INNOVATION AT UWC - The Role of the Technology Transfer Office


Funding Processes - Jan 2024


Converis-Presentation


NRF-Presentation 2023


International Relations 2024 Science


RDPS-SCI-Presentation


Research Development and Postgraduate Support Research Funds Administration


Research Ethics Presentation


Science Research Workshop


SR Funding Presentation


SCIRC-Presentation_17-July-2024 - PDF


SCIRC-Presentation_17-July-2024 - PPT


WISAP-Workshop-Poster-Invitation

Research Collaboration Agreement Inter-University_2023_Updated

Research Collaboration Agreement Company final_Blank_2022

MOU Template (UWC_IR) (2024)

Guidelines-for-the-Evaluation-of-applications-for-Overseas-Conference-Applications_SR-5-Points

2021--Guidelines-for-SR-Grants

Guidelines-for-the-use-of-the-research-Incentive-funds-AF

RDO01-Incentivisation-from-PhD-v2

RDO02-Payment-from-AF

RDO03-Senate-Research-Funds

RDO04-Overseas-Conference-Funds

RDO05-Publication-fees

RDO06-Purchasing-through-ICS

ECR Spotlight – Kathryn van Boom

ECR Spotlight is an interview series featuring early-career researchers (ECRs) from the Journal of Experimental Biology, promoting the diversity of ECRs and the variety of animals and physiological systems studied. Kathryn van Boom, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of the Western Cape, authored the paper "Does sex matter in the cheetah? Insights into the skeletal muscle of the fastest land animal." Her research investigates physiological responses to stressors such as disease, diet, and exercise, focusing on skeletal muscle. Kathryn's passion for biology began in childhood and continued through her education, culminating in a PhD that explored the metabolism of captive cheetahs.

Kathryn’s scientific journey includes a BSc in Human Physiology and Biochemistry, followed by an MSc in Exercise Science at the University of Cape Town, where she studied the skeletal muscle of domestic dogs. Her PhD at the University of Pretoria used metabolomics to study glycine supplementation in cheetahs, yielding important data for their conservation. Her postdoctoral research now focuses on identifying markers for insulin resistance and diabetes in humans. Kathryn enjoys the challenges and collaborations of research, valuing the freedom to explore and the insights gained from her work. Her favourite research tool is the fluorescence microscope, essential for investigating muscle structure and proteins, and her favourite animal is the cheetah, reflecting her dedication to their conservation.

Article
 

Awarded a R1M research grant by the Water Research Commission (WRC) - Dr Elzaan Booysen

Dr Elzaan Booysen is a post doctoral fellow in my group and has just been awarded a R1M research grant by the Water Research Commission (WRC). 

Her application is a follow up project that I led in 2022-2024, together with researchers in IMBM (Drs Van Zyl and Burger) and in collaboration with the South African biotech company BioDX and leading expert Prof Gideon Wolfaardt at Stellenbosch University and the CSIR. 
Dr Booysen was the lead researcher on the project. Phase 1 yielded very promising results towards improved anti-biofilm activity in industrial wastewater when the commercially and industry used biocide is co-formulated with the novel compound that we have patented. To take this from lab-scale to pilot scale (phase 2), Dr Elzaan Booysen submitted a concept note application to the WRC, which was approved and she was invited to submit a full proposal in 2024. We received the excellent news a couple of weeks ago that her project has been awarded. 

This represents one of very few opportunities that postdoctoral fellows have to initiate projects as the lead PI and is an excellent example that demonstrates genuine commitment to supporting emerging researchers- both from the institutional perspective (IMBM is an enabling environment that creates and supports opportunities for early career staff) and from the funder- a wonderful recipe for success.