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15 June 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Zurika Murray says the study of Behavioural Genetics at the UFS focuses on human behaviour, specifically neurotransmitter systems, such as serotonin that may contribute to specific behavioural patterns.
Zurika Murray says the study of Behavioural Genetics at the UFS focuses on human behaviour, specifically neurotransmitter systems, such as serotonin that may contribute to specific behavioural patterns.

Hi. I am John. I have anger issues.

Just like John, there are thousands of South Africans with anger issues, often leading to violent crimes such as the more than 21 000 murder cases and 165 000 plus assault cases reported in 2020, according to a study by the South African Police Service and Statistics South Africa.

Aggression can be a great threat to society when it leads to violence. However, it can also be an absolute necessity when it leads to perseverance and a drive towards success and survival. This is according to Zurika Murray, a lecturer in the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State (UFS), who is doing research on behavioural genetics.

 

Behavioural genetics

She explains behavioural genetics as a study of genetic variation contributing to how an organism interacts with and within its environment. “At the UFS, we focus on human behaviour, and specifically neurotransmitter systems, such as serotonin that may contribute to specific behavioural patterns.”

When one has the right amount of serotonin in your body, it is easier to have stable moods and a sense of well-being.

She says the neurotransmitter (which plays a role in, among others, emotional regulation) acts as a mediator, relaying messages and influencing response to environmental stimuli.  “This system is very adaptable, facilitating our functioning in an ever-changing emotional environment; but when dysfunctional, it can cause quite a number of abnormalities, from anxiety and depression to dysfunctional impulse control and violence. When some individuals are exposed to adverse developmental environments such as abuse and neglect, they can develop aggression and violence.”

“One of our current projects looks specifically at male juvenile delinquency and monoamine neurotransmitter systems (such as serotonin) that may contribute to specific characteristics (such as impulsivity) of delinquency.”

According to Murray, their research is also looking at the genetic variation within specific neurotransmitter genes to see if they could find similarities among individuals with similar developmental backgrounds.  “This neurotransmitter system additionally responds relatively well to physical activity as a management strategy for aggression in some individuals. We are looking at variations in this system that might explain this,” says Murray.

 

Genetic counselling

Apart from the genetic contribution, we also know that the developmental environment plays a very important role. Many people observe anger while growing up – it was thus part of their developmental environment. For them, it is appropriate behaviour in specific situations.

To understand this contribution from the developmental environment, a background in psychology is necessary.  The undergraduate degree in Behavioural Genetics at the UFS has Genetics and Psychology as majors, and this is where the link to genetic counselling comes in.

Murray explains that genetic counselling is a field in medical sciences focusing on helping patients affected by medical conditions to understand the underlying genetics.  For individuals with a family history of genetic conditions (such as specific cancers) or pregnant mothers with foetuses affected by genetic abnormalities (such as Down syndrome), the services of a genetic counsellor are invaluable.  A genetic counsellor will help these individuals understand the cause of the disorder, how it was diagnosed, what the symptoms are, what the progression will look like, if any treatment is available, and what the possible options are (if any) for alternatives.

Genetic counsellors need a strong background in both Genetics and Psychology. To become a registered genetic counsellor, a student completes a BSc degree in Biological Sciences (Behavioural Genetics at the UFS would be ideal).  Thereafter an honours degree in either Genetics or Psychology (though Genetics is preferable).  The student can then apply at either the University of the Witwatersrand or the University of Cape Town for a master’s degree in Genetic Counselling.  This entails two years of study, followed by two years of practical internship. Only after this you will be able to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as a genetic counsellor.

Students studying Behavioural Genetics at the UFS are off to a great start. Murray’s teaching philosophy is to always strive to deliver students who are better than she is. “I can only really do this by sharing my passion for my research. I hope to inspire my students to also always be hungrily curious, to always question, and to find the joy in knowledge and learning.”

News Archive

Out-of-the-box thinking a plus for next generation of agribusiness leaders
2017-07-07

Description: Agribusiness leaders Tags: Agribusiness leaders 

The winners of the 12th IFAMA International Student
Case Competition from Team South Africa are from
the left: JW Swanepoel, University of the Free State,
Melissa van der Merwe, University of Pretoria,
Heinrich Jantjies, Stellenbosch University, and
Johann Boonzaaier, also from Stellenbosch University.
Photo: Supplied



The International Food and Agribusiness Management Association’s International Student Case Competition, in its 12th year, brings together students from around the world to demonstrate their investigative and problem-solving skills to provide innovative solutions to practical problems.

JW Swanepoel, a PhD student at the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture at the University of the Free State (UFS) was part of an advanced case study team, representing South African universities, who won IFAMA’s International Student Case Competition. Swanepoel also presented results from his PhD study at IFAMA’s conference in Miami, Florida, where the winners were announced.

Competition a global stage to showcase solutions

The competition provides a global stage for students and their associated universities to showcase the next generation of agribusiness leaders.

This year the featured agribusiness was Bayer Crop Science. Although this company managed to expand its global footprint through its Food Chain Partnership, it faced some challenges to expand in emerging economies through small-scale farmers. Being from the African continent, Swanepoel and his team not only understood Bayer’s unique challenge but could also pre-empt some of the potential problems faced by agribusinesses that wanted to grow their footprint in emerging economies. This provided them with a competitive advantage in going head-to-head with some of the best universities in the world such as Purdue, Wageningen, Michigan, Texas A & M and Santa Clara to mention just a few.

The South African team’s presentation “Selling Lindiwe’s story” told the story of a small-scale woman cassava farmer in Mozambique who, after the death of her husband, became the main breadwinner. The South African team indicated how Bayer could play a major role in not only selling chemicals to these farmers but even more importantly to change the stories of small-scale farmers like Lindiwe. They recommended a strategic partnership with AB InBev as the main buyer for the cassava produced by these small-scale farmers, as a cheaper beer base substitute. They also recommended a local partner (Value Chain Insights) that understood the political, social and economic environment of these countries to facilitate the relationships between Bayer and its small-scale farmers.

Understanding the challenge a competitive advantage

According to the panel of judges, the innovative approach and motivations for investing in strategic partnerships with AB InBev and Value Chain Insights went beyond financial benefits, to include corporate social responsibility and rural development. Lindiwe’s story was, however, the decisive factor. The South African team was the only team to put a face and a story to the often invisible small-scale farmers.

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