Prof Namrita Lall

Prof Namrita Lall

South Africa

University of Pretoria

Plant Science

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Work and Research

Namrita is currently a Professor of Medicinal Plant Science at the University of Pretoria having completed her PhD in 2001. She is internationally recognised and has been awarded several prestigious titles due to her contributions in advancing science and building the knowledge base in the field of indigenous systems. Since 1997, she has initiated numerous research projects on skin disorders, periodontal diseases, tuberculosis, diabetes and cancer with the aim of scientifically validated the use of South African plants for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Her research incorporates many different disciplines within the scientific field where she has developed many novel assays which are currently used in drug screening and analysis for botanical sources.

Fields Of Expertise

Ethnopharmacology
Phytomedicine
Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Research Profiles

Research Capacity and Personal

Prof. Lall has been involved with various collaborative research programme with ASLP fellows from different African countries. Many joint peer reviewed articles have been published and several are underway. Prof. Lall also serves as an external examinar and/or co-supervisor of postgraduate students of ASLP fellows. Prof Lall should further involve ASLP fellows in a possible Bioprospecting centre; which should be established at the University of Pretoria with the support of Department of Science and Technology; South Africa. Prof Lall is a committed contributor to science and research having acted as both a supervisor and co-supervisor to numerous postgraduate student at the University of Pretoria and universities abroad. She is truly passionate about evaluating the wonders of medicinal plants and not only values and respects available information on biocultural usage in her research, but takes it beyond by proving the efficacy of plant-derived products and eventually developing valuable pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical products. This is further substantiated by the various recognitions she has already received, including the Distinguished Young Women in Science Award (2011) from the Department of Science and Technology, South Africa, and more recently, the Order of Mapungubwe (2014), South Africa’s highest civilian honour granted by the President of the country, for achievements in the international arena that have served the country’s interests. Prof Lall is ranked in the top 1%of the global Web of Science list of influential academics who write about pharmacology and toxicology. Her status as an academic is based on her illustrious record of 125 papers in peer-reviewed journals, co-authored about ten book chapters and the inventor/co-inventor of 3 US patents, 4 PCT-patents, 8 South African patents and has recently published a book with Elsevier on medicinal plants. She has demonstrated her commitment to the larger South African community by interacting positively with traditional health practitioners and engaging them in advancing traditional medicines towards conventional pharmaceutical products.  

Keeping in touch with her bioprospecting and bioeconomy goals, many prototypes have emanated from Prof. Lall's research programme which are close to commercialisation.

A specialised degree called; "Medicinal Plant Sciences" is being offered at the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Pretoria, of which, Prof Lall is co-ordinating at Honours, Masters and PhD level.