From Umlazi to the Laboratory: Bongeka Mkhize Earns PhD in Human Physiology

For Dr Bongeka Cassandra Mkhize, earning a PhD in Human Physiology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) was more than an academic milestone. It marked years of perseverance, scientific inquiry and a commitment to making scientific knowledge accessible to the communities that needed it most.

Originally from Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, Mkhize matriculated from Mowat Park High School before progressing from undergraduate study to a master’s degree and, ultimately, a PhD.

“Graduating with a PhD in Human Physiology was an incredibly meaningful and humbling achievement. It represented years of learning, research, perseverance and personal growth,” she said.

Her doctoral research, titled: ‘Investigating the Relationship Between the Renin-Angiotensin System, Adipose Tissue, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis and Bone Metabolism in Prediabetes: A Retrospective Analysis’, examined biological changes associated with prediabetes among women of childbearing age.

The study analysed 120 women aged 25 to 45 across non-prediabetic, prediabetic and type 2 diabetic groups, examining markers linked to metabolic, reproductive and bone health. The findings identified changes in insulin sensitivity, renin-angiotensin system activity and reproductive hormone-related markers among women with prediabetes.

Mkhize said her interest in metabolic disease was partly shaped by growing up in Umlazi, where she observed community members living with hypertension, diabetes and bone-related conditions. “That made me question whether we should really accept these health problems as a normal part of ageing,” she said.

Her passion extended beyond research to teaching and science communication. She believed scientific and health knowledge should be accessible regardless of educational or socioeconomic background.

“Scientific knowledge should not be something that is only accessible to people who have attended university or who have a particular socioeconomic background,” she said.

At the time of her graduation, Mkhize was a principal lecturer at Eduvos, Midrand Campus, where she worked in Biomedical Sciences and served as Lead for Technology and Innovation.

Her time at UKZN helped shape her as an independent researcher, academic and mentor. She was among the founders of the Physiology Postgraduate Society and served as its chairperson, creating a platform for postgraduate students to share research and support one another.

Her achievements included completing her MSc in Human Physiology summa cum laude. A 2023 research paper was also recognised by the International Journal of Molecular Sciences as its most-read and most-downloaded article. She served as Treasurer of the Diabetes, Endocrine and Related Sciences Society of South Africa (DERSSA).

Looking ahead, Mkhize said she hoped to work at the intersection of research, teaching, innovation, science communication and health policy.

“I wanted to continue driving conversations around the dissemination and communication of scientific information, particularly finding ways to make scientific knowledge transferable across communities, age groups and educational levels,” she said.

Her personal motto captured the philosophy underpinning her journey: “Walk faithfully, serve purposefully, and leave every place better than you found it.”

Words: Lunga Memela

Photograph: Supplied