Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong – Director of Rhodes University Department of
Science & Innovation Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation at Rhodes University
Education background:
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 research funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
BSc funded by the Lesotho Government.
Prof Nyokong is presently pioneering analysis into photodynamic remedy which seems to be at
harnessing gentle for most cancers remedy and environmental clean-up. Photodynamic remedy
(PDT) makes use of specifically developed dyes to direct lethal gentle onto most cancers cells, and is being
researched everywhere in the world as an alternative choice to chemotherapy.
The dye is injected into the bloodstream or utilized on to the pores and skin. PDT is mixed with
quantum dots (QD), that are nanoparticles that take in after which re-emit gentle, thus enabling
scientists to focus on the most cancers cells with purple gentle and permitting for an environment friendly most cancers
therapy involving the photosensitization and imaging of those QD to kill the most cancers cells.
These dyes have been developed primarily abroad and Prof Nyokong mentioned that extra
analysis is required to ascertain which dyes are most effective within the harsh African daylight.
“Any amount of the drug on healthy tissue (such as the skin) is affected by even the smallest
amount of sunlight, even indoors,” she mentioned.
Another facet of Prof Nyokong’s analysis is air pollution management. One of the strategies for the
purification of water is photochemical destruction of pollution (corresponding to chlorinate phenols
and different pesticides) utilizing ultraviolet gentle.
She has obtained quite a few accolades and awards from nationwide organisations, trade, the
State President, worldwide our bodies, and honorary doctorates from different universities.
Amongst the massive variety of acknowledgements that recognise her immense contribution,
and the worldwide management function that she performs, are the 2010 CEO’s Most Influential
Women within the Education and Teaching Sector, being inducted in 2010 into the Vodacom
Lesotho Hall of Fame, named in 2011 because the RSC (Royal Society in Chemistry)/ PACN (Pan
African Chemistry Network) International Distinguished Women in Chemistry, and in 2011
she was invited by the UNESCO Director-General to take a seat on the newly introduced UNESCO
High Panel on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development.
She was included within the exhibition of the National Center for Research on Human Evolution,
Spain, as one of many 12 Names To Change The World.
Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong of Rhodes University was awarded an African
Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award (AUKNSA) on Saturday, 30 January 2016. Prof.
Nyokong obtained the Continental Award, consisting of US $100 000, on the African Union
Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The African Union Commission determined to ascertain the “African Union Scientific Awards
(AUSA)” in 2008 – later renamed the AUKNSA in 2010 – to award and honour excellent
African scientists for his or her discoveries and achievements, with a deal with selling
scientific growth in Africa via recognising excellence amongst African scientists.
Prof. Nyokong’s excellent contribution to science is obvious. Rhodes boast Prof. Nyokong’s
outputs are amongst the very best of any particular person on the continent, together with her contribution to
the scholarly repute of Africa being immense. Prof. Nyokong has undertaken formal
worldwide collaborations with counterparts in Belgium, Chile, China, France, Germany,
Japan, and Russia.
Prof. Nyokong’s analysis focuses totally on areas of financial and social significance to
Africa; together with her present deal with the fields of most cancers analysis and nanotechnology.
Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor just lately launch the development of Nanotechology
Innovation constructing which prices about R90 million. The state-of-the-art constructing will home a
world Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation (INI). The new constructing would be the first of its
form on the African continent to offer cutting-edge expertise and fit-for-purpose analysis
services.
Professor Mabizela mentioned the development of the brand new INI constructing is a major milestone in
the historical past of Rhodes University as a research-intensive college on the earth. “The new
constructing will stand as a monument and a becoming tribute to the various years of ground-breaking
mental contribution of Distinguished Professor Nyokong and her legion of scholars and
worldwide collaborators. It is a end result of a few years of laborious work, dedication, and
dedication. As a research-intensive college, our imaginative and prescient is to be foremost within the era
and development of locally-responsive and globally-engaged information devoted to the
creation of a simply and sustainable world,” mentioned Professor Mabizela.
The Vice-Chancellor advisable that the identify of the brand new constructing be “Nyokong Institute
for Nanotechnology Innovation”. He applauded Professor Nyokong for advancing the imaginative and prescient
of the University and for creating a spot that continues to unleash creativity, promote
innovation, and foster mental curiosity.
The development of the brand new constructing will take about 18 months. With a powerful deal with
analysis and postgraduate coaching, each INI graduate has a global footprint as they
are outfitted with publicity to make them world-class scientists with revealed analysis.
The Institute is funded by Mintek, the Department of Science and Innovation, the Department
of Higher Education and Training, and the National Research Foundation.
Professor Mabizela mentioned Prof Nyokong is broadly regarded not solely as a Rhodes University
and nationwide treasure, however lately additionally as a continental icon. “She is passionate about
passing on knowledge. Her students are her life, as is evidenced by the number of PhD and
MSc graduates she supervised over the years. What Prof Nyokong has achieved in scholarly
terms is quite staggering, as assessed by volume, impact, and influence of her work nationally
and internationally. She literally oozes passion for science – doing it, teaching it, promoting
it, financing it, and applying it. Her research outputs are amongst the highest of any
individual in South Africa, and the contribution to the scholarly reputation of Rhodes is
immense. Her individual contribution to accredited outputs at Rhodes number 34.7 per year
on average,” mentioned Professor Mabizela.
