Ms. Sboniso Mhlongo | Veterinary Public Health | Best Researcher Award
North West Department of Agriculture | South Africa
Profile: ORCID
North West Department of Agriculture | South Africa
Ms. Sboniso Mhlongo is a highly accomplished South African public health professional and microbiologist with extensive expertise in veterinary public health, epidemiology, and quality management systems. She holds a Master of Public Health with distinction from the University of Johannesburg, alongside degrees in Quality, Environmental Management, and Microbiology from leading South African universities. Her career at the North West Department of Agriculture as Chief Veterinary Technologist has been defined by leadership in ISO 17025-compliant laboratory operations, surveillance programs for food, water, and environmental hygiene, and mentoring multidisciplinary teams. Ms. Mhlongo’s research interests center on zoonotic disease surveillance, laboratory quality systems, and occupational health risk assessment in veterinary settings. She is highly skilled in data management, statistical analysis using SPSS and Excel, laboratory diagnostics, and biosafety procedures, and has demonstrated excellence in policy translation through technical reporting and national health framework development. Her notable accomplishments include pioneering SANAS accreditation for a state-owned veterinary laboratory and coordinating national surveillance projects that informed animal health policies. Recognized for her academic excellence and professional impact, she is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and registered with professional scientific and veterinary councils. Her career reflects a deep commitment to strengthening public health systems and advancing laboratory standards in South Africa.
Profile: ORCID
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He holds a PhD in Medical Parasitology from the Department of Parasitology & Mycology at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran (2017). He earned his MSPH in Medical Parasitology from the School of Public Health & Institute of Public Health Research at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (2012). Additionally, he completed his B.Sc. in Medical Entomology from the School of Public Health at Bandar Abbas University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran (2008).
He has presented several research abstracts at prestigious scientific meetings. His work includes a meta-analysis on the prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers in Asian and African countries, presented at the 2nd International and 9th National Congress of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases of Iran (NICOPA9) in Guilan, Iran (May 20–22, 2015). Additionally, he conducted a retrospective analysis of human hydatidosis in Khorasan Province, a hyperendemic area in Iran, which was also presented at NICOPA9.
Further, Dr. [Name] contributed to a study on the rate of Plasmodium vivax infectivity in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in Hormozgan Province, Iran, showcased at the same congress. Another significant presentation includes research on the prevalence and time-trend analysis of intestinal parasitic infections in Nazarabad, Alborz Province, Iran, based on data from 2012 to 2016, which was presented at the 3rd International and 10th National Congress of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases of Iran (NICOPA10).
He is a member of the Iranian Society of Parasitology since 2017. His research interests focus on the epidemiology of parasitic diseases, particularly vector-borne infections, as well as the clinical aspects and control strategies for parasitic diseases. His work aims to enhance understanding and develop effective interventions for managing parasitic infections in endemic regions.
Mansoura University,Egypt
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He is an experienced researcher in Biology, Parasitology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biotechnology, with a strong academic background and extensive research training. He holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences (1999-2004), a Master of Veterinary Medical Sciences (2005-2008), and a Doctor of Veterinary Medical Sciences (Parasitology) (2008-2011) from Mansoura University, Egypt, where his research focused on parasitic infections in farm animals, particularly tissue parasites and Sarcocystis species in buffaloes in Dakahlia Province. To further enhance his expertise, he has undertaken multiple international research experiences, including a one-month externship at TIHO Hannover – Institute of Parasitology, Germany, in 2015, where he worked on PCR-sequencing protocols to genotype hydatid cysts and Taenia hydatigena cysticerci.
He later pursued a six-month postdoctoral scholarship at South Dakota State University (SDSU), USA, focusing on autofluorescence and lectin-binding protocols for identifying gastrointestinal trichostrongylid nematodes in small ruminants under the guidance of Prof. Michael B. Hildreth. His research experience also includes a nine-month postdoctoral scholarship (2018-2019) at the USDA – Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, USA, where he worked on the genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from different regions worldwide, utilizing mice bioassays, cell culture, PCR-RFLP, and whole genome sequencing under the mentorship of Dr. Jitender Dubey. Additionally, he has actively participated in professional training, completing 22 workshops through the Faculties and Leadership Development Program at Mansoura University, along with specialized training in Transmission Electron Microscopy (2010, Alexandria University), Molecular Genetics Approaches (2014, Cairo University), and Micro-imaging for scientific purposes (2016, SDSU, USA). With a diverse research background, advanced technical skills, and extensive international exposure, he seeks opportunities to contribute his expertise in parasitology, microbiology, and molecular biotechnology.
He has had a distinguished academic career in Parasitology, progressing through various academic and research positions. He began as a Demonstrator of Parasitology at Mansoura University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Egypt (2004-2008), before being promoted to Assistant Lecturer (2008-2012) and later to Lecturer (2012-2017). His expertise and contributions to the field led to his appointment as an Associate Professor of Parasitology (2017-2022) at the same institution. Since 2022, he has been serving as a Professor of Parasitology at Mansoura University. In addition to his academic roles, he has undertaken multiple international research assignments as a Visiting Scientist, including at TIHO Hannover – Institute of Parasitology, Germany (2015), South Dakota State University (SDSU), USA (2016), and the USDA – Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, USA (2018-2019). These experiences have significantly enriched his research expertise, particularly in molecular parasitology, diagnostics, and genetic characterization of parasites.
He has actively participated in numerous international scientific conferences and workshops, presenting his research findings in Parasitology. He delivered an oral presentation on the “Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of various Taenia multiceps isolates from definitive and intermediate hosts worldwide” at the British Society of Parasitology (BSP) online meeting held from March 21-25, 2022. He also attended the BSP online meeting in June 2021 and participated in a workshop titled “Virtual Veterinary Vaccines,” organized by Liverpool John Moores University, UK, in collaboration with Chiang Mai University, Thailand, on May 6-7, 2021. In March 2021, he presented a poster on the “Effect of four different preservatives on natural autofluorescence and lectin binding characteristics of trichostrongyle eggs” at the 29th annual online meeting of the German Society for Parasitology. Additionally, he presented a study on the “First report of gastrointestinal parasites of feral cats from Gharbia Governorate, Egypt” at the International Congress on Biological and Health Sciences, Turkey, in February 2021.
He also contributed to the 61st annual conference of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists, held in San Antonio, Texas, USA, from August 6-9, 2016, where he presented a poster on the “Simultaneous identification of Haemonchus, Teladorsagia, and Trichostrongylus eggs in goat and sheep fecal samples with three specific lectins.” Furthermore, he attended the 96th annual meeting of the South Dakota Academy of Science in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, on April 8-9, 2016. He has also participated in the 9th International Scientific Conference at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, showcasing his commitment to advancing research in parasitology on both national and international platforms.
Publications
A review on toxoplasmosis in humans and animals from Egypt
He is a member of prestigious professional organizations, including the American Society for Microbiology (Postdoctoral Membership: 200165352), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (Gold Member: 60484715), and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialists as a Microbiology Specialist (SCFHS: 14-R-A-0030780). His key skills encompass collaboration and teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving, effective communication of research findings, project management, and continuous learning in microbiology, biotechnology, and drug discovery.
Qassim University, College of Pharmacy, Saudi Arabia
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He holds a PhD in Microbial Biotechnology from Invertis University, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India (2018–2021). Prior to that, he completed an MPhil in Environmental Science with a microbiology-based research project from Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, India (2014–2017). He also earned an MSc in Microbiology (2004–2007) and a BSc in Microbiology (2001–2004) from the same university.
He is currently a full-time Lecturer cum Researcher at the College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, a position he has held since February 2012. As an established researcher, he actively contributes to academic and scientific advancements in his field.
Publications