PUB celebrates 10 years of communicating SA biotechnology

	Carolyn Hancock, Director of the DNA Project, receives her copy of the PUB book Blazing a biotechnology trail from SAASTA's Dr Jabu Nukeri (right). Looking on (left) is Sangeeth Chandran of the DST
	Prof. Jennifer Thomson, editor of the book and lead adjudicator of the evaluation process to select the people profiled, in conversation with Dr Kingston Mashingaidze at the book launch. Dr Mashingaidze, Programme Manager for Plant Breeding and Biotechnology at the Agricultural Research Council, is one of the researchers profiled in the book
	Dr Jabu Nukeri, Managing Director of SAASTA and Dr Manjusha Sunil, Project Coordinator of the PUB programme at the book launch
	The PUB 10-year celebratory book profiles 25 successful nominees in four categories who have helped shape the South African biotechnology landscape

The Who's Who of biotechnology in South Africa gathered in Johannesburg on 25 November 2014 to celebrate a decade of existence of the Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) programme* and to recognise the contributions made by individuals, including established and upcoming researchers, in this frontier science.

The PUB programme, an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has since 2003 been playing a significant role in engaging the South African public on critical issues and exciting developments in this rapidly emerging arena. Over ten years down the line, noteworthy contributions made by our own scientists in the global understanding of biotechnology were recognised at a book launch hosted by the PUB programme.

10-year celebratory book

The PUB 10-year celebratory book profiles 25 successful nominees in four categories (Biotechnology Communication, Agricultural Biotechnology, Biotechnology and Health and Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology) who have helped shape the South African biotechnology landscape.

PUB sent out a call for nominations in 2013 and the final list of people profiled were chosen by an evaluation panel under leadership of Prof. Jennifer Thomson of the University of Cape Town (UCT). The book, edited by Prof. Thomson with profiles creatively written by Clinton Whittstock, tells the fascinating stories of the achievements of the profiled scientists.

At the book launch, Dr Jabu Nukeri, Managing Director of SAASTA said that his organisation is proud to have been hosting the PUB programme since its inception in 2003. "The mandate of the PUB programme complements that of SAASTA and together we have been able to create far greater societal awareness about science and technology matters than we would have managed on our own," he said.

Scientists profiled in the book

Biotechnology Communication: Prof. Janice Limson (Rhodes University); Prof. Valerie Corfield (Stellenbosch University); Dr Carolyn Hancock (The DNA Project); Dr Jocelyn Webster (TalaBiotech); and Ms Muffy Koch (Global Biosafety Specialist)

Agricultural Biotechnology: Dr Kingston Mashingaidze (Agricultural Research Council, Potchefstroom); Prof. Johan Burger (Stellenbosch University); Dr Sandy Snyman (South African Sugarcane Research Institute, Mount Edgecombe, KZN); Prof. Donald Arthur Cowan (University of Pretoria); Prof. Marie Emma Christine Rey (University of the Witwatersrand); and Prof. Mark Laing (ACCI-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban Campus)

Biotechnology and Health: Dr Nthato Chirwa (CSIR, Pretoria); Prof. Edward Peter Rybicki (UCT); Dr Marco Alessandrini (University of Pretoria); Dr Antonel Olckers (DNA Biotec); Prof. Michael Sean Pepper (University of Pretoria); Prof. Carolyn Williamson (UCT), and Professor Anna-Lise Williamson (UCT)

Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology: Prof. Peter Rose (Rhodes University); Prof. Jens Kossmann (Stellenbosch University); Prof. Willem Heber (Emile) van Zyl (Stellenbosch University); Dr Hennie Groenewald (Biosafety S.A.); Dr David R Woods (Rhodes University); Dr Douglas E Rawlings (Stellenbosch University); and Prof Leon Milner Theodore Dicks (Stellenbosch University)

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For more information, visit www.pub.ac.za or contact info@pub.ac.za, Tel: 012 392 9300
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Twitter: pub_outreach

* The mandate of the PUB programme, which is implemented by SAASTA, is to promote a clear, balanced understanding of the potential of biotechnology and to ensure broad public awareness, dialogue and debates about biotechnology and its current and potential applications.