NRF Rated Researchers

Research Profile

Xikombiso Mbhenyane

Prof XG Mbhenyane, DVC Academic has recently obtained a C3 Rating from NRF. C researchers are established researchers with sustained recent record of productivity in the field who are recognized by their peers as having produced a body of quality work, the core of which has coherence and attests to ongoing engagement in the field; and demonstrated the ability to conceptualize problems and apply research methods to investigating them.
                                           
Prof Mbhenyane’s involvement in human nutrition research has been at various levels: supervision of master’s and doctoral research at UNIVEN and externally, 10 masters student have successfully completed in the past five years, these students have also presented seven oral papers and 15 poster presentations at national and international conferences between 2002 – 2008, two papers have been published in accredited journals and 19 in peer reviewed conference proceedings.  She has also mentored one master’s student to co-author a chapter contribution to an academic book and invited to externally examine dissertation and thesis.
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 presented some of her work on indigenous foods and health at an international conference on Nutrition in China in 2006. She has also promoted educational research and publications based on the work on the implementation of problem based learning as a teaching methodology in the School of Health Sciences curriculum. As a Dean of School of Health Sciences she was engaged in promoting research activities by supporting staff for enrolling in higher degrees and applying for funding. The school’s yearly output was among the highest per year. She has reviewed research proposals for the NRF funding as well as rating, as well as 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 33 papers in accredited journals over a 10 year period. During the same period she presented or contributed to 41 papers at national and international conferences. She has also been invited to review articles for three accredited journals. 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). The linkage with the Swiss Federal Institute produced two publications in peer reviewed journals in 2007 with 3 UNIVEN staff contributing.
Prof Mbhenyane is now deputy vice chancellor academic also responsible for entrenching the culture of research and innovation university wide. She is responsible to foster an environment conducive to research, given the limited resources, to support all research demands, allocate research space, facilities, funds, and other resources for research programmes based on the scholarly and educational merits of the proposed research.  This will respond to the objective three of the University of Venda strategic plan 2009 -2013.
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.

Published Full Articles In Accredited Journals:

1. Mbhenyane XG, Venter CS, Vorster HH & Steyn HH. 2001.  The glycemic index of South African indigenous foods. South African journal of clinical nutrition, September 2001, vol 14, no 3.
2. Mamabolo R.M., Alberts M. Mbhenyane X.G., Steyn N.P. Nthangeni N.G., Delemarre-Van de Waal H.A. and Levitt N.S. 2004. Feeding practices and growth of infants from birth to 12 months in the central region of the Limpopo Province of South. 2004 March.
3. Mbhenyane XG, Venter CS, Vorster HH & Steyn HH. 2005. Nutrient intakes and consumption of indigenous foods by college students in the Limpopo Province. South African journal of clinical nutrition, April 2005, vol 18, no 1.
4. Zimmermann MB, Jooste PL, Mabapa NS, Mbhenyane XG, Schoeman S, Biebinger R, Chaouki N, Bozo M, Grimci L & Bridson J. Treatment of iodine deficiency in school age children increases insulin like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF binding protein -3 concentrations and improves somatic growth. Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism 92: 437 0 442, 2007).
5. Zimmermann MB, Jooste PL, Mabapa NS, Schoeman S, Biebinger R, Mushaphi LF & Mbhenyane XG. Vitamin A supplementation in iodine deficient African children decreases thyrotropin stimulation of the thyroid and reduces the goiter rate. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007, 86: 1040 -1044.
6. Amusa LO, Mbhenyane XG, Toriola AL, Amey KA, Ndaba K & Monyeki KD. The prevalence of hypokinetic risk factors in rural South African children: the Tshannda Longitudinal study. (African Journal for Physical Health Education, Recreation and Dance (AJPHERD) 2007 September (Supplement), pp. 86-101).
7. Mushaphi LF, Mbhenyane XG, Khoza LB & Amey AKA. 2008. Infant-feeding practices of mothers and the nutritional status of infants. S Afr J Clin Nutr 2008; 21(2).
8. Steyn NP and Mbhenyane XG. 2008. Workforce development in South Africa with a focus on public health nutrition. Public Health Nutrition (2008), 11:792-800 Cambridge University Press.
9. Michael B. Zimmermann, Isabelle Aeberli, Alida Melse-Boonstra, Lindita Grimci, John Bridson, Noureddine Chaouki, Xikombiso Mbhenyane and Pieter L. Jooste. 2009. Iodine Treatment in Children with Subclinical Hypothyroidism Due to Chronic Iodine Deficiency Decreases Thyrotropin and C-Peptide Concentrations and Improves the Lipid Profile. THYROID Volume 19, Number 10,

Prof Mbhenyane also has 21 articles in Abstracts/Proceedings.