Dr Silungile Mhlongo’s PhD research focused on using a basic chemical structure combined with other biologically active scaffolds to develop bioassays with improved activity for the creation of alternative pharmaceuticals that could treat bacterial infections, cancer, tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes.
Mhlongo, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand where she is expanding her research and teaching skills, explored the broad spectrum of biological and anti-disease activities of the quinoxaline scaffold, a carbon- and nitrogen-based frame found in many chemical compounds upon which different molecules can be created.
Supervised by Professor Neil Koorbanally, Mhlongo developed a compound that showed better potency than an anti-cancer drug, 5-fluorouracil, when tested against a human liver cell line while another performed better than kanamycin, an antibacterial drug, when tested against the multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium.
Before embarking on PhD studies, Mhlongo completed her undergraduate, honours and master’s degrees at UKZN, drawn to the institution for its reputation for academic excellence, status as one of South Africa’s leading universities, and diverse academic programmes. She particularly appreciated the supplemental assistance provided to students by the University and the opportunities to engage with like-minded researchers.
Having had a lifelong fascination with science and medicine, particularly the formulation of medicines, Mhlongo was keen to learn about drug development and to work towards doing research that would improve people’s lives.
Her PhD was not without its challenges; the COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted time in the laboratory and affected the functionality of equipment that was not in use during this period. Despite the delays, the sound planning of syntheses and the setting up of reactions meant Mhlongo was as ready as she could be once instruments were in good working order again. When some of her reactions did not work as planned, she used the knowledge of organic chemistry gained during her undergraduate studies to design a new synthetic route and overcome the setback.
Mhlongo presented her PhD research at the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science’s (CAES) Postgraduate Research and Innovation Symposium in 2021, 2022, and 2023 – winning the second prize in her School for her oral presentation in 2022 and first prize for her flash presentation in 2023. In 2023, she also presented her work at the KwaZulu-Natal South African Chemical Institute (SACI) Colloquium, receiving first prize in the PhD oral category, and presented a poster at the 16th Frank Warren Conference in Limpopo.
During her PhD studies, Mhlongo worked as a teaching assistant, laboratory demonstrator and Supplemental Instruction leader and co-ordinator for various Chemistry modules. Implementing good time management and using a structured schedule helped her manage her commitments while focusing on her PhD.
Mhlongo thanked her family members for their emotional support; Koorbanally for his supervision and mentorship; friends and colleagues for their support and assistance; close friends for their patience and encouragement; the National Research Foundation; CAES for funding her studies; as well as the Chemistry discipline’s technical staff on the Westville campus for their willingness to assist.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini
