SABC2/Shorprite-Checkers Woman of the Year 2004 in Science and Technology
Research Chair for Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation, in 2007. In 2004 Professor Tebello Nyokong, researcher of a ground-breaking cancer diagnosis and treatment, was the science and technology category winner of the Shoprite Checkers / SABC 2 Women of the Year Award.
Professor Nyokong is researching a ground-breaking new cancer diagnosis and treatment alternative to chemotherapy, using a red laser light and the same dye used in blue denims, harmless by itself and activated with exposure to light. She collaborated with Russian researchers to acquire a licence to commence clinical trials in South Africa for the Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), which has been approved in some countries abroad and does not destroy hair or healthy cells and does not make the person sick. The project will be a first for South Africa and the Continent.
Professor Nyokong’s outstanding achievements come as a result of changing her studies in the eleventh grade when she abandoned the arts for science, and in spite of her early childhood as a shepherd in the Free State when her family fled the Sharpeville massacre. She attributes this tremendous success in the sciences to her father’s strong leadership.
While she finds being a female researcher lonely and often feels excluded from the primarily male fraternity, from her base at Rhodes University in Grahamstown Professor Nyokong continues to train highly skilled chemists – particularly women – with appropriate skills to move South Africa to the front lines of scientific development.
The Award resulted in extensive exposure for the work Prof Nyokong has been doing and since winning it she was bestowed with the Order of Mapungubwe: Bronze by the State President Mbeki in 2005, for outstanding contribution to science.
She was also awarded research chair for Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation, in 2007.
Her advice for future nominees is: “They should take the advantage that they will receive to promote their work and to encourage other women to excel. They should act as role models for others to give selflessly to others in South Africa and beyond.”
Of her own future she says: “Now that I have the backing of the Government through the Award from the Department of Science and Technology I want to see my research to its completion. I will do less teaching and devote my time to research!”
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
PhD. Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, 1987.
MSc. Chemistry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 1981.
BSc. Chemistry and Biology, with Concurrent Certificate in Education, University of Lesotho, 1977.
(MSc and PhD studies funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). BSc funded by the Lesotho Government).
APPOINTMENTS AND EXPERIENCE
1. Holder of Research Chair Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology- awarded by DST/NRF-2007
2 Professor of Physical-Inorganic Chemistry, Rhodes University, 2001-2006
3 Associate Professor of Physical-Inorganic Chemistry, Rhodes University, 1998 -2000
4 Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, Rhodes University, 1992 - 1997.
5 Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Physical-Inorganic Chemistry, University of Lesotho, 1981, 1987-1991.
6 Teaching Assistant, McMaster University, 1979-1980, and The University of Western Ontario, 1982-1986.
REGOGNITION AND AWARDS:
1. Awarded Research chair for Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation, starting 2007.
2. Bestowed with the Order of Mapungubwe : Bronze by the State President Mbeki -2005
3. Awarded a Grant-Holder medal for 2005 from CSIR for being the best NLC grant holder of the year 2005.
4. Chosen as Rhodes University Rhodes Women of the Year in the Senior Research category, 2006
5. Winner of SABC2/Shorprite-Checkers Woman of the year 2004 in Science and Technology.
6. Runner-up- DST Women in Science, 2004
7. Selected by Department of Science and Technology to present the Frances Ames Lecture, 2004.
8. Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Senior Research award - 2003
9. National Research Foundation Rating: B
10. Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa (FRSSA)
11. Member of the Academy of Science of South Africa
12. Fulbright Award, 1990. Visited the Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
EDITORSHIP/MEMBERSHIP TO EDITORIAL BOARDS
1. Editor – in – Chief: African Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry
2. International Advisory Board Editorial Board Member: International Journal of Electrochemical Science.
3. South African Representative: Society of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines
Selected MEMBERSHIP TO BOARDS/COUNCILS of ORGANIZATIONS
1. National Research Foundation Board member (2005 – 2008)
2. Board of the "Women in Science and Technology in Africa Network", an organization which is sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and UNESCO.
3. Board of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (appointed 2005, but resigned end of 2005 due to load)
4. A member of Council: University of Lesotho -2005-
5. A member of International Advisory Board Editorial Board Member: International Journal of Electrochemical Science.
6. South African Representative: Society of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines – based in France
Selected ADVISORY ROLES:
1. Invited by the Minister of Science and Technology to serve on the advisory panel to reconstitute the Council of then South African Council for Natural and Scientific Professions.
2. Invited to assist in the selection of the Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Venda, Feb., 1997.
3. A member of the Water Research Commission Steering Committee reviewing the University of the Western Cape Project on Desalination and Disinfection of Water, 1998-2001
4. A member of the Board of the "Women in Science and Technology in Africa Network", an organization which is sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and UNESCO.
5. A member of the Advisory Board: Southern and Eastern Africa Network of Analytical Chemists (SEANAC) conference. Gaborone, Botswana, 7 – 10 July, 2003.
6. A member of the advisory Board for the XVIII International Symposium on Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics (19-24 June, 2005, Coimbra, Portugal.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Development of dyes for Photodynamic Therapy of cancer.
Development of Biosensors
Development of Enzyme-like and photo-Catalysts
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COLLABORATORS
1. European Union - COST D20 working group (D20/0012/02)-
Project: "New Molecular Systems with Therapeutic Applications in Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer and Microbial Infections”
2. Dr Fethi Bedioui (CNRS, France)
Project: Development of Biosensors.
1.Prof Oleg Kaliya (Organic Intermediates and Dyes Institute, Moscow, Russia)
Project: Introduction of Photodynamic Therapy into South Africa. Clinical trial stage.
4. Prof Y. Chen (Fudan University, China)
Project: Cell studies and photophysics in photodynamic therapy.
5. Dr Philippe Westbroek (Ghent University, Belgium)
Project: Electrochemistry of phthalocyanines
6. Prof Mike Cook (University of East Anglia, UK)
Project: Synthesis of molecules for PDT
PUBLICATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS
PUBLISHED (1) THREE CHAPTERS in BOOKS
(1)OVER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY PAPERS IN INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS
PRESENTED OVER 130 CONFERENCE PAPERS LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY
Enter Ewuraba Fashion Gallery