Ntombizodwa P Zwane | States of Matter | Research Excellence Award

Dr. Ntombizodwa P Zwane | States of Matter | Research Excellence Award

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University | South Africa

Dr. Ntombizodwa P. Zwane is an accomplished dentist and academic with over two decades of experience in clinical dentistry and dental education. She holds a Bachelor of Dental Science (BDS) and has served as a lecturer and clinician at a leading health sciences university since 2004. Her professional expertise is strongly rooted in removable prosthodontics, with extensive experience in teaching complete denture prosthodontics and managing patients requiring removable prostheses. Her academic work also encompasses dental materials science, biomaterials–biofilm interactions, and the innovative application of cold atmospheric plasma in dentistry. Actively engaged in evidence-based dental research, she contributes to structured, bias-minimised scientific evaluation and peer review processes. She is widely recognized for her commitment to undergraduate teaching, clinical supervision, assessment, and academic quality assurance. Through her combined roles as educator, clinician, and researcher, she continues to advance prosthodontic education and research, contributing meaningfully to the development of modern, science-driven dental practice.

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Featured Publications


Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) Shows Strain-Dependence Against Candida albicans Growth on Titanium

– Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2025

Ntombizodwa P. Zwane; Isak J. van der Walt; Steve A.S. Olorunju; Euphemia Sekati; Adam Shnier; Deran Reddy

Nicholas Candy | Surgical Hydrogels | Research Excellence Award

Dr. Nicholas Candy | Surgical Hydrogels | Research Excellence Award

University of Adelaide | Australia

Dr. Nicholas Candy is an accomplished neurosurgeon and academic whose career blends advanced clinical expertise with impactful research. He holds a Master of Surgery in Neurosurgery from the University of Sydney and completed his PhD at the University of Adelaide, where he later progressed to roles as Clinical Lecturer and Senior Clinical Lecturer. His extensive clinical experience spans multiple accredited registrar positions across leading Australian hospitals, including the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and Flinders Medical Centre. He has cultivated strong research interests in pituitary surgery, postoperative outcomes, neuro-endocrine preservation, and innovations that reduce surgical scarring and complications. His role as Coordinating Principal Investigator in a Phase I trial on Chitogel and Deferiprone Gel reflects his commitment to translational research designed to enhance neurosurgical recovery. Dr. Candy has supervised doctoral research, contributed to international clinical studies, and carried out significant work in traumatic brain injury outcomes and neurosurgical quality-of-life assessments. His academic impact and contributions have earned him notable awards, including multiple prestigious research scholarships from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and recognition as the Sheldon College Young Alumnus of the Year. Overall, he stands out as a dedicated clinician-scientist advancing modern neurosurgical practice.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Ovenden, C., Mignone, E., Chapman, I., Torpy, D. J., Rankin, W., Jukes, A., Santoreneos, S., Candy, N., Psaltis, A., & De Sousa, S. M. C. (2026). “Early Postoperative Decline in Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) Predicts Surgical Remission of Acromegaly.” World Neurosurgery.

Candy, N. G., Barry, E. F., Tomatis, V. M., Patel, S., Miller, J., Ovenden, C., Nowicki, J., Hammam, E., Poonnoose, S., Sandler, S., et al. (2025). “Phase I Trial to Evaluate Safety of Deferiprone-Chitogel to Prevent Epidural Fibrosis in Lumbar Spine Surgery.” European Spine Journal.

Tong, J. Y., Candy, N. G., Sung, J., Jukes, A. K., & Selva, D. (2025). “In Reply: Transorbital Approach to the Cavernous Sinus After an Exenteration.” Operative Neurosurgery.

Tong, J. Y., Candy, N. G., Sung, J., Jukes, A. K., & Selva, D. (2025). “Transorbital Approach to the Cavernous Sinus After an Exenteration.” Operative Neurosurgery.

Candy, N. G., Jukes, A. K., Ooi, E. H., Valentine, R., Vrodos, N., Santoreneos, S., Floreani, S., Wormald, P.-J., & Psaltis, A. J. (2025). “The Evolution of Pituitary Surgery in an Australian Health Care Framework.” Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base.

Candy, N. G., Zhang, A. S., Jukes, A. K., & Wormald, P. J. (2025). “Sphenoid sinusitis with extradural empyema in a paediatric patient.” Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.

Mansour, L. T., Candy, N., Nowicki, J., Jukes, A., Chryssidis, S., & Harding, M. (2024). “An infratentorial dural arteriovenous fistula mimicking cervical myelopathy: A case report.” Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery.