Tutor profile: Manamele M.

Environmental pollution through heavy metal toxicity leads to reductions in arable land for sustainable agriculture. What innovative biological research methods can you apply to environmental decontamination or remediation?

The application of plant growth-promoting bacteria can help with environmental remediation through the assimilation and metabolism of heavy metals such as copper, lead and aluminium, thus decontaminating the required soil for agriculture.

How does food starvation affect the biochemistry and the metabolism of the human body leading to weight loss?

The body uses the sugars (glucose) from food to produce the energy required by the cell through glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. In the absence of food (starvation), the body uses adipose tissue lipolysis (FAT BREAKDOWN) to produce fatty acids, which are further metabolised to produce the required energy, thus breaking down the fat in the body leads to weight loss.

What are the three main characteristics/skills a project manager requires to positively persuade stakeholders in multifaceted research or development projects to establish a synced, coherent and successful team?

The key to becoming a successful manager is effective communication and interpersonal skills, which relay information in a coherent and easily applicable or practical manner. Secondly, a leader in the form of a manager requires conflict resolution and negotiation skills to build a well-oiled team. Last but not least, time management skills provide a manager with the ability to meet goals and deliver results to stakeholders in a timeous and satisfactory manner.