The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) congratulates Dr Ghaneshree Moonsamy for being the first student at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) to have her Master’s degree converted into a doctoral degree.

Moonsamy (34), a senior researcher at the CSIR, made history when her thesis for a Master’s in biotechnology was converted into a PhD thesis because of its superior quality. The PhD in biotechnology was conferred on her on 7 May 2019, in Durban.

An elated Moonsamy explains, “The idea of upgrading my Master’s to a PhD came up during a meeting with both my supervisors – Dr Raj Lalloo from the CSIR and Prof Suren Singh from the DUT. They were happy with the progress made with the Master's study and Prof Singh suggested that we add a few more study objectives and apply to the university to grant a degree conversion from a Master’s to a Doctoral degree. The application had to go through a rigorous assessment process, and thereafter I was granted a conversion”.

Her study focused on the development of a bioprocess technology for the production of Vibrio midae, a probiotic of value in abalone aquaculture. In this study, a cultivation process, medium composition and product formulation were tailor-made to produce this probiotic in a high efficiency production process. The demonstration of this technology at full manufacturing scale resulted in a patented technology, and has highlighted the attractiveness and commercial feasibility of this production process. Probiotics can be used in abalone production as a mechanism to boost growth rate and limit disease proliferation.

Moonsamy says the journey was not easy, stating that hard work and dedication were the drivers of her success.

She started her career at the CSIR in 2006 as an in-service trainee. She was appointed as a researcher in December 2011. Through her hard work and dedication, Moonsamy was promoted to the senior researcher position in 2016.

“It was not an easy journey at all, it came with a lot of pressure. I had to put in extra hours for my studies, and it becomes very difficult when you are working, studying and parenting at the same time. I am proud to be an employee of the CSIR, and am grateful for the opportunities awarded to me to enable my progression from an in-service trainee to a senior researcher,” she says.

Dr Lalloo congratulated her, saying that the future is bright for the young scientist.

“It is my wish that she carries forward the values, moral integrity, scientific excellence and professionalism of this journey into the future. Our aim is to unselfishly create great people who positively impact on the lives of others and I trust that she too will share these very special gifts with others,” says Lalloo.

 
Issued by:
David Mandaha, CSIR Media Manager
Tel: 012 841 3654
Cell: 072 126 8910
E-mail: dmandaha@csir.co.za

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