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Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa
Good news galore. Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, Professor and Director of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS), received more good news recently when he was awarded a Visiting Professorship at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) in Beijing, China, as well as being elected as the Deputy President of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. Prof Matsabisa was also recommended by Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, part of the IBSA technical committee.

Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, Professor and Director of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS), received more good news recently when he was awarded a Visiting Professorship at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) in Beijing, China. This news comes at the same time as the traditional medicine expert has been elected as the Deputy President of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.

This is, however, not the end of the good news for Prof Matsabisa. Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, recommended him to Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, to be part of the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) working group in traditional medicine. As a member of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) Indigenous Knowledge-based Bio-Innovation programme, Prof Matsabisa, together with Prof Nceba Gqaleni, is part of the IBSA technical committee. Prof Matsabisa is also part of a technical team for National Department of Health on traditional medicines for the IBSA countries 

Unexpected honours

“I was not expecting any of these honours. It comes as a total shock. To have gone through the stringent evaluation and selection process at the BUCM and made it to the university’s highest award, is an honour. This is recognition of my academic and research quality by my peers on an international level.

“Being elected to lead a society of researchers and clinicians in the field of Pharmacology in the country is further recognition nationally of the academic and research excellence status. These awards coming at the same time is unbelievable. I am proud of the work I do as well as a gesture of support from scientists nationally and internationally and the support from UFS having allowed me to do what I do best academically,” says Prof Matsabisa.

According to him, some of the key expectations for this Visiting Professorship at the BUCM are teaching, to do collaborative research and conduct workshops jointly as well as joint leverage of research funding and co-publications. Prof Matsabisa will now, together with his counterparts at BUCM, discuss and synchronise their teaching and research so they plan the visit to benefit the UFS and the BUCM.

The South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology’s main activities are to bring pharmacologists together and share new scientific knowledge and developments in the field, explains Prof Matsabisa. The Society is for teaching and training; including research in both basic and clinical pharmacology, to support pharmacology conferences nationally and continentally. “We develop young pharmacologists and are also affiliated to international pharmacology societies. The purpose of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology is to excel and grow the pharmacology field in medicine.”

A good year for pharmacology and the UFS

This has been a good year for him and the team, for pharmacology and the UFS, says Prof Matsabisa. Most recently, Prof Matsabisa and the Department of Pharmacology received a grant of R58 million to establish one of the most advanced modern Pharmacology GLP-accredited research and development laboratories in the country, and possibly in the region. The department has also been awarded an annual Technology and Innovation Agency Platform (TIA) grant of R17 million for the next five years early this year.

“I am able to do what I do and achieve all this because of teamwork. I have a value chain of teams from support staff, cleaners, security, technical and research scientists with me. I have good students, postdoctoral fellows as well as management behind me.

“I hope such an environment can be given to all researchers to do what they do best and be supported fully and genuinely by senior management with decisions that are favourable to growing the institution without any favouritism or prejudice to anyone. It has indeed been a good year with all the funding we received. Watch this space for more.”

Looking forward most to China

Prof Matsabisa says he is looking forward to taking some of his postgraduate students with him to spend time at BUCM for training and conducting research. Says Prof Matsabisa: “I have very good postgraduate research students that need all the support. I look forward to spending a month or so at BUCM teaching BUCM students. I will leave my students there in good hands for 6-12 months per year. I promise, when these students return, they will return with a positive attitude for research and accountability.”

This was the case for him when he got a British scholarship to spend time at GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Bradford in the UK for his PhD. 

Prof Matsabisa hopes to use this Professorship at BUCM to popularise the work of the UFS and to create opportunities for new and upcoming researchers in the field of Pharmacology of Medicinal plants. This is his development plan

News Archive

UFS launches projects to assist communities and current students
2011-03-16

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector and Mr Rudi Buys, Dean: Student Affairs, with learners at the  Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School.
Photo: Stephen Collett

The University of the Free State (UFS) has launched four exciting projects set out to improve the circumstances of its current and prospective students. These include a project that will honour dedicated and influential educators.

These community service projects in the starting blocks are: the UFS Schools Partnership Project, Extreme Make-over Project, Great Teachers Project and the No Student Hungry Campaign.
 
The Schools Partnership Project aims to support 21 schools across the Free State in helping them to become top achievers in the next three to five years. The schools involved were selected last year, after which the groundwork for the project was finalised. Although it mainly focuses on improving scholars' results in mathematics, accounting, physical sciences and English, it is also custom-designed according to the specific needs of the school, as indicated by the respective governing bodies beforehand. As a bonus, scholars of the schools involved will be given an opportunity to be introduced to student life; something Dr Choice Makhetha, UFS Vice-Rector: External Relations (acting), claimed to be of great importance. “We will invite Grade 10 to 12 learners to winter and summer schools being presented at the university. We will connect learners with students (one student adopts one learner for the day) for them to experience campus life. Grade 12 learners will also receive an invitation to the May 2011 graduation ceremony,” Dr Makhetha said.
 
Adding to the university's involvement at schools on local level, the newly upgraded Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School with its 112 UFS-sponsored tables will officially be revealed by the end of April. Although this school's upgrade showcases the power of partnerships, it is of special importance to the university, as it also marks the first school to receive an extreme make-over as part of the 'Extreme Make-over for Schools Project'. This project, in conjunction with the local business community, university staff and students, the community, the Department of Basic Education and SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), is considered to be a flagship project of the Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof. Jonathan Jansen. Part of the project’s agreement includes visits from a group of about 100 students representing campus initiatives such as the UFS’s Kovscom, Rag and SIFE, which will contribute to the improvement of the schools' resources within a period of 10 – 15 weekends. “We invite support from all corners. South Africa has a business community committed to improving the social circumstances of its community and we plead that they also come to the rescue of the Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School,” said Dr Makhetha.
 
By spreading a 'can do' attitude, the UFS aims to honour noble and remarkable teachers across the country by means of its 'Great teacher's project'. Through the project, fellow citizens are encouraged to submit their stories on their former or current teachers’ dedication and their positive impact which are often overlooked. The panel of seasoned education scholars and practitioners will select the top 500 stories based on the stories' clarity, distinctiveness, plausibility and affectability, which will be perpetuated in a book called 'Great Teachers', to be released at the end of this year. Proceeds are destined to serve as bursaries for students who wish to pursue a career in education. According to Prof. Jansen the ideal teacher is: “Somebody who was among, but stood out above, their colleagues, a person who made a lasting impact long after the details of subject matter content of examination preparation were forgotten.”
 
Regardless of this exceptional effort of supporting schools across the province, the UFS remains committed to its students and their social welfare by means of the 'No student hungry' campaign. This project provides financially challenged students the opportunity to purchase food from the Thakaneng Bridge on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein by using their student cards at two selected kiosks serving balanced meals. The project, which is under the guardianship of Ms Grace Jansen and Dr Carin Buys, relies solely on several fund-raising projects across the country. These women are the respective spouses of the Rector and Dean: Student Affairs, Mr Rudi Buys. According to Ms Jansen this initiative was proposed after UFS staff reported that many students were struggling to concentrate on their studies due to hunger pangs. Although the campaign recognizes students with strong academic records, it doesn't overlook those who need a food bursary which might result in them dropping out. Ms Jansen said as the external funds gathered increase, so will the amount of students being supported by the project. “The plan is to continue until the fate of hungry students had come to an end,” she said.
 

Media Release
14 March 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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