Xikombiso Mbhenyane

Prof Mbhenyane is Professor and Head of Division Human Nutrition at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University. She is a C3 NRF rated researcher. Prof Mbhenyane’s involvement in human nutrition research has been at various levels: conducting research and supervision of master’s and doctoral research. More than 10 masters student have successfully been mentored. Her research area of interest is indigenous foods, nutrition and prevention of disease and poverty, nutrition and hunger. She has received funding from external institutions such as NRF, MRC and South African Sugar Association for various research projects. She has reviewed research proposals for the NRF funding as well as rating, and peer reviewing applications for rating. In addition, she has served as a panelist for the reviewing of two research units of the Medical Research Council in 2008, the Nutrition Intervention Research Unit and the Research Unit for Chronic Diseases of lifestyle. Prof Mbhenyane has published in accredited journals over a 10 year period. During the same period she presented or contributed to papers at national and international conferences. She has also been invited to review articles for accredited journals and continue to do so. She has established linkages with national and international institutions such as the MRC, Universities of Limpopo, Pretoria, North West and Free State, and the Swiss Federal Institute (Zurich), University of Massachusetts in USA, Catolic Universiteit Beira in Mozambique, Maastricht University in Netherlands and KU Leuven in Belgium. Professor Xikombiso Mbhenyane was named the 2009 Businesswoman of the year in the professional category at the South African Businesswoman Council award ceremony at Ilanga Estate Conference Centre in Bloemfontein, Free State Province. Prof Mbhenyane continues to strengthen her leadership competencies as indicated by the enrolment for the MBA degree which is current.