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18 March 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs
Famelab
Abdullahi Jamiu, who is working on his master's degree in Microbiology, was adjudicated as the FameLab winner at the Central Regional Heat and will represent the region at the national semi-finals.

Abdullahi Jamiu, who is working on his master's degree in Microbiology in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS), was recently announced as the FameLab winner at the Central Regional Heat and will represent the region at the national semi-finals.

Abdullahi, who plans on pursuing a doctoral degree after his master’s, says he wants to establish himself as an academic in microbiology.

Making science simple
He says he decided to participate in the FameLab competition because he is very passionate about communicating science. “Science communication affords me the opportunity to not only take my research outside of the lab space, but also to communicate it to the lay audience. Moreover, science is often perceived by the general public as difficult and unfathomable. As such, science communication programmes promote the simplification and better understanding of scientific knowledge in the community,” he says.

FameLab is coordinated by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, the British Council, and Jive Media Africa.

According to Abdullahi, the experience was mind-blowing. “It gave me the opportunity to compress my 200-page master's thesis into a three-minute talk in a way I had never thought was possible. Having to present virtually and adjust to the ‘new normal’ was quite challenging,” he adds.

“The overall experience was enlightening and engaging, and at the same time entertaining,” says Abdullahi.

Impressing the judges with his charisma, engagement with the audience, and use of props, Abdullahi’s presentation focused on how the exploration and exploitation of a ‘combination therapy’ approach to drug discovery could help to effectively combat fungal infections, which are the common comorbidities in immune-compromised individuals, including those living with HIV, cancer, and COVID-19.

Revealing an enigma
His fascination with microbiology started at a young age. “How very tiny, microscopic creatures, invisible to the unaided eye, are able to infect and sometimes kill both healthy and immune-compromised individuals, was an enigma to me as a little boy. My desire to unravel this mystery triggered my interest in microbiology, and the more I learn, the more enthusiastic I become to broaden my horizon in this challenging yet exciting field of study,” he says.

Abdullahi would like to one day make a difference by conducting relevant research aimed at contributing to finding lasting solutions to the lingering menace posed by pathogenic microbes. “Moreover, I am very passionate about facilitating the transfer of scientific knowledge to the next generation,” Abdullahi concludes.

News Archive

Women’s Memorial Garden exudes the essence of women
2013-08-05

 

Photo: Stephen Collett
20 August 2013

Photo Gallery

Female staff of the university gathered on Thursday 8 August 2013 in a pre-celebration of Women’s Day. An atmosphere of indulgence enveloped the Women’s Memorial Garden with smartly-dressed waiters serving high tea to the group while a string trio provided soothing melodies.

Beneath this luxurious backdrop, though, ran a deep and sincere current of kinship. The three speakers – women from diverse age groups and backgrounds – all had one clear message: love. Being a woman is being love – in all its various forms: from being tender to standing up for what is right.

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, reflected on the 20 000-strong women’s march in 1956 to the Union Buildings. Using this example, he expressed his wish for the women of South Africa to unite once again across race and creed to the benefit of our country.

Not only did a sense of courage and strength permeate the celebration, but the group dispersed with the beat in their hearts: you strike a woman, you strike a rock.

The university has several more celebratory events planned for Women’s Month. The program line-up is as follows:

16 August 2013 – for women students,
23 August 2013 – for women secretaries and admin staff,
30 August 2013 – for women in cleaning services,
date in August to be confirmed – for women in academics.

 

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