(AGENPARL) – gio 15 agosto 2024 PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 August 2024
CUT’s highly rated academic earns prestigious award
Prof Tshepiso Makhafola, an accomplished biochemist, has been honoured with the prestigious Iso Lomso Fellowship for his groundbreaking research project. His work is dedicated to unlocking the potential of South African medicinal plants and phytochemicals, to leverage alternative splicing for advanced cancer therapy.
His research has earned him a Y rating from the NRF, NRF-BELSPO, and NRF-FRF Awards, signifying an important contribution with the potential for substantial impact on academic and research communities. “My research focuses on genotoxicity and the use of natural products to prevent mycotoxin-induced genotoxicity and carcinogenicity, two under-reported health issues in developing countries, said Prof Tshepiso Makhafola, Assistant Dean for Research, Innovation, and Engagement and the Director of the Centre for Quality of Health and Living in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at the Central University of Technology, Free State.
He is a member of the Toxicology Association of South Africa (TOXSA) and the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB). Additionally, he is an extraordinary lecturer at the University of Pretoria’s Pan African Cancer Research Institute (PACRI).
He said that cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, including in South Africa. Chemotherapy remains the main method of cancer treatment. “Despite advances in cancer chemotherapy, the associated costs, side effects, and development of resistance pose major challenges, especially in the global south”, he said.
Colorectal cancer (CRC), cervical cancer (CVC), and oesophageal cancer (EC) are ranked the third, fourth, and eighth most common cancers worldwide, respectively. Colorectal cancer and EC have a global mortality rate of 5.8 and 5.3%, respectively. In South Africa, CRC is the fourth most common cancer, with a low survival rate of 8.1.
Additionally, the highest rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality are in low-and-middle-income countries. Oesophageal cancer is responsible for the second-highest number of cancer-related mortalities and has a 5-year relative survival rate of 4% in metastatic disease. Motivated by this evidence and challenges, we intend to investigate how South African medicinal plant extracts and phytocompounds that regulate alternative splicing can affect cancer growth and progression in these cancers. The urgency of this research is underscored by the high mortality rates of these cancers, making our work not only important but also highly relevant. It is estimated that more than 60% of anticancer drugs in clinical use originate from natural products, thereby pointing to their importance as promising sources for cancer drug development.
“Prof Makhafola’s research work offers hope for improving global societal conditions. Together with the team, we seek collaborations with like-minded institutions to further this cause. We are also proactively pursuing funding opportunities to develop innovative solutions, enabling the Central University of Technology, Free State CUT, to lead this research undertaking under his leadership and offer solutions to the research community”, said Prof Mashele, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation, and Engagement
Alternative splicing can contribute to all cancer hallmarks; alternatively, spliced isoforms expressed in cancer are fundamental for developing tumour-specific molecular targets for prognosis and therapy. Several alternative splicing factors are overexpressed and highly mutated in different cancer tissues.
Additionally, changes in the splicing patterns of various alternative splicing events were identified in tumours, demonstrating a prominent role in carcinogenesis and a potential prognostic indication. Developing new pharmaceuticals targeting alternative splicing may create new therapeutic avenues for cancer treatment.
Caption: Prof Tshepiso Makhafola is exploring groundbreaking research to discover African solutions for treating cancer.
About CUT
CUT is the foremost higher education institution in the heartland of South Africa, dedicated to quality education and training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. CUT boasts pockets of excellence, including a premier Hotel School and leading research and innovation platforms, e.g. world-class medical product development through 3-D printing technology.
For more information about CUT, visit http://www.cut.ac.za.
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