29/10/2026
𝗨𝗙𝗛’𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀, 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀
Three newly awarded research chairs at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) are bringing science to bear on questions with direct relevance to public health, water safety and local livelihoods.
From investigating medicinal plants for potential drug development to tracking pathogens in wastewater and exploring ways to turn discarded materials into useful products, the three South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) chairs at UFH are addressing challenges affecting communities, particularly in the Eastern Cape, while contributing to issues of national importance
Awarded by the National Research Foundation (NRF), the chairs are held by Associate Prof Lisa Valencia Buwa-Komoreng, in Medicinal Plants and Drug Development; Prof Anthony Okoh, in Water Quality and Environmental Genomics; and Prof Amon Taruvinga, in Circular Economy: Leveraging Smart Technologies for Sustainable Ecologies, Food Security and Climate Resilience.
They were officially launched on 28 October, bringing the University’s total number of research chairs to seven, four of which are SARChI. They add to a growing research community that now includes 63 NRF-rated researchers, up from 29 in 2021, while supporting postgraduate and postdoctoral training in specialist fields.
Speaking during the launch, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Partnerships and Innovation, Dr Nthabiseng Taole-Mjimba, said the three chairs are not just research appointments, but an investment in people and research aimed at addressing societal challenges.
READ MORE | https://www.ufh.ac.za/research/ufhs-new-research-chairs-address-health-risks-water-safety-and-local-livelihoods
