Technicians unlock vital information through specialised skills
- Wits University
Dr Eric Morifi, a Principal Technician in the School of Chemistry, oversees one of the country’s highly sought laboratories.
This July, we celebrate National Science Month by saluting our unsung heroes, the people who enable Wits scientists, across all our faculties, to conduct research and push the frontiers of knowledge. The 2026 theme for National Science Month is Science, Technology and Innovation for everyone.
In this Q&A we learn more about Morifi who oversees the MassSpec Lab in the School of Chemistry. He says:
“The MassSpec Lab provides highly sensitive and detailed chemical information that cannot easily be obtained using conventional analytical techniques.”
Please share your background starting with your upbringing and how this shaped your academic interests?
I was raised in a small rural village in Limpopo by my single mother, who worked as a domestic worker and had no formal qualifications. Despite her limited educational opportunities, she strongly believed in the value of education and consistently encouraged me to work hard at school. She often advised me to pursue subjects that would provide access to engineering, which at the time was regarded as the most promising career path due to limited access to career guidance and information about other professions.
Although I walked approximately 15 km to and from high school each day, I remained committed to my studies and determined to create a better future through education. Unlike many schools in neighbouring villages, our school was fortunate to have a small chemistry laboratory. Our chemistry teacher regularly demonstrated practical experiments, allowing us to observe the beauty of chemistry beyond what was written in the textbooks.
It was in that laboratory that I discovered my passion for chemistry. I was fascinated by the reactions that occurred when different chemicals were mixed, colour changes, and distinctive smells which was both exciting and stimulating. From that day, I knew that chemistry was the field I wanted to pursue at university.
After successfully completing Grade 12 (std 10 by then), I was accepted into the Department of Chemistry at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), where I studied towards a National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry. I completed the academic requirements in record time and subsequently undertook my experiential learning (in-service training) at Columbus Stainless Steel to officially obtain the National Diploma certificate.
Please describe your academic and career journey to date?
My academic and career journey began in 2010 when I enrolled for a Master of Technology (MTech) degree in Chemistry while simultaneously taking up a position as a laboratory assistant at VUT. My research focused on water purification using nanomaterials, an area that resonated deeply with me because of my personal experiences growing up in a rural community with limited access to clean drinking water. Witnessing firsthand the effects of poor water quality, including the widespread discoloration of people's teeth (yellow teeth) without a clear understanding of its cause, inspired me to pursue research that could contribute to improving water quality and public health.
Following MTech graduation, I was promoted to a Technician/Technical position, where my interests gradually shifted beyond research to developing expertise in analytical techniques, and laboratory management. This role allowed me to build strong technical skills in operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and optimizing sophisticated analytical instruments. Driven by a desire to develop my research capabilities, I enrolled for a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Johannesburg. My doctoral studies provided an opportunity to deepen my knowledge in analytical sciences and water quality while continuing to support research activities within the laboratory.
Alongside my technical and research responsibilities, I was afforded the opportunity to serve as a replacement lecturer for academic staff who were on sabbatical leave. This experience introduced me to university teaching and allowed me to discover a passion for academic teaching. I taught chemistry to undergraduate students, facilitated practical laboratory sessions, and supported students in developing both theoretical understanding and practical laboratory skills. This role broadened my perspective on higher education by demonstrating the importance of integrating teaching, research, and technical support to create a productive learning environment.
What do you do at Wits and how does it support science?
I manage the Mass Spectrometry (MassSpec) Laboratory under the School of Chemistry, where I oversee the operation, maintenance and optimisation of advanced mass spectrometry instrumentation. My role involves ensuring that the facility provides reliable, high-quality analytical services to researchers from a wide range of disciplines (chemistry, environmental science, and the biological sciences, etc). I work closely with academic staff, postgraduate students, and external scientific community/collaborators to develop analytical methods, troubleshoot experimental challenges, interpret complex datasets, and ensure that research projects generate robust and reproducible results.
In addition to managing the laboratory, I teach a postgraduate mass spectrometry course, where I introduce students to the fundamental principles of mass spectrometry, instrumentation, experimental design, and data interpretation. The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical applications, equipping students with the skills required to use mass spectrometry effectively in research. I also supervise postgraduate students and provide ongoing technical support that enables them to independently operate sophisticated analytical instruments.
