WitsiesForGood: Dr Marushka Soobben

Science-loving Witsie uses biotechnology to solve real world problems. She tells Heather Dugmore that "nature gives us the tools to rethink how we design and use materials¡±

If you’re looking for Dr Marushka Soobben (BSc 2018, BSc Hons 2019, MSc 2020, 2024 PhD) on Wits campus, you’ll find her in the lab deciphering how proteins behave at a molecular level as part of her postdoctoral research in computational and experimental biochemistry.

There’s no microscope involved; she uses computer simulation. “At the molecular level we look at the crystal structures of proteins, and from this we can see all the atoms in the proteins. We then do simulations and experimental studies to see what is happening at the molecular level with the amino acids,” explains Marushka, who has a PhD in biochemistry and a specialisation in biotechnology.  

“The aim is to design better therapeutics for diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and cancer and for pathogens that cause infections such as pneumonia and are antibiotic resistant. Some, like staphylococcus, are commonly called ‘super bugs’ and can be caught in hospitals.”

She explains that through increased understanding at the molecular level, which all comes down to the physics and chemistry of atoms, “we can enhance and improve readily available and novel drugs”.

Proteins for a greener world

“Protein-based biotechnology plays a key role in the global shift towards greener chemistry,” says Marushka. “By using enzymes as biological catalysts, we can reduce waste, energy use and reliance on harsh chemicals, thereby making industrial processes more sustainable.”

She says much of modern chemistry is shifting towards greener approaches, including the use of proteins and enzymes from bacteria, yeast and plants to support more sustainable industrial processes. These biological catalysts are increasingly used across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, materials and manufacturing. One example is the use of enzymes to catalyse specific steps in the production of acrylic-related compounds, which are found in everyday products ranging from medical equipment to paints and cosmetics.

“I love being in the labs, I love the culture of the university, the lecturers, the friends – it really is my second home.”

She adds that scientists have even found bacteria such as Ideonella sakaiensis that can break down certain plastics. While still largely at the research stage, these discoveries highlight how biology can contribute to tackling challenges like plastic pollution. “That’s why I love biology; nature provides everything,” she says. “It gives us the tools to rethink how we design and use materials.”

This is Marushka’s ninth year at Wits, “so I clearly enjoy being here,” she laughs. “I love being in the labs, I love the culture of the university, the lecturers, the friends – it really is my second home.”

The reason she chose Wits is simple: “It’s the best university in Africa and my whole family are Wits graduates. I would go to campus all the time when I was still in high school and my dad and sister were studying at Wits.” Science and maths came easily to her from a young age. “I have always been interested in science; I was that kid who asked ‘why? why? why?’ about everything as I was constantly trying to understand the world around me. Over time the curiosity became a purpose and now I am a scientist.”

She is a scientist, biotech entrepreneur and educator. “I am very passionate about education and would actually like to redo the whole education system to excite learners about knowledge. That’s why I started a company called STEM Scholars,” she says. “My network of scientists and entrepreneurs go and speak to high school learners at both under-resourced and resourced schools as a lot of learners are afraid of maths and science, and aren’t aware of the broad variety of careers in STEM fields.

“Our goal is to show them these subjects are easy to understand if you ask the right questions. We set out to excite them about STEM and what you can achieve with a degree in any of the STEM subjects. And we encourage them to pursue maths and science at school so that they can go to university and/or start their own businesses, irrespective of where they come from.”

Marushka matriculated from Parktown Girls High, where, this year, STEM Scholars is launching two workshops, four to six weeks each, on how to be a scientist and science entrepreneur. “We want to take these two workshops to as many schools as possible. The orientation for them is in person and then the workshops are currently online for schools that are equipped for this, and in-person for schools that aren’t.”

They particularly want to increase the pipeline of girls and women in STEM. “We want girls to see that women scientists are doing amazing things.”

Trichome Biotechnologies

When Marushka decided she wanted to draw on biotech to find real-world solutions, from healthcare to environmental sustainability, it motivated her entrepreneurial journey. This was further sparked by a visit to Lesotho with her PhD supervisor and two peers, Erin Flavell (BSc Chem Eng 2022, MSc Eng 2024) and Wits biochemist Chanél Willemse.

“Lesotho has one of the biggest pharmaceutical cannabis export hubs in Africa, and we went to see how they operate. We met incredible people there, including a pharmacist and successful businesswoman, Melani Botes, who encouraged us to establish a company to innovate biotech products and solutions, based on our research.”

Trichome Biotechnologies, a protein-focused biotechnology and nutrition company, was established in 2022, with Marushka and Chanél as business partners. They have four biotechnologist interns. The name Trichome comes from the tiny, hair-like structure in plants that hold so much therapeutical importance and are crystalline and sparkly in appearance.

Bursting with ideas

Early innovations explored applications in water purification and cannabinoid biochemistry. They haven’t taken them to market yet.

AquiPure provides portable, clean water? in a prototype water bottle they have developed with a double filtration system and a button you push to release a purification pill.

CannaConverter is an eco-friendly biochemical method of separating and converting cannabinoids for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. “We convert and separate out or lower the THC compounds to comply with regulations.”

Marushka explains: “Clinical evidence already supports the use of cannabinoids in symptom management and quality-of-life improvement for conditions such as certain forms of epilepsy, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and chronic pain. Ongoing research is also exploring their role in easing the symptoms of neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and Tourette syndrome.”

Today, Trichome’s focus is on protein science through a partnership with the Protein Structure-Function Research Laboratory at Wits University. “We offer research and development services in the protein space, working closely with academic infrastructure to support industry, startups and research groups.”

Beyond R&D services, Trichome’s long-term vision sits firmly in nutrition. “Proteins are central to health, food systems and sustainability,” Marushka explains. “We are researching protein nutrition products like whey. At the end of the day, food is biochemistry,” she says.

“Taking any biotech product to its commercial phase is a long journey, and it is tough getting grants and funding for biotech as it needs a lot of investment. Entrepreneurship and academia share many parallels: conducting novel research, seeking funding, and applying for grants all demand resilience, resourcefulness, and the ability to keep pushing even when the outcome is uncertain.” 

She adds that young scientists often contact her to ask about her entrepreneurial biotech journey, so she created an Instagram page called Proteins and Profits, which follows her journey, with all the triumphs, disappointments and self-questioning along the way.

Winner of the 2023 Science Communication competition

Another of Marushka’s skills is her ability to communicate science in a way that makes it interesting for the general public.

She was named the winner of the Science Communication Competition at BioAfrica 2023. “We had to speak about our research in an entertaining, engaging way and I spoke about my cannabis research, which lends itself to humour, and I won!” This earned her a three-month fellowship with Dr Chris Smith at Cambridge University. Dr Smith is a world-renowned medical doctor and virologist with a podcast called The Naked Scientist.

She had to pay her own way for the internship and saved hard to get to Cambridge in 2025. As part of her internship, she had to find the top science news stories of the week, interview the scientists, write the articles and make podcasts about the topics. “I still help Dr Smith with some of this work. I learnt so much at Cambridge during those three months,” she says. “It was one of the best experiences in my life and it really trained me up to be a strong science communicator.”