About
Project description
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An analytical technique for biological vesicles
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Synthetic vesicles such as polymersomes and hybrid biological vesicles are emerging as promising platforms for the delivery of drugs and diagnostics. However, they present significant variations in terms of stability and structure. In answer to this, the EU-funded USOME project proposes to develop an analytical fractionation technique for elucidating the structure and composition of artificial and biohybrid systems. Scientists will focus on the encapsulation of proteins and the modification of hybrid vesicles with proteins and polymers. The novel characterisation approach is expected to advance the nanotechnology field and increase the potential applications of biological vesicles in therapeutics and diagnostics.
Education
2020 - Present
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) 2019 Postdoctoral Research Fellow
2017 - 2019
Stellenbosch University
Doctor of Philosophy in Polymer Science
2015 - 2017
Stellenbosch University
Master of Science in Polymer Science (Cum Laude)
2010 - 2014
National University of Science and Technology
Bachelor of Science Honors in Applied Chemistry
Awards, Scholarships and Grants
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Impact maker 2020: Awarding authority: Stellenbosch University. Criteria: The award is reserved for maties who have demonstrated outstanding achievements. Awarded annually to 20 individuals.
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MSCA-IF 2019 h2020 Reseach Fellow: Awarding Authority: European Commission. The award is the most lucrative grant for postdoctoral research in the European Union, and is reserved for candidates with well articulated and ground-breaking research projects.
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2019 SACI Postgraduate Award: Awarding authority: South African Chemical Institute, South Africa. Criteria: The award is reserved for Masters and Doctoral students showing research independence, and whose work is judged to be innovative and enterprising. Awarded to only 5 individuals nationwide South Africa.
2019 Ph.D. -
Incentive Award. Awarding authority: Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University. Criteria: Award received for obtaining a Ph.D. in less than 3 years. Dr. Muza completed his Ph.D. with 3 publications in press.
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2019 Best Poster Award. Awarding authority: Ninth International Symposium on the Separation and Characterization of Natural and Synthetic Macromolecules. Criteria: Award received for best scientific research poster presentation. Poster: Stereocomplexation of Polymers in Micelle Nanoreactors as Studied by Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation.
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2019 Best Poster Award. Awarding authority: Ninth International Symposium on the Separation and Characterization of Natural and Synthetic Macromolecules. Criteria: Award received for best scientific research poster presentation. Poster: Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation with Quintuple Detection for the Comprehensive Analysis of Complex Polymers.
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2019 International Travel Award. Awarding authority: Postgraduate Office. Criteria: Award received based on the scientific quality of the abstract and the academic quality of the candidate.
2019 Erasmus Plus Award. Awarding authority: European Union Commission. Criteria: Grant received based on the precedence of academic excellence, and as an opportunity for educational mobility. -
2017 Scholarship for Doctoral Research. Awarding authority: National Research Fund, South Africa. Criteria: Scholarship received on the basis of academic excellence in the Masters studies.
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2017 Post Graduate Open Day Award. Awarding authority: Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University. Criteria: Voted first runner up in the category of best popular science explanation of current research in polymer science.
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2017 Merit award. Awarding authority: Postgraduate Office. Criteria: Award received for obtaining a M.Sc. with distinction (Cum laude). Awarded to less than 2% of all M.Sc. students in South Africa.
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2017 Best Poster Award. Awarding authority: Eighth International Symposium on the Separation and Characterization of Natural and Synthetic Macromolecules. Criteria: Award received for best scientific research poster presentation. Poster: Characterization of Complex Polymer Self-Assemblies and Large Aggregates by Multi-Detector Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation.
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2017 Merit Award for First Ph.D. Publication. Awarding authority: Postgraduate Office. Criteria: Award received for publishing the very first Ph.D. article in a high impact factor journal (Analytical Chemistry). This award is reserved for students holding a Cum laude grading on their preceding degree qualification.
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2016 Scholarship for Masters Research. Awarding authority: National Research Fund, South Africa. Criteria: Scholarship received on the basis of academic excellence in the Honours studies.