With the help, guidance and support of his supervisors, Professor Suren Singh, Executive Dean in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Professor Kugen Permaul, Biotechnology Research Supervisor and from Professor Zheng – Xiang Wang, Mr Meng Zhang has achieved his dream of graduating with a PhD in Biotechnology, at the Fred Crookes Sports Centre, Steve Biko Campus in Durban.

“I feel so much gratitude for my supervisors’ and my parents’ support, without expecting anything in return and I also feel appreciation for my dear girlfriend’s unconditional love. Without them, I would not have finished my studies,” he said.

Prof Singh and Prof Permaul lead a vibrant Enzyme Technology Research Group, which focuses on the production and application of thermostable enzymes important for the food, detergent, textile, pulp and paper industries as well as the environment. For Zhang, this research group has remarkable research and publications in the field that he is interested in. So for him, the choice to study at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) was an easy one.

He chose to do his PhD research on the microbial production of the valued – added compound, xylitol (a sugar alcohol used as a sugar substitute), from plant waste.

“Lignocellulose is the most abundant renewable biomass on the earth. Last decades, the interest in the utilisation of lignocellulosic materials for the production of industrially important chemicals was continually increasing, since lignocellulose is a low – cost, abundant and sustainable resource. More than 200 value-added compounds were obtained from the lignocellulosic biomass,” he said.

He added that among these compounds, xylitol is a very important target without the petrochemical alternative, and was identified by the United States Department of Energy in 2004 and 2010 as one of promising bio-based chemical platforms to produce fuels, chemical products, and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, he chose such a field as it uses plant waste for value-added compound production.

Undertaking such intense research was not all smooth sailing for Dr Zhang, who said he had no financial backing. Luckily, he had the support of his supervisors, Prof Permaul and Prof Singh, who encouraged and helped him to overcome many obstacles.

Also, juggling his social life and studies were demanding at times but he tried to find a balance.

“Unfortunately, biotechnology is an experimental science and it needs a lot of time – consuming lab work.  So my life trajectory during the PhD study was always between lab and dormitory, the only social life I had was playing football with the church team on Sundays,” he said.

For Dr Zhang, his long term goal is to become a great scientist in his field like his supervisors. However, his short term goal is to finish a few publications and try to find a way to repay the debt which was created during his PhD study.

Pictured: Dr Meng Zhang.

Waheeda Peters