Office: LAB 5

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

Qualifications
MSc. Biochemistry (UKZN); BSc Biochemistry (UFH)

Education

2020 - Present:  PhD in Zoology, University of the Free State.
2012-2013:  Masters Degree in Biochemistry (upper second class), University of KwaZulu-Natal.            
2011:  BSc. Honours in Biochemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal.           
2008-2010:  BSc Biochemistry (cum laude) University of Fort Hare.

Awards
2022: Awarded first prize for PhD student presentations at the UFS Qwaqwa Research Conference.

2020: Awarded the AuthorAID merit certificate for Research Writing in the Sciences.

2018: Awarded the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World Postgraduate Fellowship

2018: Awarded certificate of accomplishment for the Advanced Research Design Course from the Partnership for African Social & Governance Research.

2012-2013: Awarded the University of KwaZulu-Natal College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science Masters Scholarship.

2011:         Awarded certificate for attending an introductory course in Electron Microscopy and associated techniques at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

2011:            Awarded merit certificates for excellent performance in Modeling, Visualization & Information Retrieval and Biochemistry Research Skills (Honors modules).

2009:             Awarded the Academic Achievement Certificate for being the best 2nd-year student from the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, Department of Biochemistry at the University, Fort Hare.

2008-2011:   Awarded the Zimbabwe Presidential Scholarship for undergraduate and Honours        studies

Research Interests

Mitigating the presence of pollutants in water using 'nature based' filters (mycofiltration).

Assessing the effects of anthropogenic pollutants in aquatic snails using biochemical and molecular markers. 

Research
Assessment of the biochemical and molecular markers of aquatic and terrestrial snails exposed to anthropogenic pollutants; Development of biosensors for toxicity assessment.

Memberships

Member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Member of the South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Publications by Ms. Sanele Sanele Mnkandla

Sanele Mnkandla, Mafereka Francis Tyson Mosoabisane, Norah Basopo, Patricks Voua Otomo (2024). Mycofiltration of aqueous iron (III) and imidacloprid solutions, and the effects of the filtrates on selected biomarkers of the freshwater snail Helisoma duryi. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.
Sanele Mnkandla, Patricks Voua Otomo (2023). Fixed bed mycofilter column optimization and performance evaluation through the removal of a food coloring agent from an aqueous solution. Bioremediation Journal.
Palesa Andile Adrena Tsotesti, Simangele Sandra Mazibuko, Ngitheni Winnie-Kate    Nyoka, Sanele Michelle Mnkandla, Tanya Fouché, Patricks Voua Otomo (2022). Behavioural changes and flight response of a mosquito (Culicidae) and an earthworm (Lumbricidae), respectively, after exposure to imidacloprid. Ecotoxicology. Vol 31.
Sanele Mnkandla, Patricks Voua Otomo (2022). Two novel bioassays useful for the quick assessment of chemical effects on the behavior of mosquito larvae (Culicidae) and adult earthworms (Lumbricidae). MethodsX. Vol 9.

Sanele Mnkandla, Patricks Voua Otomo (2021). Effectiveness of mycofiltration for removal of contaminants from water: a systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence. Vol 10.

Halifeli Kolobe, Sanele Mnkandla, Norah Basopo (2020). An assessment of the uptake of selected heavy metals, antioxidant response and lipid peroxidation in Spinacia Oleracea vegetables, cultivated on soil from a coal mining area in Matabeleland North Region of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Journal of Science and Technology. Vol 15.

Sanele Mnkandla, Norah Basopo, Andrew H. Siwela (2019). The Effect of Persistent Heavy Metal Exposure on Some Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and Lipid Peroxidation of the Freshwater snail, Lymnaea natalensis: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. Vol 4.

Sanele Mnkandla, Andrew H. Siwela, Norah Basopo (2019). Effects of chronic exposures of selected heavy metals on the glutathione S-transferase activity of freshwater snails Lymnaea natalensis in Zimbabwe. Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science (Taylor & Francis Group). Vol 3.

Yeukai Muusha, Sanele Mnkandla, Norah Basopo (2017). The Effects of Sub Lethal Levels of Lead on Acetylcholinesterase Activity in the Rock Pigeon, (Columba Livia). Zimbabwe Journal of Science and Technology. Vol 12.

Majaya Rachel Delfina, Donald Tapfuma, Sanele Mnkandla, Norah Basopo (2016) Toxicological effects of differently polluted dam waters spiked with pesticides on freshwater snails Lymnaea natalensis. International Journal of Chemistry. Vol 8.

Gerome Brock, Sanele Mnkandla, Norah Basopo (2016). An assessment of the extent of bovine milk pollution by DDT used in public Health in Zimbabwe. Journal of Applied Science and Research. Vol 4.

CONFERENCES:
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)-Africa 11th Biennial Conference, Accra, Ghana (2023). Oral presentation. Assessment of iron (III) removal in an aqueous solution by mycofiltration, through a fixed-bed column biosorption approach.
South African Society for Microbiology (SASM) 2023, Stellenbosch, South Africa (2023). Poster presentation. Assessment of imidacloprid removal in an aqueous solution by mycofiltration, through a fixed-bed column biosorption approach.
5th National Global Change Conference, Bloemfontein, South Africa (2023). Poster presentation. Performance of a laboratory-scale fixed bed mycofilter in the removal of a food colouring agent from an aqueous solution.
University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus Research Conference (2022), Qwaqwa, South Africa. Oral presentation. Fixed bed mycofilter column optimisation and performance evaluation through the removal of a food colouring agent from an aqueous solution.
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)-Europe 32nd Annual Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark + virtual (2022). Oral presentation. Assessment of organic and inorganic contaminant removal in contaminated water by mycofiltration, through a fixed bed column approach.
Society for Risk Analysis- Fifth World Congress on Risk Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)- Ninth Biennial Meeting of SETAC Africa in Cape Town, South Africa (2019). Poster presentation. Assessment of water hyacinth superoxide dismutase & glutathione S-transferase enzyme activity, as indicators of ibuprofen uptak+F43e from water.F48
South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SASBMB), in conjunction with the Federation of African Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (FASBMB) Conference, Potchefstroom, South Africa (2018). Poster presentation. The effect of chronic exposure of mercury, on the glutathione dependent enzymes of Lymnaea natalensis freshwater snails.
5th CHINAFRICA Water Forum Conference, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (2017). Oral presentation. Assessment of glutathione peroxidase activity and lipid peroxidation status in Lymnaea natalensis freshwater snails, following chronic exposure to heavy metals.
25th South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Congress, East London, South Africa (2016). Oral presentation. Recombinant Expression of Variable Surface Glycoproteins: LiTat 1.3 and LiTat 1.5 of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.

25th South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Congress, East London, South Africa (2016). Poster presentation. An assessment of pesticide induced effects on enzymatic activities of freshwater snails exposed to water collected from differe+F48nt dams.

Annual National University of Science & Technology Research day, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (2016). Oral presentation. The Effect of Chronic Exposure of Heavy Metals on Glutathione S-transferase Activity of Freshwater Snails.

Community Service 

Career guidance to High School learners in Qwaqwa (Free State, South Africa).