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Issue 3, February 2015
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The Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) programme recently celebrated its tenth birthday with the launch of Blazing a biotechnology trail, a collection of profiles of scientists that have contributed to the South African biotechnology sector. The book’s production process was overseen by Dr Manjusha Sunil, Head of the PUB programme, which is based at the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA).
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When crocodiles in Lake Loskop on the Olifants River started dying off in droves in the winter of 2008, baffled local authorities turned to scientists for an explanation. They were worried that what was poisoning the crocodiles would end up in the water supply of the Steve Tshwete District Municipality, downstream of Lake Loskop. |
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For the last few hundred years, South African mines have reaped the rewards of some of the highest-value ore on the planet. But all that is changing now, as ores deplete and social and economic difficulties mount. |
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In recent years, bacteria from the genus Bacillus have shown promise for a number of industrial applications because they secrete enzymes that break down pollutants like chemical oxygen demand (COD, a proxy measure of organic pollutants), ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates. These bacteria can also survive as spores for long periods of time, break down solid waste material and reduce odours. |
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A decade has passed since Peter Rose, Emeritus Professor of Biotechnology at Rhodes University, helped Anglo American to do in six months what Mother Nature left to her own devices would do in 60 years. |
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Biotech Bytes
snippets of the latest in local peer-reviewed research
Read more
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Save the date
upcoming biotech events & conferences to diarise.
Read more
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Book Review
Blazing a biotechnology trail: celebrating biotechnology excellence in South Africa
Read more
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The PUB Programme is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and is implemented by SAASTA. The mandate of PUB is
to promote a clear, balanced understanding of the potential of biotechnology and to ensure broad public awareness, dialogue and
debate about biotechnology and its current and potential applications.
For more information visit www.pub.ac.za or contact
info@pub.ac.za, Tel: 012 392 9300 or Fax: 012 320 7803.
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The articles in this newsletter have been reviewed by independent experts through SAASTA’s
Scientific Editorial Process. For more information please visit saasta.ac.za.
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The PUB newsletter is an initiative of the Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) programme.
The newsletter is developed by ScienceLink.
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