Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
24 December 2018 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Anja Aucamp
Research possibilities of zebrafish exposed
Leading global genetics laboratories are replacing research on human and animal populations with zebrafish, says Prof Paul Grobler, Head of the UFS Department of Genetics.
The UFS Department of Genetics is on par with current research trends in terms of their zebrafish project. About a year has passed since they seriously started focusing on the potential of this tiny four-centimetre-long fish, and the possibilities are hugely exciting.

Looks are deceiving

Leading global genetics laboratories are replacing research on human and animal populations with zebrafish due to several fascinating reasons, of which the most profound is probably that the zebrafish share large portions of its genome with mammals. For genetics researchers this may make a lot of sense, but most people battle to see any resemblance between a six-foot-tall rugby player or 600 kg buffalo and a small, nearly transparent fish. It is in the detail, the researchers say.

Fast, effective, and visible

“The complete genome sequence of the zebrafish is known, and as much as 84% of genes known to be associated with human disease have zebrafish counterparts,” explains Head of Department, Prof Paul Grobler. Another advantage is the fast breeding rate and short generation time, and the fact that some research is ethically more justifiable when done on fish larvae rather than on adult mammals. The fact that zebrafish embryos are virtually transparent, also allow researchers to examine the development of internal structures without effort. Every blood vessel in a living zebrafish embryo is visible under a low-power microscope.

Multidisciplinary

Zebrafish provide research potential for many different study fields besides that of Prof Grobler and his team, Sue Rica Schneider and Dr Willem Coetzer. In the near future, they aim to have undergraduate students use zebrafish as a research model to develop a real sense of research and laboratory work. The Department of Chemistry are also initiating research on zebrafish housed in the Department of Genetics.

Zebrafish
Zebrafish
Zebrafish
Zebrafish
Zebrafish
Zebrafish
Zebrafish
Zebrafish

News Archive

Qwaqwa campus upgrade begins
2005-06-23

Academic facilities, including lecture halls and the library, on the Qwaqwa campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) will be upgraded to the tune of R1,4-million.

An extra R100 000,00 has also been made available for the upgrading of four staff houses on campus.

The tender for this project was awarded to a local business in the Qwaqwa region, Mguni Enterprises.  This phase is expected to be completed next month - July 2005.

This is the second phase of upgrading of the Qwaqwa campus, following the earlier upgrading of student residences to the tune of R6,2-million.

“The total capital injection to improve the infrastructure on the campus is R7,7 -million.  The aim of the upgrading is to improve the infrastructure of the campus in order to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning, “said Prof Peter Mbati, Qwaqawa Campus Head. 

The first phase of the upgrading - amounting to R6,2 million - comprised of the upgrading of the five student residences and mainly dealt with the maintenance backlog.  Residences were painted, old furniture replaced, electricity  rewired and the necessary alterations made to ensure sufficient hot water supply as well as a new look to the face of the residences.

According to Prof Mbati the student visiting areas, reception areas and rooms were also improved by the changes in the first phase. The renovated residences now also boast facilities such as kitchenettes, washing machines and tumble driers and computers rooms.

There are currently 754 students staying in the residences.  Three residences accommodate female students and the other two are for male students. Students who are not accommodated on campus stay at the former Tshiya College of Education, approximately 5 kilometers from the campus. These students are bussed in to the campus on a daily basis.

“All these developments are a major step forward for the Qwaqwa campus as it once again shows our commitment to the campus to make it an attractive site of higher education in the Eastern Free State,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

Media release

Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel:  (051) 401-2584
   Cell:  083 645 2454
   E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

23 June 2005 
 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept