In an intriguing joint announcement, the Walter Sisulu and North-West universities unveiled the astounding results of their preclinical trials for a groundbreaking combination vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) and Covid-19. The universities reported an unprecedented 100% protection in vaccinated animals – a significant step forwards in the unrelenting battle against tuberculosis, one of the world's most devastating diseases.
The lack of qualified nurses is placing a stranglehold on the public health sector in South Africa, but through its commitment to bettering the lives of all South Africans, the North-West University (NWU) is helping to loosen this suffocating grip.
A recent study by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) estimates that there is only one nurse for every 218 patients in the country, with a need for tens of thousands more.
Prof Rose Hayeshi, associate professor at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) DSI/NWU Preclinical Drug Development Platform has just returned from the United Kingdom after a week-long innovation boot camp at the University of Oxford.
Prof Hayeshi was one of the 10 participants selected to deliver demo pitches, after which her presentation was chosen as one of the top five pitches.
By Vukosi Mathale
The global energy dependency clock is ticking, and in South Africa it is doing so at a dizzying pace. What started as an impending energy crisis more than a decade ago has morphed into a situation that can only be described as akin to an irrevocable catastrophe. According to Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), stagnation in the country’s decision-making process is no longer an option.
You don’t have to be able to split the atom to know that South Africa – and the world – is facing an energy crisis and that urgent answers are needed to address this pressing problem.
That is why the principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), Prof Bismark Tyobeka, will be part of a panel discussion titled Global Nuclear Power – Implications for South Africa’s Just Energy Transition.
Why did some people experience more severe coronavirus symptoms than others during the Covid-19 pandemic? International researchers believe part of the answer may lie deep within human cells, specifically in the small circular chromosome inside each cell, called the mitochondrial DNA.
Genetic variations in mitochondrial DNA are considered the key to unlocking answers about the innermost workings of cells and mapping the way forward for more effective medical treatment.
A key United Nations agency has shown its confidence in the North-West University (NWU) by relaunching the Chair on Multimodal Learning and Open Educational Resources for a second term of four years.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has approved the NWU’s submission for a renewal of the chair, which was initially awarded to the university in 2019. The chair was relaunched in June.
Dr Tshepiso Ndhlovu, a PhD graduate from the North-West University (NWU), has completed promising research on the use of medicinal plants to treat children’s diseases.
Childhood illnesses make a major contribution to infant mortality rates worldwide, and the high cost of conventional treatment exacerbates the problem by putting a financial strain on rural populations.
Located on the roof of building G5 at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus, the solar telescope of the Centre for Space Research has garnered attention from organisations such as the BBC and the Royal Astronomical Society.
Dr Ruhann Steyn, senior lecturer and principal scientist involved in the project, recently attended the National Astronomy Meeting in Cardiff, Wales, where he was commended for the outstanding work done by the Centre for Space Research.