For Womenâs Month, multimedia content producer Jesi Townsend has compiled a series on Women in Science at the University of the Western Capeâs (UWC) Faculty of Science. Meet the inspiring women who are at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs.
Imagine a nurse in a rural clinic armed with an electrochemical sensor. She pricks your finger and places a drop of blood on the sensor, and you have instant results without waiting and without the need to transport samples to distant labs. Just like that, you have healthcare on the spot.
This is the kind of research Dr Candice Cupido develops in her lab. A senior lecturer in Chemistry at the University of the Western Cape, she holds a PhD in developing electrochemical nano biosensors for optimising TB treatment.
If that is a bit too much to process, she develops and works with sensors able to monitor how drugs digest in the body on a scale thatâs even smaller than what youâre able to view through a microscope.
Monitoring drug metabolism entails using tiny electrodes, like microscopic detectives, silently probing your blood or urine. Their mission? To track drug levels and decode your metabolism, or simply put: how your body breaks down certain chemicals. The tools are electrochemical sensors often described as the unsung heroes of precision medicine.
âThese sensors allow us to understand how swiftly or sluggishly your body processes drugs. Whether itâs tuberculosis, diabetes, COVID-19, or cancer,â said Dr Cupido.
These unassuming devices, often no larger than a fingertip, hold immense potential for revolutionising healthcare, especially in South Africa.
 âI love research, student supervision, and have a huge passion for teaching science to young people. Being part of the frontlines, armed with nanomaterials, is an exciting journey for me,â she said.
Her wish is to capture the attention of future fellow science enthusiasts, whether a budding researcher or a curious soul, to consider the buzz of electrochemistry. For her, it is about unlocking secrets, improving lives, and leaving your fingerprint on the microscale canvas.Â
âElectrochemical sensors nudge you toward innovation. Youâre not just studying; youâre shaping the future,â said Dr Cupido.
As a lecturer, my days are a delightful blend of research, teaching, and student interactions. When undergrads and postgrads experience those âahaâ moments, it fuels my passion. Together, we unravel mysteries, scribble equations, and ignite curiosity. Students get to dive into real-world projects, tinkering with sensors, nanomaterials, and polymers. Their enthusiasm is contagious and priceless.â
Dr Cupido says that another favourite activity as a lecturer is coordinating the work-study programme, where students get to plough back into the institution by assisting as tutors, demonstrators and lecturing assistants while finishing their own studies.
