Khethelo Xulu, a PhD student in Psychiatric Genetics, has been accepted as a Tirisano Training Project (TTP) scholar at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Xulu is part of the research team in posttraumatic stress disorder under the supervision of Prof Soraya Seedat, who holds the South African Research Chair in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, which is hosted by the Department of Psychiatry at the SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS). His research involves the study of biological markers for aggressive behaviour and specifically investigating epigenetic changes (DNA methylation).
The TTP is a collaborative programme between UCLA and several South African universities and institutions including faculty from Stellenbosch University (SU), the University of Cape Town (UCT), the North West University (NWU) and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
It is an initiative to build research capacity in chronic stress and non-communicable mental diseases amongst South African postgraduate students and early career professionals in mental health.
"I applied for this training programme because this is an excellent opportunity to be exposed to international mental health research," Xulu said. "I will have access to a world class research environment and laboratories." His ultimate goal is to gain insight and understanding in mental health disorders, by using sciences in genetics and molecular biology.
The scholarship offers various training initiatives in South Africa and Los Angeles, including annual workshops arranged by UCLA in South Africa and a three-month intensive training period in Los Angeles. During the period at UCLA, he will enroll in four courses with corresponding laboratory work, which will provide a theoretical foundation to conduct research with emphasis on real-world applications. Candidates will furthermore receive both in country and "distance" mentorship over a two-year period.
Xulu completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Zululand and thereafter moved to the Western Cape to obtain his Honours and Masters Degrees at UCT. "I moved to Cape Town because I wanted to challenge myself," Xulu explains his decision. "If you want to improve yourself, you need to compete with well-trained people, but most importantly, I wanted to learn."
He enrolled for a PhD in Psychiatric Genetics at SU in 2014. "I was interested in genetics holistically and learnt of a project at SU involving neurogenetics and neurosciences," he said. "Dr Sian Hemmings was doing well in this field and I once again saw the opportunity to train under the best in the field."
He is passionate about mentorship and involved with various outreach projects in his community. "I am not only about academia," he explained. "I am also interested in finding solutions for the country's socio-economic problems. That is why I am involved in extra-mural activities such as Magaeng Developers for Science and Engineering (MDSE) and Dikakapa Everyday heroes (DEH). These activities involve motivation and mentorship programs for learners around Cape Town. He is also involved with the Obuka Traditional Authority in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal and the Seabe Village in Mpumalanga.
* Prof Soraya Seedat holds the South African Research Chair in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, which is hosted by Stellenbosch University, funded by the Department of Science and Technology and administered by the National Research Foundation.
Photo: Khethelo Xulu, PhD student preparing his samples in the laboratory
This article appeared in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences' digital publication VIVUS. Visit www.sun.ac.za/FMHSpublications to subscribe.
