Dr Nonsikelelo Precios Hlongwa(nee Mthethwa)
About me
Nonsikelelo Precios Hlongwa is a South African postdoctoral researcher within the African Microbiome Project at Stellenbosch University. Her work spans human gut and air microbiome research, applying metagenomics, molecular assays, and bioinformatics to understand microbial ecology and antimicrobial resistance in both environmental and health-related contexts.
She is currently involved in a project investigating the gut microbiome of children living in informal settlements, which seeks to understand how differences in microbial exposure and antimicrobial resistance patterns may contribute to health and developmental outcomes. This work aims to uncover biological mechanisms linking living conditions to child growth (stunting) and development. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of health inequalities in low-resource environments and addresses crucial gaps in African microbiome research
Internationally recognized as a Fulbright Fellow, L’Oréal–UNESCO Women in Science Awardee, and National Research Foundation (NRF) Research Excellence Award recipient, she continues to advance microbiome science through innovative, interdisciplinary, and socially impactful research
Nonsikelelo Precios Hlongwa is a South African postdoctoral researcher within the African Microbiome Project at Stellenbosch University. Her work spans human gut and air microbiome research, applying metagenomics, molecular assays, and bioinformatics to understand microbial ecology and antimicrobial resistance in both environmental and health-related contexts.
She is currently involved in a project investigating the gut microbiome of children living in informal settlements, which seeks to understand how differences in microbial exposure and antimicrobial resistance patterns may contribute to health and developmental outcomes. This work aims to uncover biological mechanisms linking living conditions to child growth (stunting) and development. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of health inequalities in low-resource environments and addresses crucial gaps in African microbiome research
Internationally recognized as a Fulbright Fellow, L’Oréal–UNESCO Women in Science Awardee, and National Research Foundation (NRF) Research Excellence Award recipient, she continues to advance microbiome science through innovative, interdisciplinary, and socially impactful research
Degrees:
• Profiling pathogenic protozoan and their functional pathways in wastewater using 18S rRNA and shotgun metagenomics. Nonsikelelo P Mthethwa-Hlongwa, Isaac D Amoah, Andres Gomez, Sam Davison, Poovendhree Reddy, Faizal Bux, Sheena Kumari. Science of The Total Environment (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169602.
• Transcriptomic profiling of Beauveria bassiana SAN01, an endophytic fungal entomopathogen, for the production of lignocellulosic enzymes.Ayodeji Amobonye, Prashant Bhagwat, Nonsikelelo Mthethwa, Stanford Kwenda, Arshad Ismail, Sheena Kumari, Suren Singh, Santhosh Pillai. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (2023).
• Fluorescence and colorimetric LAMP-based real-time detection of human pathogenic Cryptosporidium spp. from environmental samples. Nonsikelelo Precios Mthethwa, Isaac Dennis Amoah, Poovendhree Reddy,Faizal Bux & Sheena Kumari. Acta Tropica journal. (2022)
• RT-LAMP: A cheaper, simpler and faster alternative for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Isaac Dennis Amoah, Nonsikelelo Precios Mthethwa, Leanne Pillay, Nashia Deepnarain, Kriveshin Pillay, Oluyemi Olatunji Awolusi, Sheena Kumari and Faizal Bux, (2021)
• A review on application of next-generation sequencing methods for profiling of protozoan parasites in water: current methodologies, challenges, and perspectives.Nonsikelelo Precios Mthethwa, Isaac Dennis Amoah, Poovendhree Reddy, Faizal Bux and Sheena Kumari, Journal of Microbiological Methods (2021)
• Development and evaluation of a molecular based protocol for detection and quantification of Cryptosporidium in wastewater. Nonsikelelo Precios Mthethwa, Isaac Dennis Amoah, Poovendhree Reddy, Faizal Bux and Sheena Kumari, 2021 (Published)
• Utilization of Pistia stratiotes (aquatic weed) for fermentative biohydrogen: Electron-equivalent balance, stoichiometry, and cost estimation. Nonsikelelo Precios Mthethwa, Mahmoud Nasr Faizal Bux and SheenaKumari. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, (2018)