The Faculty of Veterinary Science has reason to be proud with another 12 successful new PhD graduates who were awarded their doctoral degrees today at the autumn graduation ceremony of the University of Pretoria. The graduation ceremony forms part of the University’s annual autumn graduation programme between 7 April and 10 May. Dr Carolynne Joonè's PhD was awarded in absentia.

Yesterday, the exceptional achievements of the successful candidates were celebrated in style at the Faculty’s annual Doctoral Celebration ceremony, an event that has become a tradition since it was introduced in 2014 to take place a day before graduation day. The newly graduated doctors represented three respective Departments, namely six from the Department of Paraclinical Sciences, five from the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases and one from the Department of Production Animal Studies.

The proud graduates were welcomed at the event by the Dean, Prof Darrell Abernethy after which each one was introduced by his or her supervisor. The candidates who obtained their PhD’s (with the titles of their theses in brackets) are:

Dr Charles Byaruhanga (Epidemiology and tick-borne haemoparasite diversity amongst transhumant zebu cattle in Karamoja region, Uganda

Dr Lizette Bekker (Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) urine as sample for biochemical and hormonal analyses

Dr Ayesha Hassim (Distribution and molecular characterization of South African Bacillus anthracis strains and their associated bacteriophages

Dr Leo Elisha (Biological activities of Cremaspora triflora (Rubiaceae) extract, fractions and isolated compound on selected fungi and bacteria and determination of the mode of action using electron microscopy

Dr Kemi Iji (In vitro bioassays as tools for evaluating toxicity of acidic drainage from a coal mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa)

Dr Camilla Mehtar (African horse sickness outbreak investigation and disease surveillance using molecular techniques)

Dr Alex Jambalang (Characterization and antimicrobial sensitivity of Salmonellae isolated from retailed hens’ eggs in Tshwane district Gauteng Province, South Africa)

Dr Jacques van Rooyen (Livestock production and animal health management systems in communal farming areas at the wildlife-livestock interface in Southern Africa)

Dr Noluthando Netnou-Nkoana (Aspects of intellectual property protection in relation to seed crops, floriculture and medicinal plants, that may impact on policy and legislative development in South Africa)

Dr Katherine Scott (Improved stability of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) SAT2 capsid

Dr Daniel Shuping (Development of an antifungal product from Melianthus comosus (Melianthaceae) that can be used to control plant fungal pathogens

Dr Carolynne Joonè (in absentia) – Porcine zona pellucida immunocontraception in the mare: Clinical, endocrinological and immunological effects