Fortunate Mokoena

Fortunate Mokoena is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry at North-West University, South Africa, where she leads research in infectious disease drug discovery. Her work focuses on developing novel therapeutics for diseases that disproportionately affect children under five, including malaria and pneumonia — two of the leading causes of childhood mortality in many parts of the world.

Dr. Mokoena has trained and continues to mentor numerous MSc and doctoral students, fostering a strong pipeline of young scientists in her field. She has authored several publications in internationally peer-reviewed journals and has shared her findings at major scientific gatherings, including the Hsp90 Conference in Germany, the Cell Stress Society International (CSSI) Conference in the United States, and meetings of the Southern African Biochemistry Society.

Her groundbreaking research earned her a Grand Challenges Africa grant, which laid the foundation for her drug discovery program. This work has since expanded with additional support from South Africa’s Technology Innovation Agency (TIA). She is also a full member of the Grand Challenges Drug Discovery Accelerator, an international initiative driving collaborative solutions to global health challenges.

Through her research and mentorship, Dr. Mokoena is making significant contributions to the fight against infectious diseases and to the advancement of scientific capacity in Africa.