Janice Leigh Limson is a South African Professor of

Biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...

, former Chairperson the School of Biotechnology at

Rhodes University Rhodes University is a public university, public research university located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, ...

and the SARChI Chair in Biotechnology Innovation & Engagement at Rhodes University. She is founder and editor-in-chief of the magazine ''Science in Africa'', the first popular online science magazine for Africa. Her research focuses on topics ranging from the development of

nanotechnology Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal o ...

biosensor A biosensor is an analytical device, used for the detection of a chemical substance, that combines a biological component with a physicochemical detector. The ''sensitive biological element'', e.g. tissue, microorganisms, organelles, cell recep ...

s for

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

diagnostics,

drug delivery Drug delivery refers to approaches, formulations, manufacturing techniques, storage systems, and technologies involved in transporting a pharmaceutical compound to its target site to achieve a desired therapeutic effect. Principles related to d ...

, detection of

pathogen In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ ...

s in food to the design of

fuel cell A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel (often hydrogen) and an oxidizing agent (often oxygen) into electricity through a pair of redox reactions. Fuel cells are different from most batteries in requ ...

technology.

Education and career

Limson grew up in

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...

, South Africa. She subsequently moved to

Grahamstown Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London, Eastern Cape, East London. Makhanda is the lar ...

, and she studied at

where she completed her BSc (Honours) in 1994. In 1997 she was awarded a PhD in Chemistry at Rhodes University. She completed a Postgraduate diploma in Tertiary education from 2006 to 2008. In 1999 Limson was a postdoctoral research fellow at the

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) is a public academic health science center in San Antonio, Texas. It is part of the University of Texas System. UT Health San Antonio is the largest health scie ...

. The next year she founded the online magazine ''Science in Africa'' and became its editor in chief. The magazine aims to serve "as a platform for scientists in a broad range of fields in Africa to report on their research, giving their expert views on topical issues in science and providing the right information to an African public seeking a deeper understanding of science and of the dynamic role it plays in everyone's lives." In 2003 Limson established the BioSENS (Sensors, Energy and

Nanomaterials * Nanomaterials describe, in principle, materials of which a single unit is sized (in at least one dimension) between 1 and 100 nm (the usual definition of nanoscale). Nanomaterials research takes a materials science-based approach to nan ...

) Research Group at Rhodes for the development of nanotechnology biosensors for cancer diagnostics and drug delivery. The establishment in 2007 of the

DST Daylight saving time (DST), also referred to as daylight savings time or simply daylight time (United States, Canada, and Australia), and summer time (United Kingdom, European Union, and others), is the practice of advancing clocks (typicall ...

/Mintek-sponsored Nanotechnology Innovation Centre at the

University of the Western Cape The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is a public research university in Bellville, near Cape Town, South Africa. The university was established in 1959 by the South African government as a university for Coloured people only. Other un ...

University of Johannesburg The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is a public university located in Johannesburg, South Africa. The University of Johannesburg came into existence on 1 January 2005 as the result of a merger between the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), the Te ...

and Rhodes University greatly assisted this research. From 2003 until 2009 Limson was a lecturer at Rhodes university, and in 2010 she was appointed Associate Professor at Rhodes. She also received the Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award in that year for "the volume and impact of her research outputs". In 2011 she became Chairperson of the Rhodes University School of Biotechnology. In 2014 she was awarded Professor of Biotechnology and was appointed Director of Rhodes University Biotechnology Innovation Centre. The Centre has since launched its first products, catalysts for sensors, and is working on sensors for CD4 and

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

in a partnership with

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...

and the

South African Medical Research Council The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) is a para-statal medical research organisation in South Africa. The current president is professor Glenda Gray. The South African Medical Research Council was established in 1969 to act as an indep ...

. In 2015 she was appointed to the DSI/NRF South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Biotechnology Innovation & Engagement at Rhodes. In March 2019 she contributed to a series of public lectures on "Truth and Trustworthiness in Science" co-ordinated by the ASSAf and the

British High Commission A British High Commission is a British diplomatic mission, equivalent to an embassy, found in countries that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Their general purpose is to provide diplomatic relationships as well as travel information, ...

in South Africa. The discussion she was involved with was entitled: "Misunderstandings and Misuses: Science Journalism". Limson is the editor of the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) Nanotechnology Public Engagement Programme’s newsletter, called ''Nanotech Public Engagement'', and is a fellow of The African Academy of Sciences.

Awards and recognition

Limson has received numerous awards, including: * 2011 Department of Science and Technology Women in Science Awards in the Life Sciences. First Runner Up * 2010 Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Research Medal, Rhodes University * 2010 M&G Top Young South Africans To Take To Lunch! * 2009 M&G Top Young South Africans To Take To Lunch! * 2002

NSTF The National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) is a non-profit company representing South African organisations in the public and private sector with an interest in science, engineering, technology, and innovation. Its aim is to promote science, ...

Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Science, Engineering & Technology, South Africa * 2001 Highway Africa “Innovative use of New Media in Africa” Journalism Award.

Selected publications

Journals

* * * * *

Books

References

External links

*
''Science in Africa'' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Limson, Janice Living people South African women scientists Rhodes University alumni Academic staff of Rhodes University Women biotechnologists People from Gqeberha Year of birth missing (living people) Fellows of the African Academy of Sciences