In this episode we chat to Dr Mandiwana about prostate cancer. We have an in-dept conversation about the causes, treatment and especially diagnosis. She share a personal story about her father regarding the illness and its prevention. 

In the #Beyond Science segment we learn more about Vusani. We dive deep into her personal life as a single mom through the untimely loss of her husband to an accident when she was just 27. We go into a deep but sobering conversation about grief and its implications on traditional customs. We talk about her fashion sense and keeping fit with her boys.  

Dr. Vusani Mandiwana is a Senior Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in the Centre for Nanostructures and Advanced Materials, Chemicals Cluster and a registered Professional Natural Scientist. Vusani is a South African citizen with a PH.D. in Pharmaceutics (North-West University, South Africa), an M.Sc. in Pharmaceutics (North-West University, South Africa) and an Honours in Medical Virology (SMU, South Africa).

Vusani is the Research Liaison between South Africa and Belgium in an international collaborative Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) Project including Ghent University, KU Leuven University, University of Pretoria, NECSA and North-West University which focuses on radiolabelling of 68Ga-NOTA-somatropin, microPET/CT imaging and treatment of GH-R expressing melanoma. Vusani is a recipient of a 2nd Prize Poster Presentation Award: MAM-14 Polymer International Conference (2014 In addition to this, she is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, a recipient of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans title and was nominated Best MSc Student at the CSIR-MSM Excellence Awards in 2014, received another nomination for the Collaboration Award: CSIR Excellence Awards in 2020 and has made a couple of radio appearances . She is a mentor and co-promoter to students, pursuing degrees in Medicinal Plant Science and Chemical Science respectively.

Vusani is an energetic extroverted introvert who passionate about life and always looking for a challenge.  She loves to see growth and progress in every aspect of life and therefore takes pride in inspiring, motivating and helping others through charity and volunteer programs.  She is a self-proclaimed Image Consultant who enjoys shopping, reading, interior design and décor, travelling and anything that requires her to be creative.