The Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM) has been recognised as one of the leading research units at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and considered a global competitor in microbial biotechnology and metagenomics.
The institute hosted a collection of about 4000 bacterial strains from a wide range of South African indigenous environments, including marine bacteria from the South African coastline, medicinal fynbos, and extreme environments.
As Dr Anita Burger, Research and Innovation Manager at the IMBM, explained: “Bacteria from these unique environments harness novel chemistries and therefore harbour great potential for the discovery of novel, high-value natural compounds/bioactives with applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical and agricultural industries.”
Due to the extent and novel nature of the IMBM bacterial collection, the institute was selected in October 2021 as one of the seven core biobanks of the Biodiversity Biobanks South Africa (BBSA). Thanks to BBSA funding and support, the bacterial collection has since transitioned to a Microbial Biobank with specialised and dedicated equipment, entries that meet international biobanking standards and an information-rich database. Any data associated with an entry, such as phenotypic data (colony and cell morphology), bioactivity and genomic sequence data, are captured in the database.
The biobank offered an ideal opportunity for the training of young microbial biotechnologists and has, since 2021, impacted on the career trajectory of three junior researchers, Stephanie Lawrence, the Biobank Technical Officer, said.
Among the trainees were Anelisiwe Mgijima and Chelsey Arries.
Anelisiwe Sigijimi: A Dream Deferred
Anelisiwe knew from a young age she wanted to be a scientist.
“Working with microorganisms has always been a dream of mine, and I always wanted to be a microbiologist: I really find microbes to be fascinating and amazing,” she said.
With four distinctions in matric, one of which was for Life Sciences, she enrolled at UWC for a BSc in Biotechnology.
“I graduated in 2020, during the height of COVID-19, and with everything that was happening, it was really difficult to secure a job. I was unemployed for the whole year, and then took up a position as an assistant teacher at a local primary school. But I kept applying for jobs in my field. In December 2022, I saw an advert from UWC for an internship on the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme. I applied and fortunately I was successful,” she said.
In March 2023, she was offered an internship at the IMBM Biobank, under the supervision of Ms Stephanie Lawrence, the IMBM Technical Officer.
“I was tasked with media preparation, culturing of the selected bacterial strains, Gram staining, preparation of glycerol stocks for -80°C storage, DNA isolation, as well as genome sequencing. I learned to perform these activities according to the specified procedures to deliver reliable, accurate and high-quality results,” said Sigijimi
With that experience under her belt, she felt confident to revisit her dream of pursuing a scientific career and registered for a BSc Honours degree – doing her mini-thesis on a project related to the IMBM Biobank.
Grateful for the opportunities she has received, Anelisiwe is not going to be giving up on her dreams. “Working at IMBM is the best thing to ever happen to me; I gained valuable experience, learned independence, and worked with helpful and thoughtful people. It’s helped prepare me for my future as a scientist.”
Chelsey Arries: Broadening her Biotechnology Horizons
The current IMBM biobank intern, Chelsey Arries has been focusing on expanding her skills as a scientist – something she has pursued throughout her studies at UWC, where she graduated with her MSc in Biotechnology in 2023.
“Since my postgraduate studies focused on plant biotechnology and bioprocessing, I was interested in advancing my scientific skills,” she said. “With this internship, I have the opportunity to refine what I’d learned in my undergraduate microbiology modules.”
Chelsey explains that a typical work day went as follows: Coffee and consolidation of the previous day’s lab work and creating a plan of action for the day. This usually contained one or more of the following protocols: revival of frozen cultures, Gram staining, culturing of the bacterial strains and DNA isolation. Some days were really busy where one needed to focus and pay attention to every detail to ensure accuracy.
“It’s tough, but fascinating work – and well worth the effort,” she said. “It’s really impressive what the Biobank has set out to achieve: serving as a resource for the identification of natural, high-value compounds with applications in different industries. This is particularly relevant in a world where renewable sources for biochemicals are sought after.
“I believe that after completing this internship my goal to become a more versatile scientist would have been achieved and more career opportunities will be available to me,” she said. “I am grateful to the IMBM for the opportunity to expand my skill set under the guidance of such knowledgeable and inspiring mentors.”
The IMBM, and specifically the IMBM Biobank, was proud to have a hand in the development of these young researchers.
“It’s such a privilege to see how the skills and insight that they developed during their time at the IMBM Biobank, contributed to their development as young scientists,” Dr Burger says.
“As part of a higher education institution, the IMBM has a responsibility to develop the necessary capacity to transform South Africa’s economy to a knowledge-based economy,” Dr Burger noted.
The training included the development of an understanding of the country’s biodiversity potential, which in turn, encouraged researchers to consider the impact of their contributions on the South African bioeconomy goals.
