Innovations

Biosurfactants produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa SB24 (rhamnolipid congeners), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ST34 (surfactin and bacillomycin L analogues and homologues) and pigmented (P1) and non-pigmented (NP1) Serratia marcescens strains (serratamolide and glucosamine derivative homologues) were

A cost-effective tip appendage design that reduces tip leakage vortices in axial flow fans to improve fan performance. The appendage is robust in that it is applicable to various axial flow fan designs and can be installed on currently operational units through retrofitting due to its simplistic

Power plant efficiency is generally determined by projected electricity tariffs and power plant life cycle costs during the design phase. This technology can be installed below wet cooling tower fills to significantly enhance the thermal performance of the cooling towers, resulting in a reduction in

Toxi Trail™ is an educational board game developed at Stellenbosch University to strengthen toxicology knowledge and clinical reasoning among healthcare professionals. Building on earlier game-based learning tools, the design incorporates realistic toxicology scenarios, variable difficulty levels

A scalable pneumatic cushion features an array of pressure-controlled air cells, each equipped with a pressure sensor for closed-loop control. This allows for precise regulation of pressure in high-risk areas, promoting blood flow and reducing localized pressure. The system uses a microcontroller to

The PAGA is an all-in-one anthropometric device designed for preterm and fragile infants, providing accurate, minimally invasive growth measurements in hospital and clinic settings, including low-resource environments. It captures all key metrics in one tool: weight, length, head circumference, foot

This technology introduces a new class of zwitterionic polymers designed to gently break apart lipid bilayers and form stable lipid nanodiscs. These nanodiscs can capture and isolate membrane proteins in an environment that closely mimics their natural state. At the core of the invention is a

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch University has developed a novel solvent-based process for extracting cannabinoids directly from plant-wax waste streams generated during industrial processing. The method uses a simple but effective combination of two immiscible solvents, one

ImmerseCell is a virtual reality experience (VLE) to teach undergraduate and postgraduate students about key cellular structures with an interactive, narrated, guided experience (Figure 1, Figure 2). The team utilised real-world microscopy data of various key cellular structures in the mammalian

This technology makes it possible to grow tiny, three-dimensional (3D) pieces of human heart tissue, called cardiac spheroids. It models the functions of a real heart and recreates key features of cardiometabolic disease such as insulin resistance and high fat levels. What makes this technology a

Researchers at Stellenbosch University have developed a proprietary buffer that enables a high-temperature (50°C) IVT process, solving a key industry challenge. Unlike standard buffers that suffer a ~40% yield loss at high temperature, this formulation maintains ~93% RNA yield with standard enzyme

A biological solution using yeast strains which naturally remove chitinase enzymes responsible for haze formation. Adding these yeast cells to wine or grape must results in a crystal-clear product without the need for bentonite or synthetic additives.