Miss Nikayla Batohi embarked on her academic journey at the University of the Witwatersrand, earning a Bachelor of Science with majors in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, and Physiology in 2017. She continued her research pursuits, achieving a Bachelor of Health Science with Honours in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in 2018, followed by a Master of Science in Medicine at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand. She is currently a PhD research fellow at the Centre for Precision Health, Edith Cowan University, Australia. Her research spans diverse topics, including evaluating the role of quorum sensing in bacteria to reduce antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics, understanding the innate immune responses in spontaneous control of HIV-1 control, developing an individualised drug repurposing platform for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and more recently, exploring adoptive cell therapy for the treatment of advanced melanoma. Nikayla's academic achievements have garnered numerous accolades, including the Commonwealth Higher Degree by Research Scholarship, the South African National Research Foundation Bursary, the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation Bursary, and a Postgraduate Merit Award. Alongside her academic pursuits, she actively engages in community outreach and volunteer work, demonstrating her commitment to making a positive impact locally and globally.
