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Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo’s global achievements highlight UFS’ Vision 130 goal of excellence

20 June 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Suplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) takes immense pride in the remarkable achievements of Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo, an academic in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Her international recognition and appointments not only exemplify her dedication to academic excellence and leadership but also reflect the UFS’ commitment to nurturing researchers who are globally competitive and internationally well connected, aligning perfectly with Vision 130.

Dr Mulondo was recently appointed to the International Council of Advisers as council member in the Golden Key International Honour Society. Golden Key, the world's largest collegiate honour society, selects the top 15% of high academic achievers in a college or university. In this role, Dr Mulondo will represent South Africa and oversee more than 20 (all) academic institutional chapters in South Africa. Her passion for academic excellence and leadership development is evident, as she strives to nurture these qualities among students, further ensuring that they remain socially engaged, in the spirit of ubuntu. “Education is one of the keys to eradicating poverty. While academic excellence can set graduates apart, we must continue to encourage and celebrate this excellence among our students and youth – not just this Youth Month but every other month. I am honoured to amplify an organisation such as Golden Key that shares these values,” says Dr Mulondo.

This commitment to academic and leadership excellence is a cornerstone of the UFS’ mission. The strategic objectives aim to enhance research capabilities and promote leadership, creating an environment where students and staff can thrive and make significant contributions to society.

Dr Mulondo’s recent accomplishments extend beyond her council and advisory role. She was awarded an impact-oriented grant for emerging researchers under the University Partnership Initiative, allowing her to strengthen her collaborative research partnership with the Appalachian State University (AppState). As a Public Health visiting scholar at AppState’s Beaver College of Health Sciences, she worked with academic host Dr Tandrea Carter, and collaborators Prof Martie Thompson and Prof Adam Hege. Her visit in the last term of 2023 culminated in a presentation of preliminary findings at the Global Symposium, USA. This public health partnership highlights the continuing collaboration initiated during her time as a Mandela Washington Fellow in 2022. This partnership underscores the UFS’ commitment to global engagement and fostering partnerships that enhance educational and research agenda.

Her global impact is further recognised, as she was selected globally as one of 10 Reimagining Healthcare Scholars by Novartis in 2023. Representing South Africa, she joined young global scholars at the One Young World Summit in the United Kingdom. The summit gathered delegates from 192 countries to address pressing global issues such as mental health, climate change, and food security. “As emerging scholars, it is essential to stay engaged locally and globally if we must remain innovative,” says Dr Mulondo, who is now a One Young World Ambassador. Her participation underscores the UFS’ dedication to nurturing staff members who address global challenges and aligns with the vision of fostering academic excellence and social responsibility.

“It is no surprise that Dr Mulondo has been appointed and selected for these various global roles and accolades, as she has continued to display the UFS Vision 130’s values of academic and leadership excellence on a global stage, further evidenced by her selection to the university’s Emerging Scholar Accelerator Programme (ESAP),” says Prof Joyce Tsoka-Gwegweni, Vice-Dean: Research and Head of Public Health. This advanced residential programme identifies the most promising academics who have obtained a doctoral degree within the last five years. Dr Mulondo’s dedication to academic excellence and leadership is commendable.

Reflecting on her journey as an emerging researcher in the newly established Division of Public Health, Dr Mulondo expressed gratitude for the supportive environment at the UFS. “I am grateful for the enabling environment that the UFS provides to emerging researchers and academics through programmes such as ESAP. I look forward to continued growth and I continue to be fuelled by my favourite passages of Scripture. ‘Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith and in purity.’ For the people who know their God will truly be strong and will carry out great exploits.” (1 Timothy 4:12; Daniel 11:32).

News Archive

UFS receives R13,7 Million for Research into Prehistoric Organisms

2007-03-27

Some of the guests attending the launch of the research contract are: Dr Siyabulela Ntutela (Deputy Director: Biotechnology at the Department of Science and Technology), Dr Godfrey Netswera (Manager of Thuthuka and the Support Programme at the National Research Foundation (NRF)), Dr Esta van Heerden (Platform Manager and lecturer at the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the UFS), Mr Butana Mboniswa (Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD), and Mr Vuyisele Phehani (Portfolio Manager for BioPAD).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The University of the Free State (UFS) has been awarded a massive R13,7 million contract to conduct research into prehistoric micro-organisms which live under extreme conditions, for example in mineshafts.

This is one of the biggest research contracts awarded to the UFS in recent years.

The biotechnology research contract was awarded to the UFS by BioPAD, a South African biotechnology company that brokers partnerships between researchers, entrepreneurs, business, government and other stakeholders to promote innovation and create sustainable biotechnology businesses.

The project is endorsed by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF), which contributes to the bursaries of the 17 postgraduate students on the programme.

The contract involves the establishment of a Platform for Metagenomics - a technique which allows researchers to extract the DNA from microbes in their natural environment and investigate it in a laboratory.

“Through this platform we will be able to understand deepmine microbial populations
and their potential application in the search for life in outer space. It is most likely
that, if life were to be found on other planets in our solar system, it would probably
resemble that which existed millions of years ago on earth. Apart from all this, these
organisms have unique properties one can exploit in biotechnological application for
South Africa and its community,” said Dr Esta van Heerden, platform manager and
lecturer at the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.
She is assisted by her collegues, Prof. Derek Litthauer and Dr Lizelle Piater.

“The platform aims to tap into the unique genetic material in South African mines
which will lead to the discovery of new genes and their products. These new and unique products will find application in the medical field (anti-cancer, anti-bacterial en anti-viral cures), the industrial sector (nanotechnology, commercial washing agents and the food industry), environmental sector (pollution management, demolition of harmful metals and other toxic waste),” said Dr Van Heerden.

According to Dr Van Heerden, the Metagenomics Platforms stems from the Life in
Extreme Environments (LExEN) programme which was started in 1994 by Princeton
University in the United States of America (USA) in South African mines with grants
from among others the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the USA. Other international collaborators
on the project include Geosynec Consultants Inc. (USA), Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (USA), the University of Tennessee (USA) and in South Africa the
Universities of the Witwatersrand, North West and Limpopo and companies like BHP
Billiton, MINTEK and mining companies like Harmony, Gold Fields and AngloGold
Ashanti.

The research field laboratory of the Metagenomics Platform, which was situated in
Glen Harvey, was moved to the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein. “In this
way the university has become the central hub for all research programmes. We are
also the liaison between the LExEN programme and the various mining companies
involved,” said Dr Van Heerden. The new laboratory was introduced during the
launch of the research contract.

“Our decision to commit BioPAD to this project stems from the company’s commitment to advance human capacity development to strengthen South Africa’s research infrastructure. It is also part of our aim to create and protect intellectual property,” said Mr Butana Mboniswa, Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD.

Talking on behalf of the UFS senior management, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector
of Academic Operations, said that the university shares the excitement to be part of
the exploration of unknown forms of life, the discovery of new genes and
their products and in applying newly gained knowledge to better understand our
universe.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
27 March 2007

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