BioCODE

Background & Blurb

It is estimated that non-communicable diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, account for 71 percent of deaths globally per annum. The effects of non-communicable diseases, extend far past that of human health, with the latest research suggesting that non-communicable diseases have overtaken infectious diseases as the largest drain on productivity.

Prevention and early detection remain the best strategies in reducing the prevalence and impact of non-communicable diseases, and as a result science and technology have slowly come together to usher in a new era of healthcare.

At the forefront of this evolution is BioCODE Technologies - a company creating a series of point-of-care smart sensing solutions that aims to detect novel circulating inflammatory molecules in a patient’s bloodstream, ultimately aiding in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of patients with inflammatory diseases. Innovus has been an instrumental part of BioCODE technologies’ journey, supporting them throughout the process of protecting their intellectual property, setting up the company, entering into strategic partnerships, and raising funding.

We spoke to the remarkable women at BioCODE Technologies who are leading the charge in revolutionizing how we approach the management of non-communicable diseases.

Website: https://www.biocode.co.za/

Meet the women of BioCODE

The directors of BioCODE are Prof Resia Pretoria – head of the Physiological Sciences department at Stellenbosch University, Prof Anna-Mart Engelbrecht – a professor at the department of Physiological Sciences – and Prof Wille Perold.

Prof Resia Pretorius

Prof Resia Pretorius is a researcher, distinguished professor, and department head of Physiological Sciences at Stellenbosch University. She joined the Stellenbosch University team in 2017 after several years at the prestigious University of Pretoria – where she also completed her PhD. In addition to her role as founding director at BioCODE, she is also the managing director of the company.

Resia believes her entrepreneurial superpower is that she does not get distracted. She maintains that it is this ability that allows her to always see the positive side of a difficult situation. Resia says that it is the idea of making novel discoveries that could positively change a patient’s health that serves as the biggest motivator for the work she does.

When asked what she believes are the qualities that should be in every entrepreneur’s toolkit, her answer is simple: positivity, listening to those who have walked the journey before you, and never giving up.

Prof Anna-Mart Engelbrecht

Prof Anna-Mart Engelbrecht is a professor at the department of Physiological Sciences at Stellenbosch University where she is also the group leader for the department’s cancer research group. Anna-Mart is a seasoned researcher and scientist, having received the Rector’s Award for Excellence in Research, the Vice-Rector’s Research Award for exceptional achievement from Stellenbosch University, as well as the Lasec Award for Excellence in Physiology Research from the Physiological Society of Southern Africa.

Anna-Mart believes her entrepreneurial superpower lies in her love of bringing people together, and that the skills every entrepreneur needs in their toolkit is motivation and perseverance.

If Anna-Mart had the power to solve any problem in the world, Anna-Mart says she would solve the unemployment crisis we face both in the world and in South Africa. She believes work plays an important role in giving people dignity and cultivating the habit of life-long learning – the results of which have profound impacts on economic health and personal well-being.

Este Burger

Este Burger holds a master’s degree in Electronic Engineering focusing on biosensor development that she obtained from Stellenbosch University. Este is currently the operations and product development lead at BioCODE Technologies.

Este believes her entrepreneurial superpower lies in the fact that she is an agile learner, a skill which means she does not give up easily and is always trying to creatively solve problems. She also says that every day she is motivated by her goal of being part of the process of creating disruptive innovations that have the ability to empower people with regards to the decisions they make about their health.

Este believes all entrepreneurs should have the following tools in their toolkit to succeed: perseverance, an appetite for failure, and an eye for establishing the true root of the problem and meeting the needs of people and society.

Simoné Turner

Simoné joined the team after completing her honours in Physiological Sciences at Stellenbosch University at the end of 2020. Involved in product research and development, Simoné’s current role at BioCODE Technologies is as lead research and development scientist.

Simoné says her time at BioCODE has not only made her a better researcher, but also a better businesswoman. She believes her entrepreneurial superpower is her ability to stay optimistic and to find motivation in difficult situations. She also believes that every entrepreneur needs persistence, excellent problem-solving skills, and the humility to ask for help in their toolkit.

If she could fix one problem in the world, Simoné says she would tackle the issue of chronic illnesses – lifting the burden these diseases place on both patients and healthcare facilities.

Valuable resources

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases

https://reliefweb.int/report/world/heavy-burden-indirect-cost-illness-africa

https://www.biocode.co.za/

https://www.innovus.co.za/spin-out-companies/biocode-technologies-pty-ltd.html