In the heart of Limpopo Province, in the modest village of Motloulela, a barefoot lad once walked to school with hopes of a better life ahead for he and his family.
That youngster has grown up and is now Dr Antony Rapulana, a proud UKZN PhD in Medical Microbiology graduate … and life is indeed better!
Rapulana is working as a Research Laboratory Technologist at the Africa Health Research Institute and is rooted in his passion for biomedical science.
He is actively seeking a Medical scientist position that will allow him to delve deeper into infectious disease research, drive innovation in diagnostics, and contribute to global health solutions.
Initially, Rapulana wanted to become a Medical doctor. However, fate had different plans. After applying late to the University of Limpopo, he was accepted into the Medical Sciences programme instead. That unexpected detour proved life-changing.
It was there that he discovered the power of Medical science with “unseen heroes” working tirelessly to detect, prevent and cure disease. ‘I fell in love with Medical Science,’ he said. ‘I realised I wanted to be part of a team behind developing new and effective ways to detect diseases, create vaccines, and improve treatments.’
Among his greatest inspirations was his cousin, Mr Benjamin Sekgobela, an engineer whose work ethic, confidence and dedication to self-improvement motivated Rapulana to push beyond limits and embrace excellence.
Rapulana’s PhD research tackled one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases – tuberculosis (TB). While TB is preventable and curable, it continues to claim millions of lives, with latent TB infection (LTBI) often going undetected.
In his PhD study, Rapulana investigated host immune responses in individuals with LTBI and active TB. His research revealed that a combination of blood biomarkers; IL-2, IP-10, and IFN-?, could accurately distinguish between healthy individuals and those with latent TB.
He also explored the role of TNF-alpha inducible proteins (TNFAIPs), identifying three genes; TNFAIP2, TNFAIP6, and TNFAIP8L2 as being significantly upregulated in active TB patients. His findings were especially compelling when TNFAIP2 protein was found concentrated around necrotic lung tissue, suggesting a role in regulating the body’s immune response to prevent further damage.
‘These discoveries not only offer potential diagnostic tools but also open new avenues for therapeutic intervention in TB treatment,’ said Rapulana.
Outside the lab, Rapulana finds peace in reading non-fiction and science communication literature, as well as cooking – all activities that ground him and ignite his creativity. ‘These hobbies help me maintain balance and give me fresh perspective in my scientific work,’ he said.
Rapulana says his success was made possible through the support and mentorship of his supervisors, Associate Professor Mohlopheni Marakalala, Dr Theresa Smit, and Professor Tim McHugh; whose guidance shaped the direction and success of his work.
Words: Maryann Francis
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini
