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"Research"
Rainwater harvesting has been earmarked as an intervention strategy to provide clean and potable water directly to households and thereby alleviate the pressures on existing water systems. Conflicting conclusions have however, been made regarding the quality of harvested rainwater, as microbial and chemical contaminants have previously been detected in rainwater tanks. Following the completion of […]
Author: Alec Basson
The health industry is facing an uphill battle against disease-causing bacteria that have become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. And with very few new antibiotics making it through the discovery pipeline, the lives of millions around the world could be at stake.
It is therefore imperative that we find alternatives […]
The Department of Microbiology proudly delivered four new doctoral graduates who received their degrees during the recent December 2014 and March 2015 graduation ceremonies.
Dr Eunice Nonhlanhla Zwane
Dissertation title: Production, characterisation and application of a recombinant ferulic acid esterase from Aspergillus tubingensis
Dissertation Summary / Tesis Opsomming
Supervisors: Prof M Viljoen-Bloom, […]
Authors: Karin Jacobs, Kathryn Wirth
We asked our third year students to run their own research projects… This is the result!
Author: Wiida Fourie-Basson
A microbiologist and an electronic engineer from Stellenbosch University have developed a proof-of-concept nanowire biological sensor that can identify any of the major disease-causing bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella or Vibrio cholera within ten to fifteen minutes.
In the not too distant future, this combination of nanotechnology and microbiology could make the diagnosis of patients […]
Stellenbosch University is positioning itself as the leading research-focused higher education institution on the African continent. We have aligned our research efforts with national and international development objectives and continue to strive to be a builder of hope in South Africa and Africa. We vigorously pursue research excellence and capacity development and strive to be a true knowledge pioneer […]
The quality of the essential commodity water is being compromised by contaminants originating from anthropogenic sources, industrial activities, and agriculture amongst others. Water scarcity and severe drought in many regions of the world also represents a significant challenge to the availability of this resource. Domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH), which involves the collection and storage of […]
Antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens is a major cause of concern for modern medicine, as this renders these “miracle drugs” ineffective. The accidental discovery of penicillin in 1928 by Alexander Fleming and the countless lives saved by this antibiotic in the 1940’s pioneered modern medicine. However, injudicious use of penicillin and various other antibiotics has […]
New yeast varieties could help improve the clarity and appearance of white wine, writes Ms Thulile Ndlovu, a doctoral student in Wine Biotechnology at Stellenbosch University (SU), in the November edition of WineLand Magazine.
Full text:
Mannoproteins in the research spotlight
Yeast strains discovered during Ndlovu’s study have the potential to protect against wine haze. These strains […]
