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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

Odeion String Quartet receives international acclaim
2014-12-22

 

The Odeion String Quartet (OSQ) is a flagship of the UFS and symbolises the university’s commitment to the arts. Most recently, the OSQ walked away with the award for Best Classical Music Performance at the 2014 Kanna ceremony.

It was established in 1991 as a permanent full-time resident string quartet –   at present the only resident string quartet at a South African university – and functions as an independent academic department at the UFS.

The members of the quartet are Samson Diamond (leader and first violin), Sharon de Kock (violin), Jeanne-Louise Moolman (viola) and Anmari van der Westhuizen (cello). They have an extensive national and international background and are highly regarded in music circles as soloists and chamber musicians. The members of the quartet play an important strategic role in the development of symphony orchestra music and in classical music training in the Free State. They are exemplary teachers and attract students from all over the country. The Junior Odeion String Quartet and Odeion Sinfonia provide a unique chamber music training experience to selected students.

They regularly perform to critical acclaim in all the major music centres in South Africa, as well as in SADC countries such as Zimbabwe and Zambia. During 2013 they performed at concerts in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, where they received standing ovations and very positive reviews.

The quartet is also set on giving back to musical communities around the country, with workshops offering guidance on playing techniques and life-skills that are essential for young people who intend to pursue a career in the music sector.

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