Dr Ilze Vermaak, a senior lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and member of the SAMRC Herbal Drugs Research Unit, recently received a National Research Foundation (NFR) C2-rating. The NRF C2 rating is a recognition of Dr Vermaak's exceptional research contributions and impact in her field, placing her among the top researchers in South Africa.
This highly experienced researcher has a Scopus h-index of 21, Google Scholar h-index of 25 and i10-index of 42; has published 45 papers in prestigious ISI-accredited journals in the field of herbal medicine; is a co-editor of a book entitled “The South African Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Monographs of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants” and co-author of 6 chapters. She serves as an Associate Editor for the South African Journal of Botany (Elsevier); is a Subject Editor for Phytochemistry Letters (Elsevier), a Sub-editor for the South African Pharmaceutical Journal (MedPharm) and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Biosystems Engineering (Springer).
She is actively involved in the research and practice professional community and has served on the EXCO of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of South Africa (APSSA) for more than 10 years in various roles, including Chairperson of the Academy and at the same time as Vice-president of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA).
After graduating with a BPharm degree in 2004, she completed her one-year internship and one-year community pharmacy requirements before professional registration as a pharmacist with the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC). She enrolled for a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences at TUT, which was conferred cum laude in 2009. She received the S2A3 (South African Association for the Advancement of Science) bronze medal: Best Masters student in Science, Engineering and Technology.
Her Doctoral degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences was awarded in 2011 and six papers emanated from this research. She was awarded the Young Researcher of the Year award in the Faculty of Science in 2011 and again in 2012. In 2014, she received the Merit award for Woman Researcher of the Year in the Faculty of Science and the Woman Researcher of the Year Award in 2015. She also received publication awards in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (2014) and Pharmacology (2018) from the APSSA.
She has presented her research at more than 30 international and national conferences and supervised/co-supervised a number of Masters and Doctoral students.
She is integrally involved in teaching and learning as a coordinator, co-coordinator, examiner and moderator in various programmes, including the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme, the Advanced Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Bachelor of Nursing, as a service subject.
In 2023 she received the TAU (Teaching Advancement at Universities) fellowship.
She serves on various committees in the Departmental and Institutional community including the Departmental Committee for Postgraduate Studies (DCPS), the Faculty Committee for Postgraduate Studies (FCPS), Faculty Committee for Library and Information Services (FCLIS) and Faculty Board.
AREA(S) OF EXPERTISE
Dr Vermaak’s research is focused on the multifaceted exploration of herbal medicines to determine their quality, safety and efficacy (QSE). This includes the quality control of herbal medicines using analytical tools such as vibrational spectroscopy (mid- and near infrared spectroscopy) in combination with chemometric data analysis, phytochemical profiling, high performance thin layer chromatography and biological/pharmacological activity studies.
Dr Ilze Vermaak, a senior lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and member of the SAMRC Herbal Drugs Research Unit, recently received a National Research Foundation (NFR) C2-rating.