The work I do supports science by providing researchers with access to one of the most powerful analytical techniques available for the identification and characterisation of molecules. Mass spectrometry plays an important role in advancing research across diverse fields (Omics, natural products, pharmaceutical analysis, environmental monitoring, forensic science, food safety, and biomedical research, etc). By ensuring the availability of high-quality analytical data and training the next generation of scientists in advanced analytical techniques, I contribute to research that addresses important scientific and societal challenges. My role therefore extends beyond instrument management, it also involves building research capacity, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and enabling scientific discoveries that have the potential to improve health, protect the environment, and drive innovation.
What exciting projects has the Lab enabled?
Inspiring the next generation of scientists:
One initiative that is particularly close to our hearts is the School of Chemistry's learner outreach programme. Every year, we (MassSpec team – Prof. Maya Makatini, Dr Eric Morifi, Ms Refilwe Moepya (PhD student), Mr Thapelo Mbhle (PhD student) and Ms Palesa Rapitse (MSc student)) welcome learners from schools in surrounding communities into our laboratories, many of whom are stepping into a university science laboratory for the very first time. Together with postgraduate students and staff, they do not simply observe experiments. They put on lab coats, conduct practical experiments, ask questions, and experience what science really looks like. For us, it is about more than chemistry. It is about building confidence, sparking curiosity, and showing young people that they belong in spaces like these. Seeing learners leave excited about science and knowing that some may one day return as Wits students or future scientists, is one of the most rewarding impacts our laboratory has helped create.
Since the programme began, we have already seen encouraging results, including schools reporting remarkable improvements in Mathematics and Physical Sciences after learners participated in the hands-on laboratory experience. This reminds us that sometimes the greatest impact is not a scientific discovery. It is inspiring the next generation to believe they can become scientists too.
Developing skills and building capacity:
One of the achievements we are most proud of is that our work extends beyond analysing samples. It also focuses on developing people. Every year, the MassSpec Lab trains intern, Honours, Master's, and PhD students, providing them with hands-on experience using sophisticated analytical instruments and the confidence to operate them independently. Our doors are open beyond the University as well. We regularly support researchers from other institutions, industry professionals, and entrepreneurs who want to develop new skills or solve real-world challenges. Sharing knowledge is one of the most rewarding aspects of our work because every person we train leaves with skills they can apply to their research, workplace, or business. In this way, the impact of the laboratory extends far beyond its walls.
Turning research into real-world innovation:
It is incredibly rewarding to see a project begin with the simple question, "What's inside this plant?" and evolve into something with the potential to benefit communities and create new business opportunities. By helping researchers unlock the chemical fingerprint of plants, the MassSpec Lab plays an important role in transforming scientific ideas into innovations that can move beyond the University and into homes, businesses, and the marketplace. This is the kind of impact that reminds us why our work matters. One example is Professor Luke Chimuka's research on Moringa, which has contributed to the development of commercially available products such as Moringa yoghurt and other value-added food products.
Supporting cleaner water through science:
Clean water is something many people take for granted until it is no longer safe. That is why many of the research projects supported by the MassSpec Lab focus on understanding what is happening in our rivers, dams, and waterways. Working alongside researchers, we analyse water samples from local communities, townships, and countries across Africa to identify pollutants that are not visible to the naked eye. These include industrial contaminants, traces of pharmaceuticals, and other emerging chemicals. The information generated helps scientists understand where pollution originates, how it affects people and ecosystems, and what can be done to protect these vital water resources.
Knowing that the work carried out in our laboratory contributes to healthier communities and a safer environment makes every sample we analyse feel like part of something much greater than ourselves.
What are some of the unknowns about the Lab?
Many people do not realise that the Wits MassSpec Lab is one of the University's shared research facilities, supporting far more than chemistry. The laboratory provides advanced analytical services to the public, researchers, and industry partners across a wide range of disciplines, including environmental science, health sciences, pharmacy, agriculture, food science, archaeology, forensic science, engineering, and the petrochemical sector. By supporting these diverse fields, the MassSpec lab helps answer complex scientific questions and drives research that has a meaningful impact on society.
Whether it is analysing pollutants in rivers and drinking water, uncovering the chemical composition of medicinal plants, improving the safety and quality of food products, investigating ancient organic artefacts, or supporting the discovery and development of new medicines, the MassSpec Lab provides highly sensitive and detailed chemical information that cannot easily be obtained using conventional analytical techniques.
Although much of our work takes place behind the scenes, the results generated in the Wits MassSpec Lab contribute to discoveries that advance scientific knowledge, support innovation, inform policy, and address real-world challenges. This is what makes the MassSpec Lab such a remarkable place. Every sample represents a unique scientific question, and every analysis provides an opportunity to contribute to research that improves lives, protects the environment, and expands our understanding of the world around us.