REGISTRATION
INFORMATION
World University Rankings - Top 600

DUT STUDENTS EXCEL AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY-KZN SYMPOSIUM

DUT STUDENTS EXCEL AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY-KZN SYMPOSIUM

Two Durban University of Technology (DUT) Biotechnology students, Ms Cherise Elisha and Mr Buka Magwaza, recently obtained first position in sessions A and B, respectively, at the 34th Annual South African Society for Microbiology (SASM)-KZN Symposium.

The SASM-KZN Symposium is an annual event held at the end of each year for Microbiology and Biotechnology honours students from KwaZulu-Natal, where their research projects presentations are evaluated and judged by various experts in the field.

This year (2021) 36 students from DUT and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) participated, and the presentations were held in two parallel sessions. Each student was given 15 minutes to present their honours research project. Magwaza was adjudged first in session A and Elisha came out top in session B.

Magwaza’s project was titled: Characterisation and application of Beauveria bassiana SAN01 β-glucosidase produced from agricultural residues. The supervisors were DUT’s Prof Santhosh Pillai and Dr Ayodeji Amobonye.

Magwaza (23) from Inanda said winning this competition means a lot as he is the first graduate in his family, which encouraged him to work hard and excel in his studies so he could break the chain of poverty.

“When I was announced as the winner I was not surprised, knowing the struggle that I went through during the year and the weight of results that I had and the fact that they were significant. It was my first time participating in the SASM competition. My project utilised materials considered as waste (agricultural biomass residues) using a fungus Beauveria bassiana for the production of an industrially important enzyme, beta-glucosidase,” said Magwaza.

He expressed his deepest gratitude to his main supervisor, Prof Santhosh Pillai for his invaluable guidance, encouragement, and enthusiasm throughout his study. He also thanked his co-supervisor, Dr Deji Amobonye for his great assistance, sacrifices, and guidance in completing the project as well as Dr Prashant Bhagwat for his valuable suggestions and his family and friends for their endless support. He also extended his appreciation to the National Research Foundation (NRF) for awarding him a scholarship during his studies.

Elisha’s project was titled: Development of an edible bioactive coating from fish skin for fruit preservation. The supervisors were DUT’s Prof Santhosh Pillai and Dr Prashant Bhagwat.

Sharing her excitement at the astonishing achievement, Elisha from Merebank said she is honoured for the recognition, especially since it was her first time entering the competition.

“My project was centralised around the extraction procedures of collagen from the fish skin of Genypterus capensis. The extracted collagen was further combined with other ingredients to form a novel bioactive coating which successfully extended the shelf life of strawberries. The formation of this edible bioactive coating serves as an alternative biological packaging method and may be utilised as a “green” tool which can assist in alleviating the environmental challenges that the Earth is currently facing,” explained Elisha.

She added that her project was unique in the sense that it was the only project which was marine-related and involved the use of collagen extraction procedures. In comparison to other projects, she mentioned that this project involved creating a biological packaging method to improve the shelf life of fruits.

“This achievement means a lot and has taught me that no matter what the obstacles and challenges in life may be like, when you put your mind to something, focus and you are passionate about what you are doing. Only success and achievements can follow through. I am thankful for the support and motivation from my supervisor, Prof Santhosh Pillai and co-supervisor, Dr Prashant Bhagwat, as well as the continuous encouragement from my family and friends who always reminded me to keep the faith,” added Elisha.

According to one of the supervisors, Prof Pillai, both students had put in great effort into their respective projects, and he is glad to see them rewarded for their hard work.

Dr Ayodeji Amobonye opined that the projects were distinct because of their strong theoretical background, sound experimental design, and significant results.

“Their presentation skills were also put into consideration. In addition, their research is considered remarkable based on the fact that they both utilised materials considered as wastes (agricultural residues and fish skin) for the production of valuable bioproducts (β-glucosidase, an industrially important enzyme and collagen, an important animal protein used for various purposes),” explained Dr Amobonye.

Both students continue to showcase academic excellence as last year they both graduated Cum Laude for their Bachelor of Applied Sciences: Biotechnology degrees at the DUT virtual graduation ceremony.

Pictured: Cherise Elisha and Buka Magwaza.

Simangele Zuma

No comments