SU Neuropsychiatric Genetics

Our students Kabelo (PhD), Morne (PhD), Dineo (MSc), and Robert (MSc) will be presenting their research at the African Neuroscience Alliance meeting on 4 March 2026.

Their presentations will highlight the exciting and impactful research coming out of the Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group. Best of luck to you all! 🧬🔬🧠

🎄🎁 Merry Christmas from our research group to yours! 🎁🎄
Wishing you joy, peace, and plenty of breakthroughs in the year ahead. 🎉🎄🥳

Proud moment for our group! 🎉🍾

Huge congratulations to Prof. Sian Hemmings, our PI, for receiving the Research Innovation Award: Established Researcher in the Department of Psychiatry. We are honoured to learn and grow under such inspiring leadership ✨❤️

🧬✨Postdoc Opportunity ✨🧬

Join our group in a groundbreaking collaboration with SAMRC & Duke University. We’re seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to advance exposome research in African mental health, exploring how environment, neighbourhood & genomics shape PTSD and stress-related disorders.

📩 Apply now!

🧬🔬🥼Two days, countless discoveries! Our Group hosted a hands-on molecular genetics workshop, guiding SU students, postdocs, and staff through the journey of working with DNA-from sample collection to genotyping.

A huge thank you to all the organisers and participants for making this workshop a success! 🙌

💡 Are you a Master’s student currently enrolled in a Master’s degree programme in neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, bioethics, neurology, neurosurgery, public health medicine, clinical genetics, family medicine, or a related field at any South African university?

💡 Are you interested in learning more about how neuroscience advancements could impact society and approaches for community-engaged neuroscience in Africa?

💡 Are you keen to be mentored by internationally respected experts and to learn alongside an exceptional group of masters trainees from around South Africa, both virtually and at lecture halls within the world-class future-focused research complex of Stellenbosch University’s Biomedical Research Institute and Stikland Psychiatric Hospital?

📍 THEN APPLY NOW for the newly initiated ‘African Neuroscience, Neuroethics and Society’ short course offered through the Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University and funded by the Dana Foundation.

🏆 Competitively selected applicants will be recipients of funding which will cover 1) Course Fees and 2) Accommodation and Travel-related costs to get from different regions of South Africa to Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences for the in-person lecturing and society-engaged activities week.

🌟 This short course is Co-led by Dr. Olivia Matshabane and Prof. Soraya Seedat (Stellenbosch University – South Africa 🇿🇦) together with collaborators Prof. Laila Asmal (Stellenbosch University – South Africa🇿🇦), Dr. Cornelius Ewuoso (University of Witwatersrand – South Africa🇿🇦), Prof. Bonga Chiliza (University of KwaZulu-Natal – South Africa🇿🇦), Prof. Kate Webb (Duke University – United States🇺🇸) and Prof. Judy Illes (University of British Columbia - Canada🇨🇦)

🌟 APPLICATIONS close on 15th October 2025! Apply ASAP!

🌟 Full details for complete applications are listed on the flyer attached and submissions must be submitted to [email protected]

📢 Join us for the next African Neuroscience Alliance meeting!

🧠 Topic: Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance in PTSD: Case of Rwanda after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi

Speaker: Prof Leon Mutesa, MD, PhD

🗓️ Date & Time: 01 October 2025, 13h00 SAST

MS Teams Meeting ID: 360 064 676 069
Password: ME6Ca6DW

Don’t miss this important conversation bringing science, history, and healing

Yesterday, members of the Neuropsychiatric Genetics research group chatted about FASD in Africa, learnt how to make FASD knots and wrote message of hope for expectant mothers encouraging them not to drink alcohol during pregnancy in support of International FASD day.

The 99 knots made were distributed around Tygerberg Medical campus to further spread awareness and encourage alcohol-free pregnancies.

Today is International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day!

FASD is the most common, yet entirely preventable, neurodevelopmental disorder in the world. Globally, it is more prevalent than Autism or ADHD.

South Africa has the highest documented prevalence of FASD in the world. Studies show that up to 31% of school-going children in high risk regions are affected.

Members of our research team are actively investigating the molecular mechanisms that underpin these disorders, with hopes of finding biological markers that can identify children at high-risk earlier in life and mitigate some of the symptoms they experience.

FASD is a life-long condition, but also the most preventable. Let’s stand together and spread the message that no amount of alcohol is safe to drink during pregnancy.

Our lab was invited to present an overview of our research at the FMHS Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics Friday Seminar. Prof Hemmings opened with an overview of our group, followed by presentations from our PhD students Morne, Lauren, Aqeedah, and Kabelo.

Well done to all presenters 👏🏾👏🏾

Session 1 on Mental Health and Neuroscience, chaired by our PI Prof Sian Hemmings, ended with two fascinating talks from our MSc and PhD students, Dineo and , respectively.

Well done to all presenters!👏🏾

Yesterday gave a brilliant presentation on the progress of her PhD research at the Department of Psychiatry Academic Day🧬📚❤️

Her PhD research is focused on investigating methylation profiles of HIV and Childhood Trauma in a South African cohort.

Well done Aqeedah!👏🏾