Research focus:

My research is on metabolic syndrome with focus on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. To create a condition that is like the one that occurs when NAFLD develops, hepatocytes are exposed to fatty acid containing medium. These cells are subjected to various platforms of analysis to ascertain the induction of steatosis. This model is useful for studying benign NAFLD. For more severe state (NASH) the cell-cell interaction has been identified to be the cause of inflammation and not just the accumulation of fatty acid intracellularly.  Co-culture is a useful model to study NASH. For systemic understanding a mouse (C57/BL6J) or a spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) are used as they encompass most of the clustered risk factors that are pro-NAFLD development. The goal of performing the research in this area is to get an understanding the pathophysiology of the disease. However, the understanding of the disease is not the endpoint but finding ways to curb the disease form part of the desired achievements. Previous research used a green Rooibos extract to assess its efficacy against NAFLD. In addition to plant-based interventions the current development include investigation on the use of small molecules to treat NAFLD.

Biography:

Dr. Kwazi Gabuza is a Senior Scientist at the SAMRC-Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform. He obtained his BSc. Biochemistry and Microbiology degree at the University of Zululand in 2001. His Ph.D. is in Biotechnology from the University of the Western Cape, which he obtained in 2013. For most part of his career he researched on non-communicable diseases starting with his project that he did on diabetes for his Honours and Masters thesis. For his PhD he researched serum biomarkers for obesity in a Wistar rat model using proteomics and bioinformatics approaches. He started his teaching and supervision in 2014 when he joined UNISA as a Senior Lecturer in the College of Agriculture. He is having an interest in teaching and learning including skills transfer as a researcher through supervision of upcoming scientist at their Masters and PhD level. As a way of developing himself to align to the changing world of projects he obtained his Advanced Diploma in Business Project Management from the University of Cape Town in 2017. He is having interest in animal model development for drug testing. Early disease diagnostics is also of interest to him for prevention of disease progression to severe stages.