Professor Motlalepula Matsabisa is an internationally recognised Pharmacologist and the Director of the African Medicines Innovations and Technologies Development Platform at the University of the Free State. With a Doctoral degree, specialising in Medicine from the University of Cape Town, his research focuses on the pharmacology of medicinal plant drug discovery, development and formulation studies.

His impactful research influences policy, the economy and quality of life. Prof Matsabisa’s services and experience are utilised in many statutory bodies such as the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA); the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the World Health Organization (WHO), where he serves in strategic, technical and advisory capacities. To date, he has published over 150 scientific articles, two books and seven book chapters. He has been an invited keynote speaker and plenary speaker at more than 20 international conferences. Prof Matsabisa is also a recipient of the prestigious British Fellowship and has raised millions of rands in research funding.

He has made a notable contribution to developing human capacity in the field of Pharmacology by building a strong pipeline of postgraduate researchers while advancing research excellence in traditional medicine and Indigenous Knowledge Systems. He has supervised and mentored a substantial cohort of postgraduate students, including over 20 Honours, 25 Master’s and 15 PhD students, as well as 30 postdoctoral fellows. By creating opportunities for students and earlycareer researchers to engage in scientifically rigorous research within a historically underrepresented field, Prof Matsabisa has contributed to the development of a new generation of scholars capable of bridging indigenous knowledge and modern scientific approaches. His work has broadened participation within the research system and enabled young researchers to establish careers in academia, research institutions and related sectors.