The Centre for Quality of Health and Living (CQHL) is an applied research centre dedicated to advancing knowledge in Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Research. We constantly push the frontiers of knowledge and develop new technologies to remain in step with the challenges of a continuously changing world, working towards re-imagining CUT as a global citadel of learning, innovation, and technology.
A Message from the Director
"The CQHL is committed to conducting research focused on contributing towards the UN’s SDGs (1, 3, and 4) through excellence in research. As we celebrate our 2025 achievements, I am proud of our successes in producing numerous high-quality research outputs, graduating postgraduate students, and fostering national and international collaborations. We have made substantial contributions aimed at alleviating poverty, improving health outcomes, and treating both communicable and non-communicable diseases, thus positioning CUT and South Africa as a competitive research economy."
Prof. Tshepiso Makhafola
Director: Centre for Quality of Health and Living
Flagship Research Projects & Impact
Our diverse research focus areas are reflected in outstanding, measurable research outputs and capacity building:
Indigenous Medicinal Plants
Focus: Assessing the anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties of South African plants using pharmacological and biochemical approaches.
Impact: 1 PhD and 1 Master's student supervised, 3 postdocs mentored, and 20 articles published in accredited DHET journals.
Zinc-Polyphenol Complexes
Focus: Synthesising novel zinc-polyphenol complexes to improve glycaemic control and manage diabetic pathologies and oxidative stress.
Impact: 2 PhDs and 3 Master's students supervised, resulting in 11 articles published in accredited DHET journals.
Medicinal Potential of Fruit Waste
Focus: Exploring the use of non-edible fruit parts as functional agents to mitigate metabolic diseases.
Impact: 1 PhD and 3 Master's students supervised, 10 articles published, and a 2025 TIA pre-seed grant secured to develop a functional pomegranate peel beverage.
Core Research Focus Areas
Basic Medical Sciences
Drug Discovery & Natural Products
- Identifying novel antidiabetic and anticancer agents derived from medicinal plants.
- Transforming bioactive traditional medicine into effective, world-class alternatives for cancer therapy.
- Utilising technology-aided high-throughput techniques and AI-driven computational pharmacology to optimise research quality.
Tissue Engineering
Developing decellularised biological substitutes, assessing whether engineered tissue maintains structural and functional integrity post-implantation.
Clinical Research
Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
Investigating epidemiological changes in cardiovascular disease profiles in central South Africa, and demonstrating how early dietary intake influences long-term obesity risk.
By integrating genetics, nutrition, and metabolism, we aim to predict, prevent, and treat chronic metabolic diseases that emerge in childhood and early adolescence.
Key Research Themes
- Pharmacological investigations and drug repurposing
- Ethnomedicine and natural product research
- Functional food research and development
- Community-based clinical research collaboration
Strategic Collaborations
We actively foster national and international partnerships to enhance research inventiveness and facilitate student and staff exchange programmes:
University of the Free State (UFS)
Interdisciplinary Research Grants: Collaborative projects investigating the anti-Alzheimer’s potential of pomegranate peel ellagitannins (Dr Chukwuma & Dr Ntsapi) and developing novel anticancer therapeutics through chemical modification (Prof. Makhafola & Prof. Brink).
International Partnerships
Global Reach: Hosting students and staff from Cameroon’s Redemption Higher Institute of Biomedical and Management Sciences (RHIBMS), and collaborating with the Institute of Life Sciences, India, on the computational docking of zinc-phenolic acid complexes.
Recent Achievements & Recognition
- Prof. Tshepiso Makhafola: Awarded the prestigious Iso Lomso Fellowship (1 of 8 successful candidates out of 120+ applicants) for extensive research in genotoxicity. Holds an NRF C2 rating and multiple NRF awards.
- Dr. Chika Chukwuma: Recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award (Established Researcher, 2025), adding to previous Early and Mid-Career awards. Secured NRF Thuthuka and 2025 TIA Pre-Seed Funding.
- Ms. Refiloe Mokoena: CUT master’s student and laboratory technician awarded 2nd place for Best Master’s Presentation at the 9th International Conference of the Society of Medicinal Plant and Economic Development (SOMPED) for her research on the anticancer properties of Cassinopsis ilicifolia.
Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The centre conducts basic and translational research specifically designed to address and contribute to SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 4 (Quality Education).
Visit the Sustainable Development at CUT page for more information →
Dr Chika I. Chukwuma
Dr Emmanuel Njoya
Ms Refiloe Mokoena