Associate Professor ‪Simnikiwe Mayaphi, clinical virologist and head of the Department of Medical Virology at the University of Pretoria and National Health Laboratory Service – Tshwane Academic Division (NHLS-TAD), recently received a C2 NRF rating.  Prof Mayaphi's research primarily focuses on HIV and opportunistic infections and is involved in COVID-19-related research. He is actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training and providing Virology diagnostic laboratory services. As an NRF researcher, Prof Mayaphi supports the National Department of Health in developing national guidelines in his area of expertise. Additionally, he serves in various national committees strengthening surveillance, diagnostic, treatment, and prevention strategies for the COVID-19 pandemic. Prof Mayaphi also occasionally serves as a member of the steering committees for local and international conferences.
 We had the pleasure of speaking to him about this remarkable achievement as he reflected on his journey and how he will use his new status as a C2 NRF-rated researcher to make a difference in his field.

Congratulations on attaining a C2 rating Prof Mayaphi. How do you feel about it? 

I am excited about this achievement. I prepared my NRF rating application at a very difficult time when we still saw a higher rate of COVID-19 cases in South Africa, around the fourth wave. During the previous waves of COVID-19, my attention and efforts were more dedicated to the provision of diagnostic laboratory services in order to provide the necessary support to clinicians for optimal patient management in hospitals. In addition to this, I also had to ensure that our department maintained teaching/training and research activities as required. So, I feel like the C2 rating is a good reward for my efforts to prepare and submit the NRF rating application at a very challenging time. 

What is your field of specialty, and please give a brief explanation of it.

I specialise in Medical Virology, a field that focuses on viruses such as HIV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 (cause of COVID-19), and many others. Most infectious disease pandemics are caused by viruses as they have the capacity to evolve rapidly and infect new species or cause severe diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has put the Medical Virology field under the spotlight, highlighting its role in virus discovery, diagnosis, molecular tracking, and prevention of infections. 

 How will you use your new status as a C2 NRF-rated researcher to make a difference in your field? 

I am passionate about research as it has the potential to identify new solutions for national and global health challenges. So NRF rating is a good stimulus for me to consolidate the research I have done previously. This already provides a good motivation for me to apply myself effectively in conducting research, as the NRF rating is reviewed every five years. So this rating has created opportunities for me to set new research goals that I should work towards achieving in the next five years so I am in a good position for a higher rating when the current rating is due for review.

During the NRF rating process, I learned a lot about the development process of a researcher, such as the significance of a research focus and many other aspects of development. This has equipped me with the necessary knowledge needed to develop upcoming researchers and guide them through the rating process. I hope that my rating will also encourage others in my field to start working towards achieving NRF rating.

Please take us through the process you went through until you eventually attained a C2 rating.

This was my third NRF rating application. The first attempts were in 2015 and 2017, when our faculty invited me to submit applications. On both occasions, the UP internal review committee decided that my applications were not yet ready for submission to NRF and gave me great feedback on areas where I should improve. This highlights the support that our faculty provides to researchers for NRF rating applications. In addition to the internal review process, our faculty also organises workshops to provide the necessary information to potential applicants. The information shared in these workshops makes understanding what is required in different sections of the NRF rating application easier.

The NRF rating application requires a lot of details for the different sections, which should be well organised and convey a compelling message about one’s focus on a particular research area. The previous failed attempts laid a good foundation for me to complete the last application as I worked on improving the previous application, which was still available on NRF rating website. 

What does it mean for you as a researcher?

I believe my current C2 rating reflects the quality and impact of my previous research work. As someone who takes his work seriously and always strives for excellence, it is good to get an idea of the progress I am making with my research. So this gives me an indication that I am on the right track with regard to my development as a researcher. Most importantly, I view my current rating as something I can use to inspire myself and others to engage in more transformative research that will contribute towards new solutions for national and global health problems and also towards improving my future NRF rating.