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Prof. Ndimba is an Associate Professor and Principal Investigator of the Proteomics group at UWC and heads up the ARC’s National Agri-Proteomics Research and Services Unit.

Proteins are much more than just the meat on your plate. If you think of cells of living organisms as factories with a specific function, then proteins are the tiny molecular machines that do all the work inside the factories. National Research Foundation Y1-rated researcher, Professor Bongani Ndimba, has devoted his time to becoming an expert in looking for and identifying the full set of proteins in a cell, which is known as the proteome

The types of proteins in cells change, depending on surrounding conditions. For example, some specific proteins are present in obese rats that are absent in normal rats. These proteins are called biomarkers, and Prof. Ndimba’s research focuses on finding these proteins that relate to certain conditions. Very specific detection of biomarkers via proteomics tools, in combination with nanoparticles could lead to better diagnostics, as well as targeted drug delivery to specific cells. Applications in agriculture are critical as well. As Prof Ndimba says: “Nanotechnology in food production and medical health will be equally important in future.”

Prof. Ndimba obtained his BSc and BSc (Hons) in Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and his PhD at the University of Durham, UK.