc (Anatomy and Cell Morphology). Title: An anatomical description of the coeliac trunk in a Free State cadaveric sample. Supervisor: Ms S Govender; co-supervisors: Dr H Potgieter, Dr P Maass. Mr Nkoi completed the evaluation committee for his master's study in 2023.

Du Preez, Madré. MMedSc (Forensic Science Interdisciplinary). Title: Estimation of living stature from direct and photographic measurements of the lower limb in a young South African sample. Supervisor: Dr P Maass; co-supervisor: Dr S Brink (Department of Genetics).

MMedSc (Physiology) students (2023):

The following MSc Physiology students concluded postgraduate research studies in 2023:

Mr Songezo Vazi. Title: An investigation into the inflammatory properties of Tenofovir in HepG₂ human liver cells. Main supervisor: Dr C Tiloke. Co-supervisors: Dr S van Zyl, Dr R Vorster-De Wet.

Ms Mbasakazi Saki. Title: The hepatoprotective effects of Moringa oleifera against antiretroviral-induced cytotoxicity in HepG₂ cells. Main supervisor: Dr C Tiloke. Co-supervisors: Dr H de Villiers, Dr C Ntsapi.

Mr Matlola Bopape. Title: The in vitro effects of Moringa oleifera on chaperone-mediated autophagy in human HepG₂ liver cancer cells. Main supervisor: Dr C Ntsapi. Co-supervisor: Dr C Tiloke.

Ms Malebogo Moremane also published an article. Title: ‘Moringa oleifera: a review on the antiproliferative potential in breast cancer cells’ on 18 August 2023 in the Current Issues in Molecular Biology journal. The co-authors were Dr Abrahams and Dr Tiloke.

Dr  C Tiloke was awarded a Y2 NRF rating in 2022. She was also elected as a member of the Research Ethics Committee Association of Southern Africa (REASA). She is a panel member on the NRF virtual review committee. Dr P Maass acted as Chairperson of the Student Research Forum, and Session Chairperson of the Faculty of Health Sciences Faculty Research Forum in August 2022. Dr C Ntsapi acted as an internal evaluation committee member (Laboratory section), and Dr  A Mostert as an adjudicator at the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Forum for oral presentations on education.

Dr S van Zyl acted as a reviewer for the African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, American Journal of Health Promotion, BMJ Open Journals. Dr A Mostert acted as a reviewer for an article for Anatomical Sciences Education. Dr R de Wet acted as a reviewer for the Journal of Education. Dr C Ntsapi was appointed as an ad hoc Academic Writing Consultant at the Postgraduate School Writing Space in 2022 and she was also invited as a co-editor for the Autophagy Journal Neuroscience Section.

Research, conferences, and webinars attendance 2021

Several staff members attended the 48^th Annual Conference of the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa virtual conference from the 19 – 21 April 2021 and the Virtual ASSA world anatomy day symposium on 13 October 2021. Dr Petra Maass presented research results at the conference 48^th Annual Conference of the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa. The Department of Basic Medical Sciences was also featured in the virtual showcase of anatomy departments in the country. Dr Arnelle Mostert, Dr Rone De Wet and Dr Sanet van Zyl presented research at the SAAHE conference, 21 – 25 of June 2021. Dr Yogeshni Govender presented research results at the Cardio-oncology and Anesthesiology joint symposium that took place on the 26^th of May 2021.

Dr Beyonon Abrahams, Dr Tshegofatso Ramphaleng, Dr Rone Voster de Wet and Dr S van Zyl presented research results at the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences annual Faculty Research Forum on the 25 – 27 August 2021. The award for the best poster in the Senior category: Educational posters was awarded to Dr  LJ van der Merwe, S van Zyl and Prof G Joubert. Title of presentation: How did academic staff experience online learning in the MBChB programme during covid-19 lockdown in 2020?

Dr Petra Maass served as session chair during the main Faculty Research Forum forum and also acted as chairperson for the associated student forum. Dr Rone Vorster-de Wet and Ms Faith Moichela presented research results at the African Association of Physiological Sciences (AAPS) and the Physiological Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) 2021virtual congress 2021, 12- 15 September 2021.  Dr Sanet van Zyl act as Chair during the Johny vd Walt Poster Competition session and Dr Rone Vorster-de Wet and Dr Charlette Tiloke as adjudicators at the conference. Dr Roné De Wet also presented research results at the SAERA conference in November 2021.   

Dr Arnelle Mostert, the recipient of the Vice Chancellors award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching 2021 delivered a presentation at the Annual UFS Learning and Teaching conference, which was also attended by Dr Sanet van Zyl, Dr Carol-Lynn van der Merwe, Dr Simone Gordon, Dr Tshego Ramphaleng, Dr Mada Ferreira, Dr Rone de Wet, Dr Helena de Villiers. Dr Petra Maass, Ms Shivani Govender and the anatomy honours students attended several sessions during the South African Academy of Science (SAAFS) meetings held in 2021.

Dr Petra Maass attended the “Taking a Breath: Reflecting on Respiratory Disease in Bioarchaeology Online Symposium” on 7-8 June 2021, and the “(Un)natural Lives Bioarchaeology of Urbanization Research Group (BURG) 2021 Conference” on 19 – 20 October 2021. Both meetings were presented by the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarcheology. Dr Petra Maass also attended the 9th Face Science Symposium (Virtual edition) on 3 November 2021, which was hosted in collaboration with the University of Cape Town, University of Stellenbosch, University of the Western Cape, and the South African Police Service.Dr Petra Maass also attended the following training workshops during the year: Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology (University of the Witwatersrand) and the International Committee of the Red Cross: Human Decedent Identification Workshop. 5-7 July 2021.Human Variation and Identification Research Unit (University of the Witwatersrand) and the Forensic Anthropology Research Centre (University of Pretoria):  Forensic Archaeology and Dry Bone Taphonomy Workshop. 21-25 June 2021.

Dr Charlette Tiloke attended the international conference (Research Ethics Committee Association of Southern Africa (REASA) – Virtual 7^th World Conference on Research integrity 2021.  Dr Claudia Ntsapi attended the Inaugural South African clinicians scientist conference (transforming healthcare through clinical science) in October 2021 and acted as session chair for two sessions. Dr Claudia Ntsapi was invited as a keynote speaker to share the findings from her recent publication at the 2021 WIA Annual Symposium (online), 22-23 November 2021. Dr J Govender was nominated to serve on the SA national committee for the International Union of Physiological Sciences for a four-year term. As a member she will have access to dedicated ISC programmes, grants, and other partnership opportunities, including support for the South Africa’s agenda on physiology; support for hosting of events that discuss issues relevant to the ISC national agenda; support to promote engagements that increase participation of South African experts in regional and global networks aligned with ISC; position South African experts to participate in international committees and projects; support the dissemination of ISC aligned research outputs to broader society (including thought pieces to media houses, audio and video communication etc). Dr Beynon Abrahams is a registered early-career member of the European Association for Cancer Research.

Research, conferences, and webinars attendance 2020

One of the opportunities presented by global restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic was the shift towards online conferences and webinars. Several staff members attended online conferences and webinars in 2020. B Abrahams participated at the European Association of Cancer Research Webinar on 23 and 24 July 2020 and the Kader Asmal Fellowship Alumni Networking Event on 30 July 2020. Y Benade, S Govender, A Kalicharan, T Ramphaleng, S Singh, and Dr P Maass attended the Annual Conference of the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa 2020 and the World Anatomy Day Virtual Symposium on 14 October 2020. Y Benade, S Govender, and Dr P Maass attended the online 8^th Face Science Symposium presented on 17 November 2020.  Dr Helena de Villiers attended the Ethical Trends in Healthcare webinar on 29 September 2020, presented by the HPCSA. Dr M Ferreira attended the webinar Quality of our Democracies under COVID 19 on 13 August 2020, presented by the UFS. S Govender attended the online British Association of Forensic Anthropology Conference 2020 on 13-19 July 2020 and the online SAAFS: DNA evidence: Science serving Justice on 3 December 2020. Dr P Maass attended a webinar, Death Investigation in South Africa, on 10 September 2020, presented by Prof G Saayman, South African Academy of Forensic Science, and the British Association for Anthropology 2020 Virtual Poster Conference on 13-19 July 2020. Dr C Ntsapi attended the online Women in Autophagy first General Organisational Meeting on 30 September 2020 and presented her PhD research results. Dr C Tiloke attended the webinar on 20 August 2020 presented by Prof Quarraisha Abdool Karim on Data, analytics, and COVID-19. The webinar provided information on the COVID-19 pandemic, data, and analysis, as well as the COVID-19 solidarity trial and the ministerial advisory committee webinar. Drs S van Zyl and C Tiloke attended the online South Africa Sweden University Forum (SASUF) symposium on 26 November 2020.

Research links: Newton Travel Grant 2019

Beynon Abrahams was awarded a rearcher-link mobility, co-funded by the British Council (Newton Fund) and the University of the Free State. He visited Dr Kevin Lam and his research team at the University of Greenwich in the United Kingdom for a period of four weeks.

Personnel Research Activities 2017

Dr M Ferreira,  M du Toit,  M Muller, and Dr A Vorster completed a Level 1 ISAK Anthropometry accreditation course (5-7 May 2017). Dr M Ferreira was invited as presenter at a Clinical Investigator Certification course that was held from 9-13 October 2017 in Cape Town. Dr CO Larson attended a SAAHE congress in Potchefstroom and a SAAHE Central Branch symposium (3 May 2017). Drs A Vorster, C Larson and S van Zyl attended a Nutrition Symposium, Bloemfontein, South Africa (22 June 2017). PC Vorster visited the Stellenbosch University for research skills development purposes from 3-7 July 2017. Dr C Larson also acted as HSAG reviewer in 2017.

Dr  Annelize Vorster serves as UFS Faculty Advisor for IMPULSE since 2015. IMPULSE is the first undergraduate, international and inter-institutional journal for neuroscience publications, founded in 2003. The Free State IMPULSE site is one of 37 peer review sites worldwide that was established since 2010. Student research manuscripts are submitted and distributed from the Appalachian State University to Associate Editors and their student reviewers at institutions around the world, whom then participate in the peer reviewing process according to specific guidelines and standards

Various personnel members were involved in research-related activities during 2016 

Drs D Raubenheimer, A Vorster, A Mostert, AM Gerber, and B Abrahams presented their research results at the 2016 Faculty Research Forum.  Dr D Raubenheimer received an award as senior winner of the educational poster category and Dr A Vorster was presented with the award for the Best Junior Clinical Poster Presentation at the 2016 Faculty Forum. Drs C Vorster, D Raubenheimer. A Mostert and  Ebersohn presented their research results at the 44th ASSA conference in 2016.  Reinette Ebersohn was appointed as the first runner-up of the Bob Symington Award at the ASSA conference. Dr A Mostert presented research results at the 5th Annual Free State Provincial Health Research Day, 27-28 October 2016.B Abrahams and  M du Toit attended the Physiological Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) conference in Sept 2016. M du Toit will serve as student representative on the board of the PSSA from 2017. Dr AM Gerber was elected on the Editorial Board for Austin Internal Medicine and acted as peer reviewer for the Journal of Hypertension and Management. Dr A Vorster once again acted as faculty advisor for an international undergraduate neurology journal (IMPULSE) in 2016. Dr M Ferreira was a presenter at a clinical investigator certification course and at good clinical practice courses presented during 2016. She also attended a Neuroscience Conference in Pretoria in 2016.  G Niemand was elected as SAAHE committee member (Portfolio Administration).

Dr S Gordon completed the HPEA7905 module and Dr A Mostert, N Coetzee and M du Toit completed the HPER7905 module in 2016. Dr Annelize Vorster registered for the degree MMedSc (Physiology), N Coetzee registered for the MMedSc (Anatomy) degree in 2016. R Vorster completed the HPER module in 2016 and R Vorster and Dr A Mostert registered for HPE degrees in 2016.  Various publications were published in 2016 or accepted for publication in 2017; authors include  R Ebersohn, Drs D Raubenheimer, S van Zyl, AM Gerber, A Vorster and M Mostert.

IMPULSE Team 2015

Dr A Vorster acted as faculty advisor for an international undergraduate neurology journal (IMPULSE). Under her guidance a medical student, Pierre Kriek (Assistant Editor for IMPULSE), attended the Annual World Congress of the International Brain Research Organization in Rio de Janeiro from 7-11 July 2015.

Lipid Science Symposium 

The Lipid Science Group of South Africa in association with the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics hosted a symposium on Lipid Science in Bloemfontein in 2015. Drs S van Zyl, C Larson, A Vorster and  R Voster attended the symposium

IMPULSE group 2014

Gerdien Kritzinger, a final year MBChB student at the UFS and deputy director of the IMPULSE UV group, presented a poster, 5-9 Julie 2014 in Milan, Italy.

IMPULSE group 2012 - 2013

The IMPULSE UFS Review Team, comprising Dr S Smith (faculty advisor), as well as Phase II and III medical students, were present at two international congresses during 2012 as co-authors of poster presentations.  They attended the  international student congress in Gröningen, the Netherlands, from 5-8 June 2012, and also the annual SfN meeting/congress in New Orleans, USA, from 13-17 October 2012.

Two articles from the IMPULSE UFS Review Team were published and among other things, the team members’ visit to Washington DC (2011) is being reported on in the SAAHE newsletter (May 2012) and in the HEALTHSciNEWS newsletter of the Faculty of Health Sciences (May 2012).  

One of the members, Onthathile Serehete, was appointed this year as runner-up for the SRC Dux student at the UFS for 2014.

SANTRUST PhD Development Programme

Correia will commence with her PhD (Anatomy) in 2014 and has been selected for the SANTRUST PhD development programme. Some of the sessions attended during 2013 by  Correia included idea formation, project management, literature review, research questions, research design, research methodologies, analysis of data, and composing and defending research proposal.

Two of the UFS IMPULSE Review Team members, medical students Inge Seale and Marizna Barkhuizen, attended the annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting and Conference in Washington DC from 10-16 November 2011. IMPULSE is an international, online neuroscience journal for undergraduate research and publications.

Submissions are reviewed by students worldwide under faculty guidance, and articles are immediately published online once they are accepted.

Dr Stephanie Smith, lecturer at the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, acted as faculty advisor and compiled the UFS IMPULSE Review Team in 2010, then consisting of four medical students. 

International research collaboration 2011

International epidemiology research studies, in cooperation with the Rijks University Gröningen, The Netherlands, were expanded and a new study launched in September 2012 after the necessary permission had been obtained from the relevant committees, the Faculty of Health Sciences and the UFS.

Riaan Botes attended the ISOQOL Congress in Denver, USA, from 26-29 October 2011, followed by a visit to the Rijks University Gröningen, The Netherlands. He presented the poster entitled "Elderly capabilities in care and prevention of disease".

Interdisciplinary research

Interdisciplinary research continued and research results of the AHA-FS group were appointed as senior winner and senior runner-up: clinical paper at the Faculty Forum of 25-26 August 2011. Dr Sanet van Zyl of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences delivered a presentation entitled "Risk-factor profiles for chronic diseases of lifestyle and metabolic syndrome in an urban and rural setting in South Africa" on behalf of the research group.

The group comprised S van Zyl, LJ van der Merwe, CM Walsh, CM van Rooyen and AJ Groenewald.

International research collaboration - visitors 2011

Prof L Jones from the Appalachian State University, USA, and founder of the IMPULSE journal, visited the department in August 2011. During her visit, she met the department's lecturing and workshop personnel, visited the Jan Toerien Anatomy Museum, and met with Dr Stephanie Smith, faculty advisor, and students involved in the IMPULSE group. Here is Prof Jones with Johan Steyl.

A new ECG machine was purchased for the practical laboratory during 2012.  The ECG machine is used during practical teaching and learning sessions of undergraduate students in the department and for research purposes.  

Drs A Mostert, S Smith, C Larson and  Yolani Benade are currently conducting the following research study:

“The ECG profiles of first and second year Anatomy and Physiology students in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the Free State.”