Staff Profiles

Dr Shathani Nkhwa studied Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sheffield, she then went on to King’s College London to further her studies and completed her PhD in Biomaterial development of resorbable synthetic grafts, as well as tissue regeneration, focusing on the development of orthobiologic dual network composites for bone regeneration. The developed synthetics grafts were suited for technology transfer and through clinical translation.

Her career objective is focused on finding affordable means of advancing Regenerative medicine (Biomaterials, Tissue engineering) and medical device fabrication In Botswana

1. 3D Printing Educational Pre-Operative Planning, And Patient Specific Medical Device Fabrication (Lloyd's Register Grant)
2. Development and fabrication of wound healing materials, a collaboration between  University of Botswana and Botswana Institute of Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI).  

3. Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAIS) project: aimed at developing stronger ecosystems for additive manufacturing in the medical field (UB, BITRI, CUT SA)

Nkhwa, S., Kemal, E., Gurav, N., & Deb, S. (2019). Dual polymer networks: a new strategy in expanding the repertoire of hydrogels for biomedical applications. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 30(10), 114. doi: 10.1007/s10856-019-6316-9 

Nkhwa, S., Iskandar, L., Gurav, N., & Deb, S. (2018). Combinatorial design of calcium meta phosphate poly(vinyl alcohol) bone-like biocomposites. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 29(8), 128. doi: 10.1007/s10856-018-6133-6 

Cama, G., Nkhwa, S., Gharibi, B., Lagazzo, A., Cabella, R., Carbone, C., . . . Deb, S. (2017). The role of new zinc incorporated monetite cements on osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl, 78, 485-494. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2017.04.086 

Nkhwa, S., Lauriaga, K. F., Kemal, E., & Deb, S. (2014). Poly(vinyl alcohol): Physical Approaches to Designing Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications.