Qualifications:
PhD in Pharmacy with Pharmaceutical Chemistry (North-West University) MSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (North-West University) BPharm (North-West University)

Teaching:

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Research Interests:

My research focuses on early-stage drug discovery for neglected kinetoplastid diseases, including leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis. I am interested in designing and synthesising novel bioactive compounds across diverse chemical scaffolds. To improve the quality of these candidates, my work integrates early "de-risking" strategies using SwissDrugDesign computational tools and experimental assessment of physicochemical properties. By applying structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis to these findings, I aim to identify and optimise promising hit and lead compounds for further development. While my core focus remains on chemistry and property evaluation, I collaborate with partners who conduct biological screening of these novel compounds.

Selected publications:

• Badenhorst, E., Aucamp, J., Kannigadu, C., Janse van Rensburg, H.D., Suganuma, K. and N'Da, D.D. (2025). Synthesis and in vitro antitrypanosomatid activity of novel 5-nitroindole-rhodanine conjugates. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17568919.2025.2470110
• N'Da, D.D., Aucamp, J., Janse van Rensburg, H.D. and Suganuma, K. (2024). Design, synthesis, in vitro and in vivo trypanosomaticidal efficacy of novel nitroindolylazines. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 280, 116979. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116979
• Janse van Rensburg, H.D., David, D.D. and Suganuma, K. (2024). In vitro trypanocidal potency and in vivo treatment efficacy of oligomeric ethylene glycol-tethered nitrofurantoin derivatives. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 192, 106668. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejps.2023.106668
• Sechoaro, K., Aucamp, J., Kannigadu, C., Janse van Rensburg, H.D., Suganuma, K. and N'Da, D.D. (2024). Investigation of novel isatinylhydantoin derivatives as potential anti-kinetoplastid agents. ChemMedChem, e202400533. https://doi.org/10.1002/cmdc.202400533
• Janse van Rensburg, H.D., N'Da, D.D. and Suganuma, K. (2023). In vitro and in vivo trypanocidal efficacy of nitrofuryl- and nitrothienylazines. ACS Omega, 8(45), 43088-43098. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.3c06508
• Saayman, M., Kannigadu, C., Aucamp, J., Janse van Rensburg, H.D., Joseph, C., Swarts, A.J. and David, D.N.D. (2023). Design, synthesis, electrochemistry and anti-trypanosomatid hit/lead identification of nitrofuranylazines. RSC Medicinal Chemistry, 14, 2012-2029. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3MD00220A
• Janse van Rensburg, H.D., Suganuma, K. and N'Da, D.D. (2023). In vitro trypanocidal activities and structure-activity relationships of ciprofloxacin analogs. Molecular Diversity, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11030-023-10704-9

Professional Affiliations:

• South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC)
• Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA)