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Young PhD graduate receives prestigious bursary to advance cancer and antibiotic research

13 December 2024 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Stephen Collett

Dr Francois Jacobs, a 30-year-old PhD graduate, has recently returned from an intensive training workshop in Harwell, Oxford, courtesy of the David Blow Bursary. This prestigious award recognises outstanding African researchers making significant contributions to macromolecular crystallography.

Dr Jacobs earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Chemistry on Monday, 9 December. While earning a PhD by the age of 30 was not part of his initial plan, he always aspired to pursue higher education. “From a young age, I had a strong desire to study at university. Once I got there, my ambition shifted towards obtaining a PhD,” he says, reflecting on the journey that led to this remarkable achievement.

Groundbreaking research on cancer and antibiotics

Dr Jacobs’ research addresses some of the most pressing health challenges of our time: cancer and antibiotic resistance. Using crystallography, he investigates the interactions between newly developed anticancer and antibacterial compounds and biological structures such as proteins at the atomic level. This work is vital in combating the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and advancing cancer treatments.

"For me, it's about seeing humans thrive and reducing the suffering caused by illness," he explains. "I lost my grandmother to cancer, and I hope my work can spare someone else’s loved one from a similar loss."

Prestigious workshop with global experts

The "DLS-CCP4 Data Collection and Structure Solution Workshop," hosted by Diamond Light Source, offered Dr Jacobs an unparalleled opportunity to learn from leading experts in macromolecular crystallography. The workshop covered critical skills such as growing protein and DNA crystals, preventing degradation during data collection, and processing complex data. Participants also gained insights directly from the engineers and scientists behind the facility’s cutting-edge software and synchrotron technology.

“It was an incredible opportunity to learn from some of the brightest minds in the field,” says Dr Jacobs. “Not only did I acquire new skills, but I also forged new collaborations with potential research partners who can help take my work to the next level.”

The David Blow Bursary, which enabled Dr Jacobs to attend this workshop, is awarded to African researchers conducting impactful macromolecular crystallography studies.

"This training has been transformative," he adds. "It is a fantastic experience for any aspiring researcher, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to learn from these experts. Many researchers who attend workshops like this go on to work at the Diamond Light Source itself. I am eager to see where this training will take me."

A vision for the future

As Dr Jacobs continues his research, he remains driven by the hope that his work will lead to life-saving advancements in healthcare. “I want my research to provide hope and solutions for individuals battling cancer and bacterial infections,” he says.

His achievements exemplify the transformative power of education, research, and collaboration, and his story serves as an inspiration to aspiring researchers across Africa.

News Archive

Nat Nakasa the inspiration behind UFS academic’s PhD thesis

2017-01-09

Photo: Supplied

“I’m interested in alternative ways of approaching things, so I wanted to look at how journalism can be used in an unconventional way to contribute to a developing society.”

This is why Dr Willemien Marais, a lecturer in the Department of Communication Science at the University of the Free State (UFS), decided to title her thesis: Nat Nakasa as existential journalist, describing a form of journalism that places emphasis on the individual’s experiences.

“Existentialism is a philosophy that provides scope for an individual approach to life, and I like Nat Nakasa’s writing because of his excellent sense of humour despite his horrific circumstances as a black journalist during apartheid,” she says.

A practical approach to writing

Dr Marais analysed Nat Nakasa’s approach to journalism through articles he wrote in the early 1960s. She searched for relevant themes of existentialist philosophy in Nakasa’s work in order to prove that he could be read as an existential journalist.

She mentions that in terms of contemporary relevance, Nakasa’s approach to journalism suggests that existentialism could provide the journalist with a practical approach to writing, especially for those journalists working in developing societies.

“The relevance of this approach lies in the fact that any society is always between things – the old and the new – which might require the journalist to operate outside the boundaries of conventional journalism.”

This study was qualitative in nature because of the interpretation required. She mentions that it was basically one of many possible interpretations of Nakasa’s work; with this one using existentialism as a lens.

An intellectually stimulating thesis

Dr Marais quotes French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, who said that interpreting someone’s work, especially someone who was no longer alive, was open to “thousands of shimmering, iridescent, relevant meanings”, and her research represents one of these possible meanings of Nakasa’s work as a journalist.

When asked how long she had worked on her thesis, Dr Marais simply answered “too long!” She mentions that her thesis was initially more of an intellectual exercise. Whereas the actual act of writing took about four months, she spent many years thinking about the topic. “Now that all is said and done, I realise I had to grow into the topic. It took me a while to realise that true understanding does not come overnight!”

Dr Marais mentions that other than herself and the work of Nat Nakasa, there were no other roleplayers involved. “For many, many years it was just Nat Nakasa and I. It was frustrating and exhilarating all at the same time.”

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