Christopher J. Chetsanga (born 1935 in Murehwa,

Rhodesia Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...

) is a prominent

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

an scientist who is a member of the

African Academy of Sciences The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is a non-aligned, non-political, not-for-profit, pan-African learned society formed in 1985. The AAS elects fellows ( FAAS) and affiliates. The AAS also awards the Obasanjo Prize for Scientific Discovery and ...

and

The World Academy of Sciences The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) is a merit-based science academy established for developing countries, uniting 1,000 scientists in some 70 countries. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable devel ...

. He discovered two

enzymes Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecule ...

involved in

DNA repair DNA repair is a collection of processes by which a cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. In human cells, both normal metabolic activities and environmental factors such as radiation can cause DNA dam ...

. He has also held various academic administrative posts like

Vice-Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth n ...

Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

and

Dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

Biography

Chetsanga was born in Murewa, Zimbabwe on 22 August 1935, and was baptised in 1948. In his youth, he was educated at Nhowe Mission, and went on to study at

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

where he received his

BSc A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...

in 1965. Chetsanga also studied for a period at

Pepperdine University Pepperdine University () is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres (340 ha) overlooking the Pacific Ocean and t ...

. In 1969, he received his MSc and PhD in

biochemistry Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...

and

molecular biology Molecular biology is the branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions. The study of chemical and physi ...

from

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

before becoming a post doctoral

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

between 1969 and 1972. Between 1972 and 1983 he became a professor at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, then in 1983 he left to become the senior lecturer in Biochemistry for

University of Zimbabwe The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) is a public university in Harare, Zimbabwe. It opened in 1952 as the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and was initially affiliated with the University of London. It was later renamed the University o ...

. In 1990, President

Robert Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the ...

awarded him ''President’s Award for Distinguished Contribution to Science and Technology''. Has also awarded the Order of the Star of Zimbabwe. He is presently the vice chancellor at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University. In 2004, when the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences was formed, Chetsanga was appointed the first president of the academy. Chetsanga advocated the use of genetically modified food sources as a possible solution for food shortages in Africa in 2020.

Scientific Achievements

Chetsanga has discovered two

involved in the repair of damaged DNA: firstly,

formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase DNA-formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (, ''Fapy-DNA glycosylase'', ''deoxyribonucleate glycosidase'', ''2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5N-formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase'', ''2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5(N-methyl)formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase'', ''formam ...

, which removes damaged

7-methylguanine 7-Methylguanine is a modified purine nucleobase. It is a methylated version of guanine. The 7-methylguanine nucleoside is called 7-methylguanosine 7-Methylguanosine (m7G) is a modified purine nucleoside. It is a methylated version of guano ...

from DNA (1979), and secondly, purine imidazole-ring cyclase, which re-closes

imidazole ring Imidazole (ImH) is an organic compound with the formula C3N2H4. It is a white or colourless solid that is soluble in water, producing a mildly alkaline solution. In chemistry, it is an aromatic heterocycle, classified as a diazole, and has non-a ...

s of

guanine Guanine () ( symbol G or Gua) is one of the four main nucleobases found in the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, the others being adenine, cytosine, and thymine (uracil in RNA). In DNA, guanine is paired with cytosine. The guanine nucleoside is called ...

and

adenine Adenine () ( symbol A or Ade) is a nucleobase (a purine derivative). It is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acid of DNA that are represented by the letters G–C–A–T. The three others are guanine, cytosine and thymine. Its derivati ...

damaged by x-irradiation (1985). According to Chetsanga, his research focus in his scientific career has been on DNA and RNA structural and functional details as they relate to cellular metabolism and disease development.

Select publications

* * *

References

External links

Brief Curriculum Vitae, University of Zimbabwe, Department of Biochemistry
v {{DEFAULTSORT:Chetsanga, Christopher Zimbabwean scientists 1935 births Living people Biochemists People from Mashonaland East Province University of California alumni Pepperdine University alumni University of California, Berkeley alumni University of Toronto alumni University of Michigan faculty Academic staff of the University of Zimbabwe Fellows of the African Academy of Sciences