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UFS-NGS UNIT engages high school learners in pioneering step toward a genomic education

06 May 2025 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Supplied

Prof Nyaga — Prof Martin Nyaga at the UFS-NGS Unit sequencing room giving a talk on the Illumina NextSeq 2000 with the P3 flow cell in hand.

The University of the Free State – Next Generation Sequencing (UFS-NGS) Unit hosted a pioneering scholarly engagement initiative for Grade 11 learners from nine secondary schools in Bloemfontein. The three-day event with the theme "Frontiers of Discovery: Illuminating the Impact of Genomics in Science outreach programme” marked the first comprehensive genomics science outreach initiative in the Faculty Health Sciences.

Coordinated by Prof Martin Nyaga, Head of the UFS-NGS Unit, the programme bridged the longstanding gap through practical NGS exposure and ignited a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by inspiring the next generation of genomic innovators using combined interactive lectures, laboratory demonstrations, career talks, and hands-on workshops. This allowed learners to directly engage with cutting-edge scientific techniques and genomic technologies, especially the scientific and evolutionally impact of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and NGS.

The initiative engaged selected Grade 11 learners from the nine schools: Brebner, Ikaelelo and Vulamasango (day 1), Atlehang, Castle Bridge School and Kaelang (day 2) and Eunice, Navalsig, and Lekhulong (day 3).

“This outreach programme marks a significant milestone in community-based genomics education in South Africa by offering high school learners the opportunity to engage with modern genomic sciences before making career decisions. The initiative particularly aimed to nurture future scientists and diversify the country’s STEM talent pipeline.

“This historic programme bridged gaps in scientific literacy and diversity in the Free State and concluded each day with a genomics quiz competition, which tested the participant’s newly acquired knowledge/exposure and provided a fun competitive learning opportunity. Six quiz winners across the three days received special prizes, and all students were awarded certificates of participation,” says Prof Nyaga.

Hands-on exploration and NHLS virology laboratory tour

The training was held at the UFS-NGS Unit in the School of Biomedical Sciences and at the NHLS Virology laboratories, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences. Each attending secondary school was represented by five Grade 11 learners and a life science’s educator. Each day, 15 learners and three educators observed hands-on practicals, including DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and DNA library preparation for sequencing on platforms such as Illumina MiSeq and NextSeq 2000.

Guided by the UFS-NGS Unit’s team members; Dr Milton Mogotsi, Hlengiwe Sondlane, Mbali Ncube, Nkosazana Shange, Somila Nazo, Sesiyanda Maseko, Surprise Baloyi, Manyi Eyong and Mamello Maku, the learners were exposed to how DNA is extracted and visualised, how the PCR machine works and how DNA libraries are prepared and sequenced.

Furthermore, a guided laboratory tour of the Virology laboratories at the NHLS was provided by Khauhelo Mafa which offered the leaners the opportunity to observe, diagnostic and molecular workflows in action, resulting in a real-time glimpse into world-class medical research and diagnostics, fuelling curiosity about the role of advanced genomics science in disease control.

Inspiration through expert talks

The learners were also inspired by talks from Prof Chris Viljoen, Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences, Prof Zinhle Makatini, Associate Professor and Head of Division of Virology, School of Pathology, and Dr Claudia Ntsapi, Senior Lecturer and researcher in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at the UFS. Prof Viljoen highlighted the role of science in transforming lives and improving life expectancy, while Prof Makatini gave candid reflections on her professional journey, particularly how she pursued Medical Virology through unwavering determination and excelled to become among the pioneer women specialists in the field in South Africa. Dr Ntsapi inspired the audience with her perseverance from her humble beginnings to earning a PhD in Neurophysiological Sciences against all odds.

The speakers also delivered compelling presentations on the applications of genomics in medicine (e.g.), personalised cancer treatments), public health (e.g.), tracking HIV and COVID-19), agriculture (e.g.), resilient crops), and environmental science (e.g.), ecosystem protection), which resonated well with the learners, educators and the UFS-NGS team. A presentation on diverse career options available at the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences was further provided by Angelique Carson-Porter, a UFS representative from the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics. Her talk on different career pathways in Health Sciences broaden the learners’ horizons, fostering future aspirations.

Dr Emmanuel Ogunbayo, Dr Mogotsi, Thabisa Mpaxa, Nkosazana Shange and Eyong Manyi shared their personal career journey to be at the UFS-NGS Unit, offering advice on academic experiences and opportunities within genomics, bioinformatics, and biotechnology, while answering scholarship queries.

“The career talk opened my eyes. I’m now aiming for a biotechnology degree!” said Neliswa Thwala, a learner from Navalsig CS/S.

Following the enthusiastic response and tangible outcomes of this programme, the UFS-NGS Unit is committed to expanding this initiative, with plans to introduce similar events to other schools and developing sustained mentorship opportunities for learners interested in pursuing genomics-related careers. The UFS-NGS Unit further invites interested partners, sponsors, and stakeholders to collaborate in future outreach and capacity-building programmes to continue bridging the genomics education gap in Africa.

Inspire the next generation

Prof. Nyaga’s closing remarks highlighted the learners’ potential to shape the ‘omics’ workforce and stated the intention of the organising committee to expand the mentorship programmes, fostering a vibrant STEM pipeline. “This initiative represents our vision to make genomics accessible and inspire the next generation of African scientists.”

The success of this programme was driven by the UFS-NGS Unit team and was supported by Distribution Platform in Omics (DIPLOMICS).

For more information about the UFS-NGS Unit or future outreach programmes, please visit our website. Further pictures from the event are also available via our website.

News Archive

UFS hones focus to nurture world-class research - Business Day

2006-02-10

Sue Blaine
THE University of the Free State plans to concentrate academic study in five areas to strengthen its status as a research institution, the university said yesterday.

The Bloemfontein-based university will focus on areas it classes as development (economics, health, literacy and other human activities) and social transformation — an analysis of how South African society is changing from a philosophical and political viewpoint.

The other three research areas are new technologies, water resources and security, and food production and security.

“It makes sense to concentrate the university’s human resources, infrastructure, financial resources and intellectual expertise,” said university rector and vice-chancellor Prof Frederick Fourie.

The move introduces a style of research that matches international trends.

Universities in Canada, Britain and Australia are setting up their research departments in this way.

In SA, the universities of Stellenbosch, the Witwatersrand, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal have embarked on similar strategies.

Fourie gave the example of his alma mater, the US’s Harvard University, whose Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centre is an example of “clustering” on a larger scale.

The centre is a collaboration with Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of California, Santa Barbara, the Museum of Science, Boston, and universities in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Japan.

Fourie said the modern research world was so diverse and complex that no university could cover all bases so it was better to establish areas of expertise that made it different from its peer institutions.

Having scientists and researchers work in teams meant certain issues could be researched and developed in a multidisciplinary manner. “I think it’s the only way in which any university can excel. This will help SA become world class in selected areas,” Fourie said.

It is in chemistry that the cluster model has already had its most visible results, with a slice of the university’s on-campus pharmacological testing company Farmovs, established in the 1980s, sold to the US’s Parexel International.

The company is one of the largest biopharmaceutical outsourcing organisations in the world, providing knowledge-based contract research, medical marketing and consulting services to the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries, according to Biospace, an internet-based company providing resources and information to the life science industry.

President Thabo Mbeki, in his state of the nation address last Friday, committed government to allocating more resources to research, development and innovation, and increasing the pool of young researchers in SA.

He said government would “continue to engage the leadership of our tertiary institutions focused on working with them to meet the nation’s expectations with regard to teaching and research”.

The university used to be home to several A-rated scientists, who are considered by a peer review, conducted by the National Research Foundation, to be world leaders in their fields, but had lost them to other institutions. Fourie hopes to lure them back, and with them postgraduate students and funding for their work.

“At universities where you get a star researcher they tend to attract people and funding; if they leave they take that with them,” he said.

Fourie said R50m would be spent on the project, with some already spent last year and the last disbursements to be made next year.

There is R10m in seed money to gather experts and improve equipment and infrastructure, and R17m has been invested in chemistry equipment and staff.

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