Department of Physiology - University of Pretoria

2025 Group photo - Honours project presentations

Celebrating Our Students’ Success at SACCMA 2025!
Proud of our students for winning prizes for their research at the SACCMA conference!
What an incredible conference, the LOC truly pulled out all the stops. Stellenbosch was absolutely perfect, the delegates from all over the world were friendly, and the science was top-notch. Amazing to connect with friends and celebrate great research!

🎓 The 5 Oscars: Teaching and Learning! 🌟
The Faculty of Health Sciences proudly celebrates five outstanding colleagues from the Department of Physiology, Janine, Candice, Vangi, Janette, and Peace, for their remarkable achievements in Teaching and Learning. 🏆
Your dedication, passion, and innovation inspire students and colleagues, reflecting the spirit of excellence we uphold at the University of Pretoria. 👏
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! 💛

✨ Big News from Germany! ✨

From 14–16 September 2025, Prof Peace Mabeta, Prof. Trevor Nyukudya, Prof. Mia van Rooy, and Dr. Sandra Tatchum showcased their work at the 11th IUPS Workshop for Physiology Education in Löwenstein, Germany. 🇩🇪

We’re especially proud of Prof. Nyukudya, whose poster walked away with 2nd place in the Research Poster Awards! 🥈

We’re especially proud of Prof. Nyukudya, whose poster won 2nd place in the Research Poster Awards! 🥈 Rank at the 11th IUPS Workshop for Physiology Education in Löwenstein, Germany. 🇩🇪�

Tribute
We honour the memory of Prof. Richard Steven Kwaku Apatu. His influence, friendship, and unwavering commitment to his work continue to inspire all who knew him.

University of Pretoria MSc Student Wins First Place at National Physiology Conference
Ms. Dianay Maans, a Master’s student in the Department of Physiology at the University of Pretoria, recently achieved first place in the prestigious Cyril Wyndham Competition at the annual Physiology Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) Congress, hosted this year by North-West University in Potchefstroom.
Her research, titled “Comparison of the expression of exosomal microRNA in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer cell lines”, explores how exosomes, small extracellular vesicles that carry genetic and molecular information, may influence the spread of breast cancer.
Reflecting on her achievement, Ms Maans expressed gratitude to her supervisors, Dr. Abe Kasonga and Dr. Michelle Visagie, for their mentorship and support. She described attending the PSSA Congress as an “extraordinary experience” that allowed her to present her work, engage with leading researchers, and feel part of a greater scientific purpose. “Winning 1st prize in the Wyndham Competition is such an honour, and I am deeply grateful for the recognition of my work,” she said.
The Congress also provided opportunities to network, exchange knowledge, and gain valuable feedback. Ms Maans was supported through a PSSA travel grant, which she described as “a blessing and a privilege.” She added: “This journey has shaped me as a young scientist, deepened my resilience and passion for research, and motivates me to keep striving for excellence. I believe this is just the beginning.”
Congratulations to Ms Dianay Maans on this outstanding achievement!

Congratulations! 🎉

We are proud to announce that Ms. Shoba Govender and Mr. Michael Kleynhans have been selected as Finalists at the PAFSA Summit & South Africa’s PA of the Year™ 2025.

A special congratulations also goes to Maryna Botha, who has been recognized as a Semi-Finalist—a remarkable achievement!

It is truly outstanding that two finalists and one semi-finalist all come from the Department of Physiology, School of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria. This achievement highlights the dedication, professionalism, and excellence of our department.

Physiology Spring day - 2025

✨𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗜-𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 ✨

Meet Maryna Botha, Administrator in the Department of Physiology at the University of Pretoria, and one of the Top 9 Semi-Finalists for South Africa’s PA of the Year Award™ 2025!

As shared in her nomination:
“𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑛𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒. 𝐻𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐, 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑡ℎ 𝑢𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.”

Congratulations, Maryna — your drive, professionalism, and positive influence make you a true asset to your organisation and a shining example of leadership in action.