Group Members

Nirvashi Autar

BSc, BSc (Hons), MSc, University of Cape Town 2025

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, Anticancer Agents

Nirvashi was born and raised in Mauritius. She completed her Cambridge “O” level (2014) and “A” level (2016) studies at Droopnath Ramphul State College in Mauritius and obtained her BSc degree at the University of Cape Town in 2018, majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. She went on further to pursue her BSc (Honours) degree in 2021 which focussed on the synthesis, characterisation and redox-mediated interactions of paddlewheel diruthenium complexes under the supervision of Dr Siyabonga Ngubane and Dr Shepherd Siangwata. In 2022, she started her MSc degree under the joint supervision of Dr Siyabonga Ngubane (Department of Chemistry) and Prof. Sharon Prince (Department of Human Biology) to investigate the anti-cancer properties of the paddlewheel diruthenium complexes. In 2024, she upgraded her MSc to a PhD degree where her project focussed on the relationship between the redox-mediated interactions and the anti-cancer properties of the paddlewheel diruthenium complexes.

Outside the lab, Nirvashi likes to spend time indoors, watching shows and knitting.

Jessica Faure

BSc, BSc (Hons), MSc, University of Cape Town 2025

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, Molecular Hybrids, Anticancer Metallodrug Discovery

Jess was born in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa. She completed all of her schooling at Reddam House Constantia where she matriculated in 2017. She triple-majored in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Genetics during my BSc undergrad and then went on to obtained her B.Sc.(Hons) in Chemistry with distinction in 2022 (with special focus on medicinal synthesis). During her MSc, she worked on the synthesis of novel organometallic anti-cancer agents as well as their biological application. Promising biological data prompted her to upgrade her MSc project to a PhD; her current research focuses on targeting cancer hallmarks using PGM-based molecular hybrids as chemotherapeutics.

Alongside her research, she enjoys exercising (whether it be running a race, training for a fitness competition or dancing for the DHL Stormers). She is so excited to be part of both the Smith and Prince research teams where she gets to explore her passion for both chemical synthesis and cell biology.

Sandisiwe Mdoda

BSc, BSc (Hons), MSc, University of Cape Town 2025

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, Molecular Hybrids, Tuberculosis Drug Discovery

Sandisiwe hails from the lush Eastern Cape and grew up between Cape Town and Pretoria. She later made a permanent move to the picturesque Cape Town to complete her BSc, BSc (Hons), and MSc at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Her previous research focused on the anticancer activity of pyrazole-based ruthenium(II) arene complexes.

With a strong commitment to public health, Sandisiwe’s PhD research focuses on tuberculosis drug discovery through the design of novel organometallic heterocyclic hybrids derived from quinolines, benzothiazoles, and thiosemicarbazones. The project is jointly supervised by Professor Gregory Smith (Department of Chemistry) and Dr Vinayak Singh from the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT).

An avid cinephile, she spends her time critiquing cinematography and bi-annual Harry Potter movie marathons. She enjoys high intensity interval training, a cheeky brunch, wrangling a sudoku puzzle and of course, doom scrolling on social media.

Ghannish Soogary

BSc, BSc (Hons), MSc, University of Cape Town 2023

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, Hybrid Molecules, Antileishmaniasis

Ghannish hails from Mauritius and obtained his B.Sc. degree in 2019 at the University of Cape Town (UCT), majoring in chemistry and mathematics. The following year, he attained his honours degree at UCT in chemistry (in the first class), where his thesis comprised the in silico docking of drugs with the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein; he was awarded the Alistair Stephen Memorial Award for having the top honours dissertation. In 2021, he started his master's studies at UCT by joining the stable supervised by the late Professor Timothy Egan where his main objectives were to elucidate the solubilities of haem and haem-drug complexes for chosen drugs, thus aiming to supply useful information for a mathematical model to explicate the complex haem detoxification pathway in Plasmodium falciparum. In 2023, Ghannish embarked on the journey towards a Ph.D. at UCT under the joint supervision of Professor Greg Smith (Chemistry) and Dr Ramona Hurdayal (Molecular and Cell Biology), delving into the development of novel (metallo)drugs for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Ghannish is an aspiring academic, and he looks to leverage his knowledge and skills in chemistry at university. He is an ardent football and tennis fan and is always up for a Rubik's cube solving contest.

Amaara Abdulla

BSc, BSc(Hons), University of Cape Town 2025

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, Aminoquinolines, Ferrocene, Antileishmanial Agents

Amaara was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. She matriculated from Herschel Girls’ High School in 2021 and completed her B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Genetics in 2024, as well as her B.Sc. in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Cape Town. Her honours project, supervised by Assoc. Prof. Suhail Rafudeen (Department of Molecular and Cell Biology), focused on a proteomic and metabolomic analysis of mungbean plants treated with a Ecklonia maxima-derived biostimulant. Her current project focuses on evaluating ferrocenyl aminoquinoline derivatives as potential drug leads against cutaneous leishmaniasis, under the joint supervision of Dr Ramona Hurdayal (Department of Molecular and Cell Biology) and Prof. Gregory Smith (Department of Chemistry).

Outside the lab, Amaara enjoys spending time in the ocean, either bobbing (swimming) in tidal pools or snorkelling in kelp forests. She also enjoys listening to music and baking, with a particular interest in sourdough bread.

Danile Mata

BSc, BSc (Hons), University of Cape Town 2024

Research Area: Bimetallic Complexes, Tandem Catalysis, Hydroaminomethylation

Danile was born and raised at Thembisa, Johannesburg, South Africa. She matriculated from Tswelopele Secondary School and obtained a BSc in Mathematics and Chemistry at the University of Cape Town in 2023. She went on to pursue a BSc (Honours) degree in Chemistry at the University of Cape Town in 2024 with a project focused on the development of dirhodium(II,II) complexes as catalysts precursors for chemoselective reductive amination, under the supervision of Dr Siyabonga Ngubane, Professor Gregory Smith and Dr Stephen de Doncker. Her current research is under the supervision of Dr Siyabonga Ngubane, Professor Gregory Smith and Dr Stephen de Doncker and focuses on the development of heterobimetallic Rh/Ir tandem catalysts for the hydroaminomethylation of olefins.

Outside the lab, Danile likes playing soccer, hiking, anime and baking.

Kamryn Naidoo

BSc, BSc (Hons), University of Cape Town 2025

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, Carbolines, Spirocycles, Ferrocene, Antimalarial Agents

Kamryn was born in Durban and matriculated from Kloof High School. He completed his B.Sc. in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Genetics in 2024 and graduated with distinction. He went on further to complete his B.Sc.(Hons) with a project focusing on exploring the modification of ring size in β-carboline-based spirocycles and their effect on structural properties and antiplasmodial activity under the supervision of Dr Marwaan Rylands. Kamryn obtained the B.Sc (Hons) degree in 2025 with distinction and was awarded the Percy Gordon Memorial Award for top Honours student, the Alastair Stephen Memorial Award for best Honours project and the best oral presentation award.

His current Master's work seeks to build off of what he achieved during the Honours project, but going one further and exploiting the allusivity of metals and organometallic hybridisation by designing and synthesising ferrocenyl derivatives of promising β-carboline-based natural products for antiplasmodial evaluation.

In his free time, if he’s not blasting Taylor Swift for everyone to hear or passionately cheering on the Sharks and Springboks, he is probably out running somewhere or bobbing (cold water swims) in the early hours of the morning!

Chloë Netta

BSc, BSc (Hons), University of Cape Town 2024

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, SNAP-Tag, Antibody-Drug Conjugates, Anticancer Agents

Chloë was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. She matriculated from Rustenburg Girls' High and later moved up the mountain to obtain her B.Sc. in Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCT. In 2024 she achieved her B.Sc. (Hons) in chemistry; her project focusing on the synthesis of novel organometallic Antibody-Drug conjugate precursors.

Chloë is passionate about animals and enjoys wandering around the outdoors, reading, and gaming in her spare time.

Danielle Sabor

BSc, BSc (Hons), University of Cape Town 2025

Research Area: Bioorganometallic Chemistry, Benzothiazoles, Ruthenium-arenes, Anticancer Agents

Danielle was born in Florida, USA but completed all her schooling in Cape Town, South Africa, at Rustenburg Girls High School. She matriculated in 2021 and completed my B.Sc. in chemistry and biochemistry in 2024 at the University of Cape Town. Danielle completed her B.Sc. (Hons) in 2025 with a project focusing on ruthenium-based benzothiazole complexes targeting breast cancer cells. She is currently expanding on that idea by evaluating the effect of incorporating different metal centres and molecular hybridization.

Outside of the lab, Danielle could spend every day on the beach and in the cold Cape Town water; she also enjoys hiking, cooking and crocheting.