Recognising staff and students who have had a significant impact on local, national and international communities through research, learning, teaching and exhibited exemplary behaviour form an integral part of the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) goals that demonstrates the institution’s values and principles.
The most prestigious academic event on the DUT calendar was the recent 2022 ENVISION2030 Institutional Awards which was held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC).
This prestigious event honoured the DUT staff and students who through their efforts had contributed to the development of their society to improve lives and livelihoods. Also, DUT is focussed towards transforming society entrepreneurially, and the need to improve the institutional culture, that should arise out of its Living Values Framework.
One of the sterling academics who made academic headlines was for the Senior Researcher of the Year Award: The criteria for this award required at least six accredited publication units for the award year.
The award went to Professor Saheed Sabiu, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science of the university. Besides his active involvement in teaching and learning including Collaborative International Online Learning (COIL), he currently leads the Computational and Systems Biology Research Group, where they bioprospect for secondary metabolites against degenerative and microbial diseases for new small molecule therapeutic targets discovery and development.
When asked his thoughts on winning such an accolade, Prof Sabiu commented that he was highly elated and humbled when his name was called. “This was particularly so, when you consider the calibres of renowned and established researchers at DUT and the journey and preparatory works that eventually culminated into winning the award,” he said.
The magnetic Professor also has interests in the molecular dynamics of enteric and respiratory viruses using whole-genome sequencing and metagenomic approaches. He further mentioned that his Research Group comprisespostgraduate students (Masters and PhDs) and postdoctoral fellows that are being mentored towards their respective qualifications and grooming as next generation of emerging scholars/researchers.
“It was noteworthy that my Research Group (Computational and Systems Biology Research Group) was also awarded as the Research Group of the year, while two of my postgraduate students, Jamiu Aribisala and Athika Rampadarath clinched the awards of the Top Doctoral (Platinum) and Top Master’s (Gold) students Awards, respectively during the function,” he added elatedly.
In terms of the criteria for this award which required at least six accredited publication units, Prof Sabiu expressed that his more than 20 book chapters and peer-reviewed published articles in DHET accredited journals totalling over eight publication units must have been considered for this award in the year under review. “Majority of these papers featured molecular modelling and cheminformatics bioprospection of plant secondary metabolites for identification of novel lead compounds against degenerative diseases such as microbial infections and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Some of them were published in accredited journals such as Computers in Biology and Medicine (IF: 7.7), Pharmaceutics (IF: 6.5), Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics (IF: 6.25), Viruses (IF: 5.8), Journal of Diabetes Research (IF: 4.1) and Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling (IF: 3.16),” he remarked.
Prof Sabiu indicated the importance of such awards as it showcases the kind of relevant and timely research being conducted alongside the kind of students and researchers involved in active research in the institution.
For Prof Sabiu, he has previously had the privilege of being awarded both the Faculty Researcher of the year (Gold) and Emerging Researcher of the year awards.
In terms of what is forthcoming from him for 2024, Prof Sabiu imparted that training and mentoring of postgraduate students as a way of knowledge transfer and human capacity development in microbial metagenomics and appreciation of computational tools and modules for new molecule therapeutic targets will continue to form major part of his research activities with the possibility of organising an international conference on the same theme in the second quarter of the year.
Pictured: Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Prof Fulufhelo Nemavhola hands over the Award to Prof Saheed Sabiu.
Waheeda Peters
