MRC PhD student

Level of study: PhD

Title: Screening for anti-cancer “splicing activity” from plant extracts of South African indigenous plants.

Study Institution: School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand

Research question: There are many claims that are received from traditional health practitioners and also health benefit claims that patients give testimonies of from the use of traditional medicines for cancer. There has been many in vitro bioassay research done based on cytotoxicity testing of medicinal plants. The mechanisms of action of some of these compounds/extracts are unknown and also the scientific verification of these claims for traditional medicines cannot be easily verified using current research methodologies. There is a need therefore to develop appropriate systems for conducting research on traditional medicines used for the treatment of cancer.

Project Summary:  The proposed research will exploit natural product research methodology to identify natural products with targets that regulate splicing to switch from pro-carcinogenic to anti-carcinogenic using specific examples of such splicing. Indigenous South African plants will be screened for anti-cancer “splicing” activity.  Cytotoxic and cell viability assays have been used extensively in the past to screen and identify biologically active compounds. However, splicing assays, while used extensively to identify biological pathways have not, to our knowledge been exposed to similar screens.

Supervisor: Dr Z Dlamini
Mentor: Dr MG Matsabisa
Study Support: MRC Internship
MRC Unit: Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS)