Dr. Kokoette Bassey | Medicinal Plants | Best Researcher Award
Senior Lecturer | Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University | South Africa
Dr. Kokoette Bassey is a seasoned Senior Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa. With over two decades of experience in teaching, research, and postgraduate supervision, his expertise bridges natural product drug discovery and pharmaceutical chemistry. Renowned for his work on South African medicinal plants, Dr. Bassey plays a pivotal role in quality control and phytochemical evaluation of herbal products. He has presented his research globally from Poland to Japan and actively mentors doctoral and master’s students in innovative plant-based pharmaceutical projects. His contributions to the South African Herbal Pharmacopoeia and international peer-reviewed journals underscore his influence in the domain of phytomedicine. Beyond academics, he is a certified expert in molecular modeling and structure elucidation, strengthening his drug development approaches. His dedication continues to drive natural drug discovery, quality assurance, and pharmaceutical innovation.
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Education
Dr. Bassey earned his Doctor of Technologiae (Pharmaceutical Sciences) in 2017 from Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), South Africa, with a dissertation titled “Phytochemical profiling and quality control of Hypoxis Hemerocallidea and related species”. He also completed a Magister Technologiae (Organic Chemistry) in 2010 at TUT, focusing on glycosylation diastereoselectivity. Earlier, he obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Chemistry from the University of Calabar, Nigeria, in 1997 with a thesis on organic geochemistry of oils from the Niger Delta and Douala Basin. His academic training blends rigorous pharmaceutical, chemical synthesis, and analytical techniques, forming a strong foundation for his current teaching and research. He continues to enhance his expertise through international certifications, including in molecular modeling and advanced structural elucidation technologies.
Experience
Dr. Bassey’s career spans academic and educational roles in both South Africa and Nigeria. Since 2017, he has served as a Senior Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. Prior to this, he was a part-time lecturer at Tshwane University of Technology (2011–2014), and earlier a mathematics tutor at Princefield College (2006–2008) and a chemistry teacher at Continental Comprehensive College, Lagos (2002–2005). His diverse teaching portfolio includes undergraduate modules such as SAR of beta-lactams and opioids and postgraduate supervision in natural drug discovery. His instructional philosophy integrates theoretical and practical elements, fostering innovation in pharmaceutical sciences. Recognized under NOC code 4011, his academic positions reflect a progressive trajectory dedicated to student development and pharmaceutical research excellence.
Research Interests
Dr. Bassey’s multidisciplinary research encompasses natural product drug discovery, pharmaceutical chemistry, quality control, and drug delivery systems. He focuses on isolating bioactive compounds from medicinal plants using tools like UPLC-MS, NMR, and IR. His work also involves SAR-guided chemical synthesis and characterization of therapeutic mimics. Additionally, he explores the green synthesis of nanoparticles for drug delivery and metabolomic fingerprinting for herbal product validation. His flagship research project, “Natural products in drug discovery and phytomedicine quality control,” is funded by the SMU Research and Development Grant (RDG #D113). Dr. Bassey supervises a large cohort of MSc and PhD students whose theses span from phytochemical profiling to SARS-CoV-2-targeted plant studies. His research contributes to the scientific validation of African medicinal flora and quality assurance of phytomedicines.
Awards
Dr. Kokoette Bassey is a recipient of internal research development funding (RDG #D113) and is widely recognized for his contributions to phytopharmaceutical science. His leadership in supervising postgraduate students and his role as a key contributor to the South African Herbal Pharmacopoeia (2022) demonstrate his national impact. He has been invited to present his research at major international conferences across Poland, China, Japan, and South Africa. His continued professional development includes certifications in molecular modeling from Schrödinger and structure elucidation from ACD/Labs, showcasing his commitment to continuous learning and scientific excellence. His role as a trusted postgraduate mentor has led to multiple student graduations and high-impact publications in journals such as Molecules, Plants, and Biology.
Top Noted Publications
Title: Current Advances in Specialised Niosomal Drug Delivery: Manufacture, Characterization and Drug Delivery Applications
Year: 2022
Cited by: 139
Title: Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Evaluations of Moringa oleifera Lam Leaves Extract and Isolated Compounds
Year: 2023
Cited by: 51
Title: Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Extracts of Viscum continuum E. Mey. Ex Sprague, a South African Mistletoe
Year: 2022
Cited by: 30
Title: Chemical Characterization and Nutritional Markers of South African Moringa oleifera Seed Oils
Year: 2022
Cited by: 17
Title: The Utilization of Plant-Material-Loaded Vesicular Drug Delivery Systems in the Management of Pulmonary Diseases
Year: 2023
Cited by: 12
Title: An Andrographolide from Helichrysum caespitium (DC.) Sond. Ex Harv., (Asteraceae) and Its Antimicrobial, Antiquorum Sensing, and Antibiofilm Potentials
Year: 2021
Cited by: 12
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