Delegates were welcomed by Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo, who highlighted, among other developments, the establishment of the Centre for Postgraduate Studies on the Bellville and Cape Town Campuses.Prof Liz van Aswegen of the Research Directorate also stressed that CPUT’s research output has increased over the last three years in terms of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s publication subsidy allocations. External funding has also increased, with funding exceeding R1 million sourced by six researchers.Guest speaker Dr Edith Madela-Mntla from the Medical Research Council congratulated CPUT for creating an environment conducive to research, but also warned that universities were facing the danger of becoming diploma factories, with fewer students progressing to post-graduate studies. Dr Thandi Mgwebi, from the National Research Foundation (NRF) outlined some of the financial deterrents facing budding academics from advancing in their research, but also indicated how the NRF helps institutions of higher learning with research and funding.Outstanding CPUT researchers were honoured at the event, with a platinum award given to Prof Daniel Makinde for research publication, and Prof Raynitchka Tzoneva for postgraduate supervision. Both professors hail from the Engineering Faculty.Prof Stephanie Burton from the Biocatalysis and Technical Biology Research Group was also honoured with a platinum award, while Prof Robert van Zyl, also from the Engineering Faculty, scooped a diamond award for the generation of external funding in excess of R1 million. Researchers in various other categories (publications, successful postgraduate supervision and sourcing of external funding) were presented with gold, silver and bronze awards. Postgraduate students, supervisors, and researchers also received awards for the best research posters.
Other highlights of the day included a presentation by Prof Kamilla Swart from the Faculty of Business who investigated the Fifa 2010 World CupTM initiatives in the Eden District Municipality, their impacts and whether planning initiatives were integrated or not. The findings of Prof Swart’s research will be valuable for the future planning and hosting of sport mega-events in South Africa. Prof Rainer Haldenwang from the Engineering Faculty delivered a presentation titled ‘Everything Flows’, while Prof Jeanine Marnewick of the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences spoke about the potent health benefits of South Africa’s wonder-plant Rooibos.Dr Nhlapho summed up the sterling advances made by CPUT in the research sphere by saying that CPUT’s scholarship is recognised as one that has touched the academic lives of many young scholars. This through research and study support from the university research fund and innovation fund. “Our strategies and policies are aimed at encouraging research productivity by rewarding quality research output.”By Andiswa Dantile

Written by CPUT News
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The CPUT community is mourning the passing of research stalwart Prof Wentzel “Blom” Gelderblom. Prof Gelderblom was key to cementing the role of a researcher within a university of technology and his legacy will live on in the newly formed Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute (AMHBI) of which he was an adjunct member. Prof Gelderblom was appointed in 2014 as the first Research Chair in Biotechnology and Director of the Institute of Biomedical and Microbial Biotechnology. Before joining CPUT he was Unit Director of PROMEC at the Medical Research Council.

CPUT Vice-Chancellor Chris Nhlapo lauded Prof Gelderblom for his transdisciplinary work and paving the way for future researchers. “Prof Gelderblom was key in starting the first research institute at CPUT that spanned across faculties in support of multi-and transdisciplinary research excellence. In doing so, a sturdy foundation was laid for the eventual establishment of AMHBI now in its second year of existence.” Prof Gelderblom’s colleague and the woman who took over his reigns as Research Chair in Biotechnology, Prof Jeanine Marnewick, says he leaves large shoes to fill. “Prof Gelderblom had a passion for science and was a mentor to many, although he has left our presence, his scientific legacy will live on. A truly great mind and person has passed on,” she says.

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

With millions of new cases of cancer reported each year, researchers across the globe are working tirelessly to develop new and smarter ways to fight cancer.

One such is CPUT’s Dr Stefan Abel, whose groundbreaking research in the field of chemoprevention has recently earned him a coveted National Research Foundation (NRF) rating. Abel is the latest researcher at CPUT to be awarded this accolade and joins a growing list of NRF rated researchers at the university.

Based in the Institute of Biomedical and Microbial Biotechnology, Abel currently heads the institute’s Chemoprevention Research Group, which is located at the Tygerberg Hospital. The group’s emphasizes of chemoprevention research focuses on South African herbal teas, such as rooibos, and dietary unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3, which can influence the physical and biological cellular responses that are significant during carcinogenesis (cancer development).

While cancer remains a daunting public health challenge, Abel says he has never regretted his decision to pursue this area of research.

His springboard into this field was in 1992 when he joined the Medical Research Council and was tasked with investigating the role of fatty acids in cancer development and chemopreventive properties of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).

More than two decades later, Abel has established himself as a leading researcher in his field, having published 34 scientific publications and four book chapters, along with 55 national conference presentations, close to 40 international conference presentations and numerous articles in local and internal magazines and specialized publications.

Abel says his research work is focused on characterizing the pattern of lipid alterations in cancer tissue, which creates an environment for the promotion and survival of cancer cells.

“The research I have conducted has provided further insight into the complex lipid alterations occurring in cancer development, with the aim of defining and optimising specific fatty acids to be used as chemopreventive agents,” he says.

Through dietary manipulation, which is largely based on specific fatty acids, such as omega-3, Abel and his team of researchers hope to stunt the growth of these cells.

“The link between nutrition and chemoprevention is of particular relevance, which is reflected by the inclusion of a nutritional aspect to my research focus, besides chemoprevention which it compliments. Therefore, my research activities have grown to reflect this by incorporating relevant studies with the aim to implement them in a chemoprevention strategy.”

Abel says the core research over the last eight years has remained the same, with the main objective to investigate the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in cancer development in humans, utilising animal cancer models and cell culture. Past research involved liver and colon cancer, while future studies will also include prostate cancer.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.