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11 November 2021 | Story Andrè Damons
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

Food insecurity should not stand in the way of education
2015-06-11

 

Every year, hundreds of students drop out of university due to financial difficulties – only to return to dire financial circumstances. It is only a few who manage to secure a bursary to fund their studies. These bursaries often pay only for academic and residential expenses, leaving students without additional funding for food.

The University of the Free State realized that up to 60% of its students were food insecure. Many of these students admitted to having to work after class to buy food or having to beg from friends. In 2011, the UFS launched the No Student Hungry Bursary Programme (NSH), which provides modest food bursaries to food insecure students. Currently, 130 students receive food bursaries from the programme to ensure they have one less thing to worry about while they are studying.

This year, at our Autumn Graduation Ceremony, six beneficiaries of the NSH Bursary Programme, received their degrees – an achievement all them feel they could not have reached was it not for the support by NSH.

For Tshililo Nethengwe, accounting student from Venda, her first year at university in 2012 was a daily battle. Although her parents managed to pay her study and accommodation fees, the meager monthly food allowance her parents could afford was not enough to last her the month.

“Every morning I used to tell myself not to think about food because I am here to study. Somehow, I still managed to get something to eat – even if it was just a few slices of bread a day. I was very determined to succeed in my studies, and NSH took away the burden of needing to ‘hustle’ and beg for food.”

Tshililo was one of six NSH recipients who received their degrees and is now doing her honours in B.Com Accounting.

“The NSH Bursary Programme invests in potential, and supports academic achievers who come from challenging backgrounds,” explains Vicky Simpson, co-ordinator of NSH.

“We promote the success of undergraduate students, enabling them to focus on their studies and not on where their next meal will come from. Successful graduates will have a positive and direct impact on our economy, different communities, and many households.”

The NSH food bursary is awarded to students on the basis of financial need, academic excellence, and the commitment to serve the community. We have helped more than 500 students since 2011, when Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, started NSH.

“These students share amazing stories that inspire us. Many had to endure hardship, but they managed to persevere, worked hard, and made it to university. The ability to buy a meal makes an enormous difference.”

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