An academic career that would put many to shame - Khayelitsha biochemistry graduate off to the US
Image: RUVAN BOSHOFF
Lungelo Mandyoli has had a stutter since childhood‚ but that hasn’t prevented him from achieving a smooth academic career trajectory‚ which has earned him a prestigious international scholarship.
Mandyoli has been selected as a Fulbright Scholarship fellow - the flagship foreign exchange programme for the US - to complete his PhD in biochemistry at the Texas A&M University in America.
The 25-year-old‚ who works as a research assistant at the University of the Western Cape‚ was raised in Khayelitsha‚ Cape Town‚ by his single father‚ whose role as a caregiver and breadwinner supported him after his mother died when he was three years old.
Witnessing his father’s discipline and dedication led Mandyoli to believe he could achieve whatever he wanted to.
“I wouldn’t say I was an overachiever‚” Mandyoli said.
“Maybe I was above average but I always worked hard.”
Mandyoli first graduated with a BSc degree in biotechnology from UWC in 2013‚ before going on to earn a Master’s degree in biochemistry‚ for which he earned the Metrohm Prize as the university’s top Master’s student‚ two years later.
Before choosing biochemistry‚ the avid reader of African novels wanted to become a doctor.
“My love for medicine changed when I got to understand that its impact can be more effective in applications that benefit many people‚ such as drug discovery.”
During his scholarship Mandloyi hopes to pursue doctoral studies in biochemistry and biophysics‚ with a specialty in structural biology‚ while focusing his research on targeting protein pathogens in TB and HIV.
“We track proteins in TB that help TB to affect us easily and cause disease. We try to study it structurally and functionally and then from there on we try to target its host.”
When he is not in the lab‚ Mandyoli enjoys listening to news and football games with his father on their radio at home.
“It’s like any father and son relationship. It has its ups and downs but he’s always been there for me when I need him.”
-TimesLIVE