Health Science Reviews

By Ayanda Mandlana

When I began my Honours in Medical Science (Neuroscience and Physiology), I was excited, curious, and slightly nervous about the unknown. But I soon realized that Honours is not so much about getting skilled in lab work or writing a thesis, it’s about being a scientist in mind, asking better questions, and getting past challenges with determination.

Training in tissue culture and Western blotting has introduced me to the complex but fascinating world of translational neuroscience. I am currently learning retinal microdissection and immunofluorescence staining to confocal imaging and data analysis. It is not a piece of cake. Sometimes, you damage the retina, making it difficult to stain certain proteins. But those failures taught me something that no textbook ever could: that science is a process, and each step even the frustrating ones, matters.

On top of my lab hours, I am also able to contribute to a community-based health promotion study on HIV Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions (KAP) through Student Led Research Initiative (SLRI). This kept my research in local reach, thought me about all the work and documentations you must put through before your study gets approved by the HREC. It reminded me that behind every biomarker or statistic is a person a person whose health we could impact through our research.

Most of all, I’ve grown as a communicator. Through presentations and constant discussions with peers and supervisors, I’ve learned how to make science accessible and impactful something I’ll carry into my future career as a clinical researcher or clinical scientist.

If I had to summarize this year in one word, it would be: becoming. I became more confident, more patient, more precise, and more passionate. I’ve learned where I belong, in neuroscience, research, and public health.

And for that, I’ll always be grateful to those who helped be adjust to this new environment.