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23 November 2022
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Story André Damons
Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, Professor and Director of Pharmacology, will play host to the various stakeholders to network and share knowledge on current developments in indigenous knowledge research and product development, biodiversity, innovation, and commercialisation of the IK-based research products. The Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) for Health unit in the Department of Pharmacology within the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences was last year awarded an annual Technology Innovation Agency Platform (TIA) grant of R17 million for the next five years.
The research and teaching programme in the School of Clinical Medicine has since been rebranded and is now known as the African Medicines Innovation and Technology Development Platform (AMITD), which will strive to respond to community health needs and address industry research needs and challenges.
The indaba will showcase progress made by TIA and other entities in enriching the development and commercialisation of IK-based innovations. It will take place from 24 to 25 November 2022 in the Equitas Senate Hall at the UFS.
Prof Matsabisa is the chairperson of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Expert Advisory Committee on Traditional Medicines for COVID-19. He is also a visiting professor at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) in Beijing, China, and the Deputy President of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.

University of the Free State Choir mesmerises its audience
2011-10-31
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Photo: Johan Roux |
The University of the Free State Choir enchanted its audience during a special performance on the Bloemfontein Campus recently. The choir, under the direction of Corné van Pletzen, performed works by, among others, Giacomo Puccini, Allen Pote and Ola Gjeilo. Songs in Sesotho, Setswana and Xhosa, arranged and conducted by Bonisile Gcisa, ensured that the evening had a well-rounded ending.
"The choir is a proud asset and valued component of what this treasured place of higher learning holds dear – the highest standards for human and academic endeavour. It projects in its membership and its repertoire those powerful messages of inclusion and embrace, of hope and healing, in our troubled land and it represents the highest standards of music in our country and beyond," said Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, after the performance. Prof. Jansen thanked Mr Van Pletzen and his team for their outstanding leadership as well as the students in the choir for understanding how important the choir is to Kovsies and its broader messages of excellence and embrace.
The Sentraal Secondary School choir performed a song with the University Choir which was composed by Mr Van Pletzen.