SAMRC mourns the passing of Prof Tandi Matsha-Erasmus
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) mourns the passing of Professor Tandi Matsha-Erasmus, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) and Director of the SAMRC Extramural Cardiometabolic Research Unit. Her passing is a profound loss to the South African and African scientific community, where she was widely respected as a distinguished researcher, academic leader, mentor, and champion of health research.
After completing her National Diploma in Medical Technology, Prof Matsha-Erasmus joined the Department of Chemical Pathology in the Faculty of Medicine at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in 1996. This marked an important step towards fulfilling her ambition of pursuing a career in academia and research. She advanced her academic qualifications and obtained a PhD from the University of Cape Town in 2004.
In 2007, she joined the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), where she established and grew a highly successful research programme that became a leading contributor to understanding the burden of cardiometabolic diseases among mixed-ancestry South Africans. Prof Matsha-Erasmus was deeply committed to conducting research that was relevant, impactful, cost-effective, and responsive to the needs of African communities. She was a strong advocate for research conducted by Africans, in Africa, for Africa.
Under her leadership, her research team produced the first studies investigating the epigenetics of diabetes in African populations. These pioneering contributions significantly advanced understanding of population-specific epigenetic markers and their role in diabetes and related cardiometabolic diseases. Through an extensive portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international scientific forums, she earned widespread recognition as one of Africa’s leading authorities in diabetes and epigenetics research.
In recognition of her sustained research excellence and international standing, the National Research Foundation (NRF) awarded her a C1 rating, reserved for established researchers with a sustained record of high-quality outputs and impact.
Professor Matsha-Erasmus founded the Cardiometabolic Health Research Unit while at CPUT, creating a multidisciplinary platform for researchers to collaborate on an integrated programme investigating obesity, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and chronic kidney disease. The Unit adopted a holistic approach to understanding the complex interplay between inflammation, genetics, epigenetics, the microbiome, and oxidative stress in the development of cardiometabolic diseases, with a particular focus on context-specific factors affecting African populations.
Even after her appointment as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of SMU in June 2025, she continued to provide strategic leadership to the Cardiometabolic Health Research Unit, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to advancing scientific discovery and improving health outcomes.
Beyond her remarkable research achievements, Prof Matsha-Erasmus was deeply passionate about research capacity development and mentorship. She dedicated significant effort to nurturing the next generation of scientists, supporting emerging researchers, and creating opportunities for postgraduate students and early-career academics to thrive. Her commitment to building sustainable research capacity has left a lasting legacy that will continue to shape South African science for years to come.
As a leader, scholar, and mentor, Prof Matsha-Erasmus combined academic excellence with a clear vision for institutional transformation and student success. In her own words, she was "dedicated to enhancing academic quality, student success, and operational efficiency".
Her legacy lives on through the many students she mentored, the researchers she inspired, the institutions she strengthened, and the groundbreaking scientific contributions she made in advancing cardiometabolic health research in Africa.