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28 March 2019 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah
Teboho Mofokeng
Postgraduate Student Council and SRC member, Teboho Mofokeng, says one degree is not enough.
Postgraduate studies play a crucial and critical role in the missions of our universities. They also contribute to the key and central mandate of the university – knowledge production, the dissemination, and application thereof.

The Campus Principal, Dr Martin Mandew, expressed this view during a welcoming function for postgraduate students on the Qwaqwa Campus. “Our Postgraduate School is the gateway that enables entry into higher degrees and qualifications. It is an extremely valuable resource and support reference point which is at the disposal of the students,” he said.

Postgraduate research and national development

Dr Mandew added that postgraduate research plays a very important role in national development, as it develops systematic investigation skills among young graduates for the purpose of making a contribution to what he termed ‘the national system of innovation’. “It also ensures that the country is competitive and enables the generation of knowledge that is responsive to societal needs, among others,” he said.

“Doing postgraduate studies is not easy,” he added. “Challenges that postgraduate students have to contend with, include funding and financial problems; lack of equipment; inadequate library facilities; access to research materials, and many more,” Dr Mandew said.

Support broadens knowledge and skills

In detailing the services offered by the Postgraduate School, the Director, Prof Witness Mudzi, assured students that they would experience an enabling environment to excel in the pursuit of their academic quests. “We will provide additional support to that provided by facilities and departments in the form of workshops, courses, and other presentations, which will equip the students with the requisite skills for successful completion of their postgraduate education.”

“The workshops and courses we offer are aimed at broadening your knowledge of research processes and methods. This would then positively influence throughput, publications, and the quality of research produced,” Prof Mudzi said to a packed venue.

Speaking on behalf of the SRC and the Postgraduate Student Council, Chairperson Teboho Mofokeng said that the event was held at a time when final-year students were asking themselves if it was worth continuing with postgraduate studies. “Do not take the decision to continue with your postgraduate studies lightly,” he said. “We work in a knowledge economy where specialised skills have significant commercial value. This means that in today’s competitive job market, it is often not enough to have only one degree,” said Mofokeng, a beneficiary of the school’s Mentorship Programme and master’s student specialising in Parasitology.

News Archive

Cardiology Unit involved in evaluation of drug for rare genetic disease
2013-01-04

Front from the left, are: Marinda Karsten (study coordinator and registered nurse),
Laumarie de Wet (clinical technologist), Charmaine Krahenbuhl (study coordinator and radiographer),
Lorinda de Meyer (administrator), Andonia Page (study coordinator and enrolled nurse);
back Dr Gideon Visagie (sub investigator), Dr Derick Aucamp (sub investigagtor),
Prof. Hennie Theron, (principal investigator) and Dr Wilhelm Herbst (sub investigator).
Photo: Supplied
09 January 2013


The Cardiology Research Unit at the University of the Free State (UFS) contributed largely to the evaluation of the drug Juxtapid (lomitapide), which was developed by the Aegerion pharmaceutical company and approved by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration). Together with countries such as die USA, Canada and Italy, the UFS’ Unit recruited and evaluated the most patients (5 of 29) for the study since 2008.  

The drug was evaluated in persons with so-called familial homozygous hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).  

Following its approval by the FDA, Juxtapid is now a new treatment option for patients suffering from HoFH. The drug operates in a unique way which brings about dramatic improvements in cholesterol counts.  

According to Prof. Hennie Theron, Associate Professor in the Department of Cardiology at the UFS and Head of the Cardiology Contract Research Unit, HoFH is a serious, rare genetic disease which affects the function of the receptor responsible for the removal of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (“bad” cholesterol) from the body. Damage to the LDL receptor function leads to extremely high levels of blood cholesterol. HoFH patients often develop premature and progressive atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing or blockage of the arteries.  

“HoFH is a genetically transmitted disease and the most severe form of hypercholesterolemia. Patients often need a coronary artery bypass or/and aortic valve replacement before the age of 20. Mortality is extremely high and death often occurs before the third decade of life. Existing conventional cholesterol-lowering medication is unsuccessful in achieving normal target cholesterol values in this group of patients.  

“The only modality for treatment is plasmapheresis (similar to dialysis in patients with renal failure). Even with this type of therapy the results are relatively unsatisfactory because it is very expensive and the plasmapheresis has to be performed on a regular basis.  

“The drug Juxtapid, as currently evaluated, has led to a dramatic reduction in cholesterol values and normal values were achieved in several people. No existing drug is nearly as effective.  

“The drug represents a breakthrough in the treatment of familial homozygous hypercholesterolemia. The fact that it has been approved by the FDA, gives further impetus to the findings,” says Prof. Theron.  

In future further evaluation will be performed in other forms of hypocholesterolemia.  

According to Prof. Theron, the findings of the study, as well as the recent successful FDA evaluation, once again confirms the fact that the UFS’ Cardiology Contract Research Unit is doing outstanding work.  

Since its inception in 1992, the Unit has already been involved in more than 60 multi-centre, international phase 2 and 3 drug studies. Several of these studies, including the abovementioned study, really affected the way in which cardiology functions.  

The UFS’ Cardiology Contract Research Unit is being recognised nationally and internationally for its high quality of work and is constantly approached for their involvement in new studies.  

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