Experience

• 

  Association of African Higher Education Financing Agencies (AAHEFA)

  • Dar es salaam, Tanzania

  • Strategy, Technology and Operations (STO) Committee

    • Jan 2015 - Present
    • Dar es salaam, Tanzania

    Association of Higher Education Financing Agencies (AAHEFA) was formed with the objective of sharing of information and experiences on common matters and to increase students access to higher education within and outside Africa.It also aims at creating a platform for capacity building for its members. the body also seeks to solicit funds for common development projects and facilitating exchange of skills, information, and expertise between members and other organizations related to higher education.The association seeks to negotiate with donors and other external agencies on matters of common interest. in addition it seeks to harmonize matters relating to higher education financing agencies.

• 

  National Student Financial Aid Scheme

  • Wynberg

  • Senior Manager: Strategic Planning and Perfomance

    • Oct 2013 - Present
    • Wynberg

    NSFAS is the South African government student loan and bursary scheme. We provide loans and bursaries to students at all 25 public universities and 50 public Technical and Vocational Education &Training (TVET) colleges throughout the country.NSFAS funding has grown from R441 million in 1999 to R8,5 billion in 2013. This year we will provide access to higher education to more that 400 000 poor and deserving students for over R9 billion.

• 

  Technology Innovation Agency

  • Business Strategy Manager in CEO's office

    • Feb 2011 - Sep 2013

    TIA’s core business objective is to support the development and commercialisation of competitive technology-based services and products. The Agency primarily uses South Africa’s science and technology base to develop new industries, create sustainable jobs and help diversify the economy. Budget in 2013 approx. R500million.

• 

  Innovation Fund & TIA

  • Pretoria Area, South Africa

  • Commercialisation & Due Dilligence

    • Feb 2009 - Jan 2011
    • Pretoria Area, South Africa

• 

  Agricultural Research Council

  • Pretoria Area, South Africa

  • New Generation Vaccines

    • Jun 2004 - Nov 2008
    • Pretoria Area, South Africa

    Publication: Biologicals, 2011, 39(2), 110-116Improving the characteristics of a mycobacterial 16 kDa-specific chicken scFv. Abstract:Recombinant antibodies can be engineered to improve their binding or other characteristics. A chicken single chain variable fragment (scFv) phage display library was panned against the mycobacterial 16 kDa antigen. Three fusion phages which bound specifically to the antigen were selected, each of which produced low signals in ELISA when secreted as a soluble scFv. One scFv was therefore chosen to be modified in an attempt to improve its binding. Firstly, a mutant sublibrary was created by random mutagenesis. High stringency panning of this sublibrary yielded binders which produced ELISA signals up to eleven times higher than the parent scFv. An increase in the intrinsic affinity was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance. Secondly, the flexible linker between the heavy and light chains of the parent scFv was either shortened to one glycine residue or deleted entirely. No ELISA signal was obtained when the linker was absent, but the glycine-linked scFv showed enhanced binding. Size exclusion chromatography revealed that the enhanced binder had aggregated to form tetramers. This study confirms that the strategies used to improve the binding of human and mouse scFvs can also enhance chicken scFvs.