Staff Profiles

1984-1987 BSc, Chemistry and Biology Major, University of Botswana         

1988-1989  MSc in Pharmacology (Plant Medicines), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

1991-1994: PhD in Natural Products Chemsitry, University of Strathclde,&nbGlsgow,&UK

Professor Runner R. T. Majinda, a full professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Botswana, is a researcher and Lecturer at the University of Botswana. A citizen of Botswana, born in 1961. He obtained his BSc degree in Chemistry and Biology at the University of Botswana in 1987 and an MSc degree in Pharmacology (with plant medicines option) from the University of Strathclyde in 1989. After lecturing at the University of Botswana for two years in 1991 his employers granted him a scholarship for a PhD in Natural Products Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde under the supervision of Professors Peter G. Waterman and Roger D. Waigh which he successfully completed in 1994. Upon returning to Botswana he embarked on a University teaching career and rose through the ranks to post of full professor in 2006. His research interests have been in the area of bioactive natural products found in Botswana Medicinal plants, chief among which are plants from the genus Erythrina. He together with his colleagues in the Departments of Chemsitry and Biological Sciences and also collaborators overseas have looked at the various aspects of

Undergraduate: General Chemistry (CHE 102), Organic Chemistry (CHE 232, CHE 331, CHE 431, CHE 432).

Postgraduate: Spectroscopic methods in organic Chemistry Spectroscopy (CHE 632), Polycyclic and heterocyclic Aromatic Chemistry (CHE 635)  and Biosynthesis of Secondary Metabolites (CHE 638). 

His research interests have been in the area of bioactive natural products found in Botswana Medicinal plants, chief among which are plants from the genus Erythrina. He together with his colleagues in the Departments of Chemsitry and Biological Sciences and also collaborators overseas have looked at the various aspects of natural products such as isolation and structural elucidation, biological activity and synthesis.

He has co-authored over 80 publications which are published in reputable peer-reviewed international journals such as, among others, Phytochemistry, Planta Medica, and Journal of Natural Products. 

He has supervised students in the area of natural products chemistry and synthesis of medicinal and food plants found in Botswana and neighboring countries. Altogether he has supervised 12 MSc, 4 MPhil and 15 PhD students and is currently co-supervising 2 PhD students

1. J.O. Ombito, G. Bojase, R.R.T. Majinda, I.B. Masesane, A. Scuffler, S. Pusch, C.Weber , T. Opatz (2020). Chemical constituents of the root wood of Erythrina sacleuxii and determination of the absolute configuration of suberectin. Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia, 34: 135-140.
2.  O.S. Ajayi, M.A. Aderogba, E.O. Akinkunmi, E. M. Obuotor, R.R. T. Majinda (2020). Bioactive compounds from Nauclea latifolia leaf extracts.  Journal of King Suad University-Science 32, 2419-2425.
3. J. O. Ombito, G. Bojase, R. R. T. Majinda, I. B. Masesane, A. Schuffer, T. Opatz  (2019). Erysaucleuxins C and D, new isoflavones from the twigs of Erythrina saucleuxii and their cytotoxic activity. Arabian Journal of Chemistry,13: 4019-4023.
4. O.S. Ajayi, M. A. Aderogba, E. M. Obuotor, R. R. T. Majinda (2019). Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor from Anthocleista vogelii leaf extracts. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 231