Manager - Research and Development

Thesis Title: Synthetic and Analytical Studies of Biomimetic Metal Complexes

Chemistry and Microbiology

• Writing about basic sciences, drugs, and technological innovation.
• Educational medical writing.
• Manuscript writing, reviewing, editing and data analysis.
• Book writing and self-publishing.

Achievements:
• Published 1 book and several research articles.

• Formulate, implement and improve sound business processes and Unit Strategic and Operational plan to ensure that the
Unit delivers against its short-term performance targets.
• Ensure that the Unit R&D portfolio is reviewed annually, and advise on optimization.
• Efficient investment of PG (R54 million) in the Unit based on targeted proposals from principal investigators.
• Schedule and supervise PG funding investment meetings, project review meetings and provide feedback to principal
investigators.
• Advise management on parliamentary grant (PG) allocation to make based on the Unit R&D portfolio and strategy.
• Govern the SIMS.
• Write the Unit operational reports, portfolio analysis report, self-assessment report, strategic plan and operational plan.

Achievements:
• Successfully supervised the PG call process, selection and timeous submission of quality proposals, and project review
meetings for PG funds (R54 million).
• Implemented Unit Strategic and Operational plan to deliver against targets, and oversaw SIMS.
• Reviewed Unit R&D portfolio and advised on optimization.

• Formulate, implement and improve sound business processes and Unit Strategic and Operational plan to ensure that the Unit delivers against its short-term performance targets.
• Efficient investment of PG (R54 million) in the Unit based on targeted proposals from principal investigators.
• Schedule and supervise PG funding investment meetings, project review meetings and provide feedback to principal investigators.
• Govern the SIMS.
• Write the Unit operational reports, portfolio analysis report, self-assessment report, strategic plan and operational plan.

Achievements:
• Successfully supervised the PG call process, selection and timeous submission of quality proposals, and project review meetings for PG funds (R54 million).
• Implemented Unit Strategic and Operational plan to deliver against short-term performance targets and oversaw SIMS.

• Conducted research to discover bioactive natural products from indigenous medicinal plants for application in human and animal health.

Achievements:
• Discovered plant extracts having anti-HIV activity and acaricidal activity.

• Conducted research to discover bioactive natural products from plants for application in human and animal health.
• Projects were focused on the discovery of novel cosmetic, anti-HIV and parasiticides (anthelmintic and acaricidal agents).

Achievements:
• Successfully managed and coordinated a R5.5 million animal health project funded by the Technology Innovation
Agency; project entailed financial management, writing reports, and writing manuscripts for publication.
• Discovered plant extracts that have acaricidal and anthelmintic activity.

• Conducted research in the area of biocatalysis and green chemistry.

Achievements:
• Principal Investigator on a R6 million project that entailed project and financial management, leading and supervising the research team, writing reports, and writing several manuscripts for publication.
• Successfully applied laccases for C-C, C-S and C-N bond formation, for the development of new synthetic routes, drug discovery and combinatorial biocatalysis to access potential anti-cancer and anti-microbial agents.

• Conducted research in the field of nucleic acid chemistry to synthesize non-standard nucleobases which recognize each other through hydrogen bonds similar to natural bases (A, C, G, T) but with altered hydrogen bonding directionality.
• Additional non-standard nucleosides allow for the creation of new DNA strands that provide superior specificity and allow for the development of diagnostic products with greater sensitivity for analyzing DNA and RNA.

Achievements:
• Gained experience in multi-step synthesis, synthesis of glycal, heterocycle synthesis and Pd coupling.
• Successfully synthesized the C-nucleoside, Kappa, from glycal and a iodinated pyrimidine using Pd coupling.

• Conducted research to discovery of novel anti-TB agents.

Achievements:
• Gained experience in small molecule and parallel syntheses, structure-activity (SAR) relationships, chemical development and medicinal chemistry/drug discovery as applied to anti-microbial agents.
• Successfully applied combinatorial chemistry methodologies and technologies using solution-phase and parallel synthesis to synthesise libraries of novel small molecules (sulfonylureas and triazolopyrimidines) for biological evaluation against mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB).

• Conducted research under the guidance of Prof. Perry Kaye.in the field of:
(i) asymmetric synthesis: multi-step synthesis, use of protecting groups and organolithium reagents; used a camphor
chiral auxiliary to for synthesizing α-amino acids and for studying diastereoselectivity upon benzylation
(ii) biomimetic chemistry: metal complexation and catalysis

Achievements:
• Synthesized Mn and Zn complexes from nitrogen-containing ligands.
• The Mn complexes displayed catecholase activity and were thus tyrosinase mimics.

Management Advancement Certificate, an honors degree certificate also known as the "mini" MBA

Training on biocatalysis

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