Ukukleliswa Kwesigaba-A Kungonti Wama-Peptide Wase-UKZN

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USolwazi u-Fernando Albericio, ongumcwaningi ohlonishwayo eSikoleni SezeKhemistri NeFiziksi ngomsebenzi wakhe kuma-amino acid aziwa ngokuthi ngama-peptide, uphinde wathola ukukleliswa kwesigaba-A2 yi-National Research Foundation (i-NRF) yaseNingizimu Afrika.

Lesi sigaba sisho ukuthi u-Albericio uyisifundiswa esivelele emhlabeni emkhakheni wakhe omiphumela yocwaningo lwakhe lukhombisa izinga eliphezulu negalelo elimqoka.

IDini eyiNhloko yase-SCP, uSolwazi Ross Robinson, uhalalisele u-Albericio ngakubize ‘ngomsebenzi omuhle kakhulu’.

U-Albericio uthole imibiko ethi ungomunye wongoti abathathu emhlabeni endimeni yakhe, omunye umhlaziyi wathi lo mcwaningi usahlalelwe ngomunye umsebenzi obalulekile. Omunye umcwaningi ubalule ubumqoka begalelo lomsebenzi ka-Albericio kwisayensi yamakhemikhali okubumbeka kwama-peptide njengoba ama-peptide amaningi enzeka emhlabeni isisekelo sawo kuwumsebenzi wethimba lakhe lase-UKZN.

‘Ngiyaziqhenya ngalo mklomelo ngoba kuhlolwe, kwaklonyeliswa umsebenzi we-Peptide Science Laboratory yase-UKZN,’ kusho u-Albericio. ‘Ngemva kweminyaka ecela kweyisishiyagalombili sisebenza e-UKZN, sikwazile ukwenza igumbi lokucwaninga eligxile ekubumbekeni nasekusebenzeni kwama-peptide.’

U-Albericio wethemba ukuthi leli zinga ligcwalisa indawo ye-Peptide Science Laboratory, liphendle indlela yokusungulwa kukaSihlalo wama-Peptide ukuqinisa indawo ye-UKZN endimeni yama-Peptide emhlabeni. Ukholwa wukuthi loku kuzokwenza kuhlonishwe umsebenzi wethimba lonke, elinabantu abevile kuma-20, okukhona kulona izitshudeni ezenza iziqu zeMastazi nezobudokotela, asebeneziqu zobudokotela nomcwaningi omkhulu uSolwazi Garcia de la Torre.

Ngesingaye, u-Albericio wethemba ukuthi lesi sigba sizokwelula isikhathi azosihlala e-UKZN. U-Albericio uvame ukuba kwi-Top 30 yabacwaningi kanti usebhale amaphepha ocwaningo evile kuma-950. Unezincwadi ezine azibhale ngokuhlanganyela nabanye, uwumHleli omKhulu wamabhuku ocwaningo amaningi ezesayensi kanti ukwezinye izigungu zabahleli.

U-Albericio usebe wusolwazi wezocwaningo e-UKZN kusukela ngonyaka wezi-2012, wazibonakalisa ngomsebenzi wakhe ngama-peptide ngocwaningo lwakhe emsebenzini wokwelapha umdlavuza nezinye izifo ezithelelanayo. Ungomunye wabasungula i-Peptide Science Laboratory, engukuphela kwegumbi locwaningo eNingizimu Afrika eligxile ekubumbekeni kwama-peptide okwelapha.

Uhlonishwa kakhulu emhlabeni ngomsebenzi wakhe, okukhona kuwona i-2019 Murray Goodman Scientific Excellence & Mentorship Award kwi-American Peptide Society.

U-Albericio, odabuka e-Spain, wathola iziqu zobudokotela kwezamakhemikhali e-University of Barcelona waqedela ucwaningo lweziqu ezelama ezobudokotela eMelika nase-France. Useke wafundisa izikhawu ezimbili e-University of Barcelona, okubalwa kukona ukuba wumQondisi we-Peptide Research e-Millipore e-Boston. Iminyaka eli-12, wayewuMholi weThimba e-Institute for Research in Biomedicine e-Barcelona no-Rector wokuqala wase-Yachay Tech e-Ecuador.

U-Albericio usebe wumeluleki noma omunye wabeluleki bezitshudeni bezifundo zobudokotela abangama-72 nabangama-70 beziqu zeMastazi. Uwumqambi nomsunguli wezinto kanti indlela enza izinto ngayo ihlanganisa ukufundisa nokucwaninga okugxile ekucobeleleni ulwazi locwaningo emphakathini.

Usefake izicelo zamalayisensi okwenza ama-peptide nokusetshenziswa kwawo kanti ithimba lakhe licwaninga izindlela ezintsha zokuletha imithi nokuhlola ngokubumbeka kwama-peptide, wenza imikhiqizo edayisayo eyevile kuma-30.

U-Albericio ukhuthaza ezamabhizinisi nokuqamba izinto ezintsha njengoba asungula waphinda waba nguMqondisi we-Barcelona Science Park, okwaholela ekusungulweni kwezinkampani ezintsha eziyikhulu.

Uphezu kombhidlango wokusungula i-BioDurban, eyisikhowa sobuchwepheshe bezinto ezingacekeli phansi imvelo, kanti usezigungwini zabaqondisi bezinkampani nezinhlangano ezingenzi nzuzo eziningi.

Amagama: nguChristine Cuénod

Isithombe: Sithunyelwe