Prof Meiring, whose research laid the foundation for the innovative development of diagnostic assays, is the go-to person for Von Willebrand Disease research and diagnosis in South Africa. Her research on the role of the Von Willebrand factor in haemostatic disorders has led to collaborations with international and national laboratories. She found that the Von Willebrand factor plays a major role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and strokes. It is this work that led her to be elected as an ASSAf member. 

She established the UFS and National Health Laboratory Service Special Haemostasis Laboratory, a national reference facility serving South Africa and neighbouring countries. “My broader societal contribution is characterised by national leadership, institution-building and the application of scholarship to public health priorities,” she said.

Prof Maharaj combines clinical research in maternal health with work to strengthen the training of healthcare professionals across Africa. His research includes identifying biomarkers for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, while his contribution to a World Health Organization initiative has helped develop a competency-based obstetrics and gynaecology curriculum for the continent. He believes “scientific discoveries must be translated into practical, affordable and evidence-based interventions that contribute to safer pregnancies and improved maternal health outcomes for all South African women”.

Early detection is central to the work of Prof Burt, a B1 NRF-rated researcher whose research investigates viruses carried by animals, mosquitoes, and ticks. Her research group has identified viruses circulating in mosquito populations in the Free State, contributing to the surveillance of potential disease threats. “Detecting a virus in an animal or vector population before it causes widespread human disease creates an opportunity for earlier intervention,” she explained.

Across South Africa, Malawi, Ghana, and Kenya, Prof Nyaga and his collaborators investigate how rotaviruses evolve and circulate. Earlier this year, they also received the 2026 Muller Potgieter Medal for their genomic research. “Genomic surveillance allows us to track which strains are circulating, detect changes that may affect vaccine performance, and assess the impact of vaccination programmes over time,” he said. He has recently also been awarded a University of the Free State research chair in Genomic Surveillance of Respiratory and Enteric Pathogens from Children in South Africa. It is hosted in the UFS-NGS Unit within the School of Biomedical Sciences. He also emphasised African leadership in scientific research: “When African scientists lead this work, the questions asked and the evidence generated reflect the continent’s own disease burden, genetic diversity and health priorities.”

Prof Codron studies animal diets and the relationship between species and their environments. In a 2024 study of fossil herbivores at Kathu Pan 1 in the Northern Cape, he and fellow researchers identified differences in feeding habits among animals of the same species. The findings suggest that food resources were available throughout the year, offering new insight into the environment encountered by early humans who occupied the area.

For Prof Rhoda, developing future researchers is central to her work in rehabilitation sciences and health professions education. She has supervised postgraduate scholars from across Africa and contributed to curriculum development and academic mentorship. “Universities can assist the next generation of scholars by helping them identify a research focus that is relevant and contributes to societal impact,” she said.

“We celebrate not only individual recognition, but the wider contribution of research that strengthens communities, informs policy, advances innovation, and creates hope for future generations,” observed Prof Reddy.