Let's Talk Science with Thuli

In this episode we chat to Dr Mandiwana about prostate cancer. We have an in-dept conversation about the causes, treatment and especially diagnosis. She share a personal story about her father regarding the illness and its prevention. In the #Beyond Science segment we learn more about Vusani. We dive deep into her personal life as a single mom through the untimely loss of her husband to an accident when she was just 27. We go into a deep but sobering conversation about grief and its implications on traditional customs. We talk about her fashion sense and keeping fit with her boys. Dr. Vusani Mandiwana is a Senior Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in the Centre for Nanostructures and Advanced Materials, Chemicals Cluster and a registered Professional Natural Scientist. Vusani is a South African citizen with a PH.D. in Pharmaceutics (North-West University, South Africa), an M.Sc. in Pharmaceutics (North-West University, South Africa) and an Honours in Medical Virology (SMU, South Africa). Vusani is the Research Liaison between South Africa and Belgium in an international collaborative Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) Project including Ghent University, KU Leuven University, University of Pretoria, NECSA and North-West University which focuses on radiolabelling of 68Ga-NOTA-somatropin, microPET/CT imaging and treatment of GH-R expressing melanoma. Vusani is a recipient of a 2nd Prize Poster Presentation Award: MAM-14 Polymer International Conference (2014 In addition to this, she is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, a recipient of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans title and was nominated Best MSc Student at the CSIR-MSM Excellence Awards in 2014, received another nomination for the Collaboration Award: CSIR Excellence Awards in 2020 and has made a couple of radio appearances . She is a mentor and co-promoter to students, pursuing degrees in Medicinal Plant Science and Chemical Science respectively. Vusani is an energetic extroverted introvert who passionate about life and always looking for a challenge. She loves to see growth and progress in every aspect of life and therefore takes pride in inspiring, motivating and helping others through charity and volunteer programs. She is a self-proclaimed Image Consultant who enjoys shopping, reading, interior design and décor, travelling and anything that requires her to be creative.

On this episode of Let's Talk Science with Thuli, we chat to doctoral candidate Maphuti Madiga about nyaope. Nyaope is a concoction of addictive substances that continue to see the youth of South Africa growing in addiction. Maphuti argues that addicts are often the centre of research and interventions without a focus on the effects this addiction may have on the mental health. Maphuti's research therefore looks at the resultant mental illnesses incurred by family members of nyaope addicts. In the #BeyondScience Maphuti shares her experience as a young parent and mother of a teenager. We chat about being a single mom, dating and everything in between. Maphuti Madiga is a Professional Officer (PO) at the National Research Foundation (NRF) who holds a Master’s degree in Science from University of Limpopo. She is currently enrolled for her doctoral degree at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in the Department of Public Health. She has thirteen (13) years cumulative working experience in academic research and research management in the higher education sector and science councils. She is a co-authorship of more than 10 peer- reviewed research articles in high impact factor international journals with more than 903 citations and a Google Scholar h-index of 7. She is a mother of two who is passionate about helping others and finding solutions to our country’s socio-economic challenges. A free spirited being who lives by the quote that says Life is for the living.

In this episode of Let's Talk Science with Thuli we chat to mechanical engineer Ipeleng Mathebula about energy in the context of car engines. We also chat about what it's like to be a garage engineer as opposed to conducting research for another institution. In this episode of Let's Talk Beyond Science with Thuli we chat more about the challenges and joys of running his own R&D company. We chat about an important issue around the focal points of education and its focus on marks rather than building holistic individuals. We also chat about how he met his wife and about the lessons he's learnt from parenting. Various public and private entities are aiming to achieve the global net zero target around 2050; hence, Ipeleng is working towards applying his expertise to understand the operational limits of combustion engines as a tool for enabling emerging markets like South Africa and other SADC countries to leverage on the economy of scale provided by existing production lines to transition to alternative fuels like biogas, synthetic gas and hydrogen. The planned work includes assisting vehicle manufacturers and fleet managers with benchmarking operations and identifying R&D interventions for reducing the fuel consumptions of heavy-duty trucks and light-duty vehicles. Ipeleng is the founder of Boost Mechanics which is a R&D start-up company that I founded to package my knowledge in vehicles and combustion engines. A turbocharging patent based on a first principles approach was conceived and later tested as prototype in engine and vehicle testing laboratories with grant funding invested by the Technology Innovation Agency and The Innovation Hub. These laboratory tests include light-duty vehicle testing in accordance with New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and World Harmonised Transient Cycle (WHTC) for heavy-duty trucks. The experience accumulated to date has positioned me to contribute as a co-presenter of the postgraduate combustion engines course and register as a PhD student for investigating the energy transition pathway for last- mile logistics in South Africa.

In this episode of Let's Talk Science with Thuli we talk to Dr Bathabile Ramalapa about all things drug discovery. In our conversation she highlights the importance of designing health solutions that are fit for purpose. Solutions that can be used in remote areas where the are limited resources, also to enhance compliance. Dr Bathabile Ramalapa was born and raised in Attridgeville, a township west of Pretoria, in South Africa. During her tenure as a student, Bathabile lived and studied in over 5 countries in Africa and Europe, an experience she describes as eye-opening, empowering and vital for developing exceptional personal and professional networks. Dr Bathabile Ramalapa advocates for gender equality in the sciences and her passion lies in promoting empowerment and access of opportunities for women in STEM. Her current work aims at the development of drug treatments that could be cheaper and more suited to the needs of Africans. This work echoes her dedication to the World Health Organisation goals towards global health access. In the #BeyondScience segment we chat about work life balance for modern day women. Why it was important for Dr Bathabile to prolong having children, and all things additional ventures, business and side hustles.

In this episode of Let's Talk Science with Thuli, Thuli chats to Dr Nweke about pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer like many other cancer continue to pose great threat to human health. The challenges around understanding cancer and particularly pancreatic cancer are discussed in this episode. The solutions that are currently being researched, including the exciting field of precision medicine are covered in this episode. In the Beyond Science segment of this episode Thuli and Dr Nweke dive into what it's like for him, as a Nigerian, to work in South Africa. They go on to talk about the xenophobic attacks and operation dudula which has seen pockets of South Africans challenging the porous borders of the country. Is it civic leadership? Does it cause further discomfort for foreign nationals from other African states who are in the country legally? How does he understand the concerns of these locals? What should be done and more.

In this episode we chat to Dr Lungile Sitole about her research on cervical cancer.The episodes looks at what cervical cancer is, how it affects the human body, how it is treated and why the current treatment methods require further development. she shares with us what her research is about in continuing the fight to understand and combat cervical cancer. In the beyond science segment of this episode we chat to Dr Lungile Sitole about all things beyond the cervical cancer research she conducts as a research scientist at UJ. We speak extensively about her spiritual journey and what spirituality actually is. Dr. Lungile Sitole holds both Bachelors (Magna Cum Laude) and Master’s (Cum Laude) degree in Organic Chemistry from Jackson State University (MS, USA) as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Pretoria. Sitole has made it her life’s work to tackle diseases through robust science and citizen’s outreach programmes. Dr. Sitole is currently a Senior Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) where she also serves as the Director of the UJ Soweto Science Centre. Dr. Sitole’s current research focus is in two tiers, the first being, the application of metabolomic technologies in characterizing infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS) and cervical cancer as an opportunistic infection; and the second being, the synthesis of metal complexes as anti-cancer agents.

In this episode we chat all things Lasers with Dr Darryl Naidoo. Darryl Naidoo is a Principal Researcher at the CSIR National Laser Centre (NLC). Darryl joined the NLC on an MSc studentship in 2009 and went on to complete a PhD in Physics in 2015 from the University of Stellenbosch while on a PhD studentship at the NLC. To date his research has resulted in over 40 peer- reviewed publications with highlights in Nature Photonics, Optica and Light Sciences and Applications. The second segment of the episode we get to know Darryl outside of the work he does with developing bespoke lasers. Darryl and Thuli chat about his love for cars, sports and about Darryl's experience on a television dating show. And more...