Breaking down the wall between mathematicians and biologists

Posted on March 24, 2015

Since its inception in August 2013, the South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Mathematical Models and Methods in Bioengineering and Biosciences (M3B2), has been working towards strengthening collaboration between mathematicians and biologists.

Getting to know Africa's 'little elephants'

Posted on March 18, 2015

Dr Heike Lutermann of the Department of Zoology and Entomology has been studying the elephant shrew, a small mammal also known as the sengi, for several years.

International project on understanding impact of large-scale land acquisitions launched

Posted on March 17, 2015

The one million Euro AFGROLAND project was launched this week at a project team workshop. This ambitious project (African Food, Agriculture, Land and Natural Resource Dynamics), in the context of global agro-food-energy system changes was awarded through a competitive international bidding...

BioBlitz sets out to record 1 000 species in 48 hours

Posted on March 13, 2015

A team consisting of amateur naturalists and students from the Department of Zoology and Entomology will attempt to record all living species within a designated area over a predetermined time period.

UP research shows leopard numbers are vulnerable

Posted on March 11, 2015

UP research has found that leopard survival rates in protected, as well as in non-protected areas, are low and that this is largely a result of human activities.

Visiting professors from Iowa State University share expertise

Posted on March 11, 2015

Food safety research, challenges and cooperative extension were the topics that Professors Cathy Strohbehn and Lakshman Rajagopal shared with faculty staff members and postgraduate students attending the mini symposium on Food Safety Challenges and Opportunities during the last week of February.

Have your (low GI) cake and eat it

Posted on February 23, 2015

Research by Prof Mohammad Naushad Emmambux, associate professor at UP’s Department of Food Science, and his colleagues has shown that it is possible to modify high GI starch using fatty acids so that it becomes a low GI starch.

Vibrant life in the ground below

Posted on February 19, 2015

Imagine castles of clay and flourishing life in the soils below. Endemic to the soils of Africa is the fascinating small mammal known as the mole-rat that lives underground, excavating burrow systems that may extend for more than a kilometre.