Young Scientist Programme 2027

Young Scientist Programme 2027

On behalf of the IUBMB FASBMB SASBMB Organising Committee we are delighted to invite applications from early career researchers to participate in a two-day scientific and networking event prior to the IUBMB 2027 Congress. 

The Young Scientist Programme (YSP 2027) will be taking place from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 September 2027 outside the charming town of Stellenbosch at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains (about 50km from Cape Town). It will bring together outstanding PhD candidates and early-career researchers (within 10 years of obtaining their PhD).

The two-day scientific and networking programme will include:

  • Lectures by prominent biochemists and molecular biologists
  • Research presentations by participants
  • A panel discussion with established scientists
  • Social events and networking opportunities

Applications for the YSP 2027 will open in 2026.

YSP Fellowships

We aim to attract a diverse group of participants from around the world, with a special emphasis on Africa.

Selected participants will receive a fellowship which includes:

  • Free attendance of the YSP 2027
  • Free registration for the IUBMB 2027 Congress.
  • A contribution towards their travel costs or have the sponsorship of a member of such a society.
  • A contribution towards their accommodation costs during the congress.

 

Eligibility

Applicants should:

  • Not have previously attended an IUBMB Young Scientist Programme
  • Be currently registered PhD candidates or early career scientists (within 10 years of receiving their PhD at the start of the YSP).
  • Be a member of a National Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology that is an (Associate) Adhering Body of IUBMB.

For a list of these bodies please use this link: https://iubmb.org/about/adhering-bodies-and-associate-adhering-bodies/

We look forward to welcoming you to Cape Town.

Dr Monique Williams and Professor Addmore Shonai
Co-chairs – Young Scientist Programme

Paul Kappo
Prof Abidemi Paul Kappo is a full Professor of Biochemistry and Group Leader of the Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology Group at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a structural biologist with over 25 years of academic research experience. He obtained his PhD from the University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa, by determining the structure of the RING finger domain of the splicing-associated protein, RBBP6, using heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. His research focuses on applying structural biology and structural bioinformatics techniques to discover and design new/novel biopharmaceuticals against infectious diseases. Additionally, dissecting the nexus between schistosomiasis and other infectious diseases for biotherapeutics, as well as schistosomiasis and cancer for vaccinomics, using molecular biophysics techniques and biomathematics, has been at the forefront of his research lately. He is a rated researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, has published widely on infectious diseases, and has graduated several MSc and PhD students. His research has been primarily funded in the past generously by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and, lately, by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF). Prof Kappo is highly skilled in scientific organization and advocacy, having served as the President of the South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SASBMB) for two terms (2018-2022) and is presently the Vice-President of the Federation of African Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (FASBMB) since 2022. He is a visiting scientist at the Department of Biochemistry, Lagos State University (LASU), and holds an adjunct Research Professorship with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos, Nigeria.

Monique Williams
Designation: Senior lecturer
My research is focused on studying the physiology of mycobacteria, with a specific interest in biosynthetic pathways that are required by the bacteria during infection. Pathways of interest include molydopterin co-factor biosynthesis, ergothioneine biosynthesis and iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis.

Karl Storbeck
Karl Storbeck (PhD) is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University and a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, UK. He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry (SU) in 2008 and was appointed to Faculty in 2012. His research is focused on investigating the biosynthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones with a particular focus of understanding the role of 11-oxygenated androgens in health and disease.

Theresa Coetzer
Professor Theresa Coetzer (University of KwaZulu-Natal) received her PhD in Biochemistry from the former University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. She was a J William Fulbright Fellow at the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA in 1995 and is a former President of the South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SASBMB). Her research focusses on proteolytic enzymes as diagnostic and drug targets in African parasitic diseases: mainly animal and human trypanosomiasis (nagana and sleeping sickness) and also trichinellosis and theileriosis. Her research expertise encompasses protein/protease isolation and characterisation, and immunochemical techniques, including chicken egg yolk antibody (IgY) production against peptide epitopes and proteins.

Addmore Shonhai
Addmore Shonhai is Professor of Biochemistry based at the University of Venda in South Africa. His research involves understanding the role of heat shock proteins in the development infectious agents. Another area of interest involves using heat shock proteins as biotechnological tools to enhance recombinant protein production in E. coli. He is a current council member of the South African Society of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (SASBMB). He is a recipient of a prestigious Georg Foster Fellowship, awarded to him by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany. He is life-time member of the Cell Stress International Society.

Francois van der Westhuizen
Francois started his academic career in 1993 as junior lecturer and is currently Professor of Biochemistry and the Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) at the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the North-West University (NWU). His teaching expertise has been enzymology, molecular biology and bioenergetics. After receiving his PhD in 1998, his research focus narrowed to mitochondrial disease. Since 2002 he helped establish the Mitochondria Research Group at the NWU, which focusses on mitochondrial- and other neuromuscular diseases in SA, as well as research on bioenergetics and mtDNA and their role in health and disease.

Jo-Anne de la Mare
Prof Jo-Anne de la Mare is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics at Rhodes University and President of the South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. As the Principal Investigator of the Female Cancers Research at Rhodes University (FemCR2U) group, her research focuses on preclinical drug discovery for female cancers including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and cervical cancer. In addition, the development of drug resistance models for triple negative breast cancer and cervical cancer cell lines from South African women is geared towards developing more relevant disease models for the African context.

Ed Sturrock
Ed Sturrock is a full professor in the Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences and a founding member of the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM) at the University of Cape Town. He received his PhD in 1994 and went on to do a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School where he started his research on angiotensin-converting enzyme. In 2003 he was awarded a Wellcome Trust International Senior Research Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa and the University of Cape Town, a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, has a National Research Foundation A2 rating, and is a recipient of the South African Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Gold Award. He has published over 130 papers in peer-reviewed international journals and five granted patents.

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