Distinguished Professor Tebello Nyokong is an internationally recognised chemist and NRF A-rated scientist based at Rhodes University. Her research focuses on the development of photodynamic therapy drugs for cancer diagnosis and treatment using a combination of oxygen, laser light, and photosensitisers. Throughout her distinguished career, Professor Nyokong has published more than 1,010 peer-reviewed publications, including four books, 15 book chapters, and three patents. She has also delivered keynote addresses at numerous international conferences. Prof Nyokong has made a significant contribution to human capacity development by supervising more than 71 Master’s students, 75 PhD students, and 43 postdoctoral research fellows. She has also been awarded seven honorary doctorates by universities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. She has received numerous national and international awards, including the L’Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science International Award for Africa and the Arab States. In 2023, she was appointed a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences by Pope Francis and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (UK).