Matsepe-Casaburri Fellowship
The South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) not only celebrates excellence among distinguished and emerging women scientists — it also paves the way for the next generation of innovators. Meet the brilliant doctoral candidates shaping the future of science in South Africa.
Ms Kegomoditswe Malebo holds an MSc in Medical Virology with distinction from UCT and is a third-year PhD candidate in Medical Virology at the University of the Free State (UFS). Her research focuses on developing human-derived monoclonal antibodies against the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, with potential applications in both diagnostics and therapeutics.
Motivated by the need for accessible health innovations, Ms Malebo aims to develop cost-effective antibody-based tools suitable for use in endemic and resource-limited settings. Her work contributes to South Africa's outbreak preparedness and public health response, while also advancing scientific knowledge in the field of infectious diseases. Ms Malebo is deeply committed to empowering the next generation of scientists. She hopes her research will inspire more women to enter STEM, helping build a more inclusive and innovative scientific community.
Her academic excellence has been recognised through several awards, including a Merit Master's Scholarship at UCT (2022), Runner-up for Best Junior Laboratory Paper at the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences Research Forum (2024), and the UFS Academic Merit Award (2024-2025). Her work has been published in the Vaccines journal. Ms Malebo has presented her research at major conferences, including the African Light Source & African Physical Society Conference (2024)and the Infectious Diseases in Africa Conference (2025). She has also received several prestigious scholarships and travel awards, including the NRF Extension Scholarship for Masters Studies (2022), the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Scholarship (2022), and multiple awards from UFS. Her work exemplifies scientific excellence, public health impact, and the transformative power of women's leadership in STEM.
