Biography
Professor Addmore Shonhai is Professor of Biochemistry in the Biochemistry & Microbiology Department at the University of Venda, South Africa. He received his PhD in Biochemistry from Rhodes University and previously served as Head of Biochemistry at the University of Venda for ten years.
His research focuses on understanding the roles of heat shock proteins and molecular chaperones in the development and survival of infectious agents, with particular interest in malaria parasite biology. His work also explores the potential application of molecular chaperones in biotechnology.
Professor Shonhai is a Member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (mASSAf) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa (FRSSAf). He serves as a Council Member of the South African Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SASBMB) and is a life member of the Cell Stress International Society.
He is a recipient of the Georg Forster Research Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. He recently completed a nine-month Fulbright Visiting Scholar fellowship at Hampton University in Virginia, United States, where his research collaboration focused on malaria-related proteins and potential drug targets.
Professor Shonhai is also involved in the Local Organizing Committee for the 2027 Congress of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB), which will be held in Cape Town, South Africa.
A central part of his academic work is the mentorship and development of early-career scientists, particularly in biochemistry, molecular biology and infectious-disease research.