A plant long used in traditional medicine is now at the centre of research that could shape future cancer treatment options in South Africa and beyond.

Researchers at the North-West University(NWU) are investigating the anti-cancer potential of Lessertia frutescens, commonly known as cancer bush, after laboratory studies showed activity against several forms of cancer, including drug-resistant small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer.

Values are not only spoken about at the North-West University (NWU), they are lived and they are recognised. On 21 May, the university hosted its annual award ceremony to recognise staff and students who embody the spirit of excellence of the university at the Media and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) Awards.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, remains the leading preventable cause of premature death worldwide. The Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) at the North-West University (NWU) is making it their mission to educate people on and raise awareness about the dangers of this “silent killer”.

On 14 May 2026, the Technology Transfer and Innovation Support Office (TTIS) at the North-West University (NWU) hosted a commemorative event to celebrate the granting of a European patent for a novel method to determine the risk of chronic stress and stroke.

The event brought together members of the Faculty of Health Sciences, family, friends and former colleagues of Prof. Leone Malan and her late husband, Prof. Nico Malan, whose decades of research underpin the invention.

The North-West University (NWU) continues to celebrate academic excellence and innovation, as students from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) distinguished themselves in the globally recognised FameLab competition.

Prof. Siedine Coetzee and Dr Mirriam Matandela

A powerful new chapter in South African nursing leadership began on 5 and 6 May 2026, when the National Department of Health and the North-West University (NWU) officially initiated the groundbreaking NurseLead programme – a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to empower current and emerging nurse leaders across the country.

The 2026 edition of the ranking of the Best Scientists in Neuroscience by Research.com places Prof. Brian Harvey from the subject group Pharmacology at the North-West University (NWU) among the three most cited researchers in the field in South Africa.

Prof. Harvey says this accolade highlights his decades of work in neuropharmacology and psychiatric research. “When you get notified of a ranking like this, it counters any doubt or negative thinking about the impact of your work.”

Groundbreaking research in child health assessment has now led to the development of the first free, open-source motor performance test designed specifically for African children.

Breakthrough research by Prof. Bouwien Smits-Engelsman, an extraordinary professor at the North-West University (NWU), and a team of international collaborators has now been published in Communication Medicine of Nature.com.