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22 September 2023 | Story Supplied | Photo Supplied
Mogotsi
Milton Mogotsi, a PhD student in Medical Virology, won the Dr Lehlohonolo Mathengtheng Trophy at the Faculty of Health Sciences’ Faculty Research Forum.

Milton Mogotsi, a PhD student in Medical Virology, was awarded the Dr Lehlohonolo Mathengtheng Trophy at the recently held Faculty of Health SciencesFaculty Research Forum

Mogotsi was the recipient of the trophy for best presentation by a PhD student in the laboratory category. He is supervised by Prof Martin Nyaga, Associate Professor in the Division of Virology and Head of UFS-NGS Unit, and co-supervised by Prof Trudi O’Neill, Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry.

The Research Forum offers staff members and postgraduate students an opportunity to present the results of their research. The Faculty Research Forum aims to provide a platform to disseminate outputs and findings of all the research conducted in the faculty, and to also provide junior researchers/postgraduate students exposure.

Results of his study 

Mogotsi presented the results of his PhD study titled “Longitudinal gut virome analysis provides insights into early gut colonisation and temporal dynamics in paediatric subjects from the Free State Province, South Africa”. His research sought to understand the longitudinal evolution of viruses colonising the gastrointestinal tract of infants during their first year of life. In this study, metagenomic next generation sequencing was performed on faecal specimens collected longitudinally from a cohort of 17 infants during their first six months. These infants were recruited from three public hospitals around Bloemfontein after consent was attained from the mothers. 

The results of this study revealed that the guts of infants are highly colonised by diverse and dynamic viral communities, formed by a richness of different viruses infecting humans, predominantly those that are associated with gastroenteritis in children. These pathogenic agents were detected as early as one day old and increasing in abundance and diversity over time, even in the absence of clinical manifestations. 

The detection of such pathogenic viruses highlights the importance of screening for intestinal pathogens at an early age to close existing gaps and enhance the effectiveness of current treatment. In addition, the detection of viruses of unknown origin in faeces of infants underscores the need to extend sampling to mothers to better understand transmission patterns of such pathogens. Importantly, interventions to improve water quality, sanitation, and hygiene at the household level would be very impactful in minimising viral transmissions to infants and reducing the high childhood morbidities and mortalities in Africa.

A great honour

“As an emerging research virologist, presenting at such forums provides me with a platform to introduce my research, but also presents the opportunity to initiate discussions with other researchers, and exchange ideas that can help improve my future scientific approaches,” says Mogotsi. 

“Being awarded the Dr Lehlohonolo Mathengtheng Trophy is such a great honour, and it came at the right time when I’m near completion of my PhD. It has really motivated me to work even harder and make sure I obtain this qualification. However, this would not have been possible without the guidance and support from my supervisor, Prof Nyaga. I want to thank him for giving me the opportunity to conduct this research project under his supervision. The continued support and encouragement from my colleagues in the UFS-Next Generation Sequencing Unit is also highly appreciated,” he concludes.

Mogotsi is finalising the write-up of his PhD thesis which he will be submitting in November 2023 for examination and is also preparing manuscripts for submission in high-impact internationally recognised peer-review journals. 

Other winners:

  • John van der Riet Medal Winners

Robyn Smith, Veronica Ntsiea, Stephen Brown, and Joanne Potterton, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, UFS.

Pre-operative neurodevelopmental assessment in young children undergoing cardiac surgery in central South Africa: feasibility and clinical value.

  • Muller Potgieter Medal Winners

Johannes van den Heever, Christiaan Jordaan, Angelique Lewies, Dreyer Bester, Jacqueline Goedhals, Lezelle Botes, Pascall Dohmen, and Francis Smit, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, UFS.

Comparison of the function and structural integrity of cryopreserved pulmonary homografts versus decellularised pulmonary homografts after 180 days implantation in the juvenile ovine model.

  • Kerneels Nel Medal Winners 

Lizemari Hugo-Van Dyk, Champion Nyoni, Margaret Williams, and Benjamin Botha, School of Nursing, UFS.

Preceptor support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Recommendations for continuing development.

News Archive

Twee broers lewer intreerede
2004-06-10

‘n Unieke geleentheid sal homself môre, 9 Junie 2004, voordoen wanneer twee broers - proff Francois en Janse Tolmie - tydens dieselfde geleentheid hul intreeredes aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) sal lewer.

Prof Francois Tolmie is verbonde aan die UV se Departement Nuwe Testament en die onderwerp van sy lesing is Die impak van die metodologie op die verstaan van die Nuwe Testament. Prof Janse Tolmie, sy jonger broer, is verbonde aan die UV se Departement Rekenaarwetenskap en Informatika en die onderwerp van sy lesing is Die rol van inligtingstegnologie in kennisbestuur.

Hoewel die studievelde vér verwyderd staan, klop die twee broers se missies wat betref die terugploeg van die verworwe vakkennis ten bate van die gemeenskap. Prof Francois Tolmie is nóú betrokke by dowes en Prof Janse Tolmie tap weer kunsmatige intelligensie ten bate van die mediese wetenskap en geestesgesondheid.

Prof Francois Tolmie verwerf die grade BA, BA Honneurs (Grieks), MA (Grieks), B Th en M Th almal cum laude aan die UV. In 1992 verwerf hy 'n D Th (Nuwe Testament) en in 2004 'n Ph D (Grieks) aan dieselfde universiteit. Na sy militêre diens as kapelaan in Walvisbaai aanvaar hy 'n beroep na die NG-gemeente Walvisbaai. Hy begin sy akademiese loopbaan op 1 April 1990 as senior lektor in die Departement Nuwe Testament en word in 1999 tot medeprofessor en in 2003 tot professor bevorder.

Sy navorsingspesialiteit is die Johannesevangelie en die Brief aan die Galasiërs. Hy is tesourier van die Nuwe Testamentiese Werksgemeenskap van Suid-Afrika, lid van die Society of Biblical Literature en die Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, redakteur van Acta Theologica en assistent-redakteur van Neotestamentica. Hy het reeds 34 artikels in geakkrediteerde tydskrifte gepubliseer, asook drie populêr-wetenskaplike boeke en talle bydraes in populêr-wetenskaplike boeke. Hy het twee akademiese boeke in die buiteland gepubliseer - onderskeidelik in Nederland en in die VSA. Later vanjaar verskyn 'n derde akademiese boek in Duitsland. Hy is ook een van die vertalers van die Afrikaanse Bybel vir Dowes.

Prof Janse Tolmie verwerf die grade B Sc, B Sc (Hons) en M Sc (Cum Laude) in Rekenaarwetenskap aan die UV.

Hy is vanaf 1989 betrokke by die UV en was ook ’n dosent aan die Militêre Akademie in Saldanhabaai in 1990/91 en het klas gegee by DePaul Universiteit in Chicago in 2002.

In 1992 is hy vir ses maande gesekondeer na ’n patologiese firma, Van Drimmelen en Vennote, in Johannesburg vir die ontwikkeling van kennisgebaseerde sagteware. Met hierdie projek word hy een van slegs ’n handjievol navorsers in die wêreld wat daarin kon slaag om ’n mediese kundigheidstelsel te ontwikkel wat werklik gebruik word.

Hy verwerf sy Ph D in 1994 en in 1994/95 doen hy navorsing aan die Besigheidskool van Carleton Universiteit in Ottawa, Kanada. Hy word in 1997 bevorder tot mede-professor en in 2003 tot volprofessor. Vanaf 2003 tree hy op as departementele voorsitter van die UV se Departement Rekenaarwetenskap en Informatika.

Hy het meer as 30 publikasies al die lig laat sien, insluitend verskeie internasionale kongresbydraes en artikels in geakkrediteerde joernale. Hy was ook vir 2 siklusse geëvalueer by die NRF. Sy portfolio sluit in die ontwikkeling van sagteware of prototipes vir groot maatskappye soos Van Drimmelen en Vennote en Bayer Diagnostics (VSA). Sy privaatbesigheid fokus op die ontwikkeling van nismarksagteware vir tersiêre instellings. Die sagteware word tans gebruik deur afdelings aan verskeie universiteite in Suid-Afrika.

Die geleentheid vind om 19:00 in die CR Swart-ouditorium op die kampus plaas.

MEDIAVERKLARING

Uitgereik deur: Lacea Loader
Mediaverteenwoordiger
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Sel: 083 645 2454
E-pos: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
 

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