Say hello to Kamvelihle Menze! 👋 🔬 MSc candidate. 🎯 Developing a new probe to test TB drug resistance. 💡 Future scientist, alternate-universe attorney. ⚖️ #SciComm #TBResearch #WomenInScience #LabLife

Taking our research to the community! 🌍 Our amazing MSc candidates, Kamvelihle and Pelokazi, had an inspiring time at the Saldanha Science Career Expo. 🗣️✨ Spreading knowledge, sparking curiosity.🧪 So proud of these future leaders in science! #TBGenomics

🌟 When schools are on holiday, our university lab turns into a space for young explorers! 🧪👩🏽‍🔬👨🏾‍🔬 We love opening our doors to inspire the next generation of scientists in South Africa 🇿🇦 Among many fun and hands-on experiences, the children learned how to extract bacterial DNA.

🌟 Meet Pelokazi Siyengu! An MSc candidate in our TB Genomics Group 🔬🧬, she studies why some DR-TB patients stay culture-positive for months 😷💊. Using WGS, she uncovers mutations & resistance patterns behind this persistence. If not a scientist, she’d be a physio! 💪💛

New Paper Alert by Ngom et al.! 🚨 In South Africa’s Western Cape, a Beijing-type TB strain is driving XDR-TB, even resisting new drugs like bedaquiline. Genomics helps reveal hidden resistance & hotspots to target control. 📖 https://t.co/BR1jLct6d9 #Tuberculosis #Genomics

🌍 Happy Heritage Day, South Africa (and World)! 🎉 This week, we celebrate the rich diversity of cultures, traditions and stories that shape our nation. #HeritageDay reminds us of the power of collaboration across various communities, valuing each other's backgrounds.

🌟 #Friday5 #MeetTheTeam We’re thrilled to spotlight Dr Nandi Niemand, postdoc at @TBGenomics 🔬✨ She studies TB & HIV transmission in high-risk settings 🌍🧬 Fun fact: she’d be a vet or run a doggy day-care 🐶🙌 Hands up, dog lovers! #WomenInSTEM #GlobalHealth #TBGTeam

🎉 It’s a festive #Friday5! In our Meet the Team series, we celebrate Dr Hanno Loubser, TBG postdoc focusing on bioinformatics analysis, on his birthday today! 🥳 If not a scientist, he’d be a tennis coach & motivational speaker. He’s also a professional runner and a cat dad 🐱.

✨ At the SA AIDS Conference, TBGenomics PhD candidate Tuelo Mogashoa shared important findings on rifampicin-resistant #tuberculosis in people living with HIV in Botswana. Well done, Tuelo! @SUhealthsci @SuMBHG

🌟 #Friday5: Meet the TBG Team! We’re proud to spotlight Jennifer Williams, PhD candidate at TBG 🔬🧬 Her research focuses on Deeplex, a WHO-endorsed NGS test for M. tuberculosis diagnostics. If not a scientist, she’d be a stable yard manager & riding instructor 🐎.

🌟 Today's #Friday5 #MeetTBGteam, we spotlight Felicia Wells, Research Assistant at @tbgenomics ✨ She focuses on Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) performance: in both research application & capacity building 🔬🧬. If not a scientist, she’d be a farmer or chef 🚜👩‍🍳.

✨ Last Tuesday we had our mid-year lab social event 🎉. One of the highlights was a fun balloon-blowing contest 🫧, and guess who came out on top of the ranking? 👀 Check out the photos! 📸

✨ Making our presence felt again! ✨ Some of our amazing Master’s, PhD students, and postdocs served as judges at the 2025 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists 🧪🔬, held on Tuesday, 19. What an incredible experience connecting with the brilliant minds shaping the future of science

🌟 This #WomensMonth in 🇿🇦, we spotlight Dr Melanie Grobbelaar, a research scientist with 12 years at TBG! She studies Mtb, through bacterial fitness, host–pathogen interaction, diagnostics, NGS & phenotypic tests 🔬.

✨ Wrapping up our participation in the Annual Academic Day, we were proud to deliver three oral presentations in the Infectious Diseases Section conducted by Jennifer Williams, Brendon Mann and Emilyn Costa. Looking forward to next year 🚀.

✨ Poster at #69thAnnualAcademicDay ✨ Our lovely #TBGenomics member, Mishka Haffejee, is presenting her Master’s project on Mycobacterium tuberculosis Lineage 2 🧬. She’s ready for your questions 🎤💡 Come by her poster and get the latest updates! 🚀📊 @SuMBHG @SuMBHG

✨ Yesterday we wrapped up the 69th Annual Academic Day in the Infectious Diseases Section, with outstanding presentations chaired by our @TBGenomics leader, Prof. Robin Warren. @SUhealthsci @SUhealthsci

Here my advice for young scientists: while technical and lab expertise are vital, core skills such as writing for non-specialists can open new doors - from securing grants to creating broader impact for scientific publications. See #RealTalkResearch series -

🌟 The 69th Annual Academic Day (@SUhealthsci) continues: Prof. Nico Gey van Pittius opened with the role of FHMS in SA research. Dean Prof. E. Muller reminded us of balance & self-care. Guest Prof. Liesl Zühlke stressed diversity & representation in science.

📢 #69thAnnualAcademicDay2025 begins today at @su_mbhg @SUhealthsci Our members are prepared to present their projects and highlight their contributions to science and innovation. Come and connect with our PhD candidate Zainab Kashim-Bello 👩🏽‍🔬💡