Rinae Prisca Gadisi, a Master of Medical Science candidate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), is the recipient of the 2025 Rick Turner Scholarship. The scholarship is given in recognition of postgraduate students who demonstrate strong community engagement.
Rinae Prisca Gadisi is the recipient of the 2025 Rick Turner Scholarship
The Rick Turner Scholarships were established to honour the memory of Dr Richard Turner for his contributions to political science at the university and his broader impact on civil society.
“I thank God,” said Gadisi upon receiving the award. “It is an honour and serves as a reminder that I am on the right path to growth and success.
"As a student, it is important to be financially free, to be able to focus on what is ahead,” she said.
Gadisi recently celebrated the publication of her first article in the International Journal of Endocrinology, titled "The Extra-thyroidal Distribution of Sodium Iodide Symporter".
Gadisi’s current master’s research focuses on the functional neuro-localisation of NIS in the limbic regions of the normal adult human brain.
What drives her passion is the fact that, to date, no study has demonstrated the presence of thyroid-specific NIS protein in the adult brain.
“My findings will contribute to growing evidence of extra-thyroidal functional expression - in this case, thyroid-specific NIS protein in mood-control areas of the brain - and may provide novel autoimmune targets for conditions such as autoimmune thyroid disorders and bipolar disorder,” she explained.
Gadisi said she has always envisioned herself working in the health sector - “wearing a lab coat.”
She added, “I care deeply about people’s health. Working in the lab gives me confidence that I am contributing to science and improving the quality of life through scientific advancement.”
Gadisi completed a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Venda and a Bachelor of Honours in Medical Biochemistry at UKZN.
She is now in her second year as a master’s student.
“Receiving the Rick Turner Scholarship has lifted a financial burden and allowed me to fully focus on my research,” she said.
“With my master’s degree in Medical Sciences, I aim to work in diagnostic and laboratory services or healthcare organisations, taking on leadership roles on managing lab operations and scientific outcomes.
"Additionally, I aspire to further my studies to a PhD, where I can engage in research to discover new strategies that could be implemented in various illnesses.”
