Dr
Nontobeko
Thema
I am a Research Scientist at Agricultural Research Council, with a research interest in the field of veterinary immunology and vaccine development. I have experience conducting and executing research; analyzing and interpreting scientific data; applying for research grants; writing and communicating, and reviewing scientific articles. Through my research experience, I acquired skills in Molecular Biology: recombinant protein expression, molecular cloning; Cellular Immunology assay: LPA, cytokine profiling using qPCR, flow cytometry, ELISPOT; Vaccine development: construction of DNA vaccine, Bioinformatics skills: sequence analyses, primer design, T cell epitope mapping, heartwater vaccine animal trials. I have been involved with research on immunology and vaccine development for diseases like and Rift Valley Fever virus and Lumpy skin disease. I have authored and co-authored five peer-reviewed publications for heartwater. I have contributed to grant applications and we received the RMRDT grant (2012-2014), NRF-Thuthuka grant (2017), and GDARD grant (2017-2018). My Ph.D. studies were on an NRF\THRIP\OBP\RMRDT funded project (2013-2015) on heartwater multi-epitope DNA vaccine; which has since, come to an end and a provisional patent has been filed which I am one of the inventors. I have experience tutoring undergraduate students and informal and formal training of postgraduate students.
I recently obtained my PhD at the University of Pretoria in the Faculty of Veterinary Science. My research was based on the identification and characterisation of Ehrlichia ruminantium vaccine candidate epitopes. Through my passion I mastered the research skills on PCR, protein expression, Elispot assay, real-time PCR, Flow cytometry (proliferation assays, intracellular and surface staining) MHC typing and vaccine constructs development, use of biodegradable nanoparticles for vaccine development.
Single dose new generation heartwater vaccine for smallholder farmers