2001 Scholarship Winner: Indira Pillay

This year, I will be doing the Honours Programme in Applied Biotechnology in the Department of Microbiology at the University of the Western Cape. The largest constituent of my course will be a Virology research project on honeybee viruses. Interest in this insect is attributed to its significant contribution to commercial crop pollination. The aim of this project is to provide molecular information on viruses that affect honeybees. The overall objective of the honours programme is to acquire a background in the application of biotechnology techniques, which are relevant to all spheres of molecular biology research. Although my interest lies in human viruses, I appreciate the importance of the research being invested in the honeybee, and intend to fully apply myself to this fascinating project. In the future, however, I intend to utilise the knowledge and skills that I will acquire during this year, to intensively research a microorganism, which significantly affects human health, eg. HIV.

It is indeed an honour to be awarded this scholarship by women in science who have all excelled in their respective fields. Thank you SAWISE for assisting me in taking this step towards making a meaningful contribution in science!

2002 winner >