Innovations

South Africa harbours the highest number of rape incidents in the world, and sexual assault and rape cases in the entire SADC region are estimated at a minimum of 55 000 cases per year. Crime scene investigations utilise DNA technology on a regular basis. In cases of rape or sexual abuse, male

The risk of occupational exposure to aerosolised bio-contaminants (potentially pathogenic viruses, bacteria and yeasts) in dentistry and the dental office environment has been highlighted in the literature for many years. Removal of these aerosols would decrease oral healthcare workers' risk of

The collection and preservation of biological material for further DNA and RNA analysis are critical to many biomedical fields, from medical diagnostics to forensics and biodiversity conservation. The Forensic DNA lab at the University of the Western Cape has developed a novel, proprietary DNA

Surfactants are amphipathic molecules with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties that partition preferentially at the interface between fluid phases, such as oil/water or air/water interfaces. Such characteristics confer excellent detergency, emulsifying, foaming, and dispersing traits, which

HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately impact sub-Saharan Africa, where it remains a leading cause of illness and death among children. Paediatric HIV progresses at an alarming rate, with 20–30% of untreated infants succumbing to the disease within their first year. Without timely intervention

This technology offers a next-generation creatine powder formulated with food-grade components that enable instant mixing in water and long-term shelf stability. When added to liquid, the powder disperses rapidly and forms a clear, grit-free solution within seconds, avoiding the sedimentation and

Acute kidney injury presents as a rapid decrease in renal function and can be caused by severe trauma, illness, surgery or chronic medication, such as the use of antiretroviral treatment. Many assays used in disease detection were developed decades ago, and their performance is lacking. This is the

Drug regimens have not been optimised for individuals of African descent. This is due to several converging factors, including Africa’s diverse genetics, disproportionate disease burdens (and consequently a high dependency on specific drug regimens), as well as under-representation of local

The invention relates to the design of a robust membrane for desalination using membrane distillation (MD). Although MD technology has advanced over the years, its industrial application for the treatment of brackish water and seawater is still lagging. This invention exhibits advantages over the

The invention relates to the use of maghemite nanoparticles at pH < 5 to remove sulphate, manganese, copper, nickel, cobalt and zinc metal ions from acid mine drainage (AMD). In a conventional way of AMD treatment, these pollutants are only removed at higher pH and requires costly alkaline chemicals

A method and apparatus for treating a fluid utilising nanoscience. The impurities in the fluid are trapped by the charged nanoparticles. The fluid is contained in a reactor that includes a moving magnetic system. When the reactor is in use, the moving magnetic system excites the charged

This technology relates to the transdermal treatment of diabetes. In particular, to a formulation for the transdermal delivery of the photoactive antidiabetic agent diosgenin that is encapsulated and protected by an oil-in-water nanoemulsion matrix for the treatment of type 11 diabetes Mellitus