Raised in a village in Louis Trichart, Limpopo, Dr Mapula Razwinani has proven that the sky is not the limit. Dr Razwinani was chosen as one of the seven phenomenal women scientists at the 2023 L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science National Awards ceremony (FWIS).
Dr Razwinani is a post-doctoral fellow under the Technology, Transfer and Innovation unit at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). She said she was ecstatic when she finally obtained this award after her application was consecutively rejected in 2018 and 2019. Her research focuses on the use of plant extracts encapsulated in hydrocolloid bandages for the future treatment of burn wounds. She was awarded a research grant to advance her research.
“It all started when I was doing my PhD in 2018. My supervisor who is now my mentor, Prof Keolebogile Motaung, the director of Technology, Transfer and Innovation at DUT, assisted me with my application for the 2018 L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Fellowships to support young women scientists,” said Dr Razwinani. “Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. In 2019, Prof Motaung encouraged me to apply again, but I was unsuccessful. When the call for 2023 came out, I was encouraged to apply again and this time I was successful.”
Giving insight on the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science National Programme, Dr Razwinani said it identifies and rewards talented young female scientists in the fields of formal sciences, life sciences, environmental sciences, physical sciences, engineering and technological sciences.
Dr Razwano said she believed that turning her research project into a product which she filed and was granted a patent in South Africa and Europe, is what made her to stand out from the rest of the applicants.
“My product is a plant-derived medicinal composition with a registered national patent number: 2017/08330 and a European patent number: 1883680.3 – 112. I have also developed a prototype of a natural anti-inflammatory ointment product (La-Africa Soother) from medicinal plants that helps relieve muscle and joint aches. It not only relieves muscle and joint pain post-exercise, but it is also preventative, and the product is already on the market,” said Dr Razwinani.
Dr Razwinani said she has had to push herself outside her comfort zone, setting a clear direction for herself and working hard to reach her destination. She believes her achievement is owed to constantly improving herself both personally and professionally, and striving to be the best version of herself that she can be.
She added that her achievement means strengthening the presence and visibility of women in STEAMI. She was recently selected as one of the top 50 young scientists to represent South Africa at the 8th BRICS Young Scientist Forum 2023 under the theme: “The future of education, mindset, and skillset.”
Dr Razwinani said she is passionate about mentoring young scientists in their pursuit of academic and research excellence. She is keen to help them best present their research work at conferences and assist to analyse their research data. She also mentors young entrepreneurs in design thinking, pitching decks and science communication.
DUT Director: Technology, Transfer and Innovation, Prof Motaung commended Dr Razwinani for managing to turn her research into a business and for not only doing it for the sake of publication. Prof Motaung is also the Founder and CEO of Global Health Biotech — which is a business she established from her PhD research.
“At DUT we always encourage our researchers to conduct research that will be able to benefit society. This is enshrined in our ENVISION2030 which encourages our students to be entrepreneurial and innovative to become adaptive graduates who will improve the lives and livelihoods of society. Well done to Dr Razwinani, she has done DUT proud,” said Prof Motaung.
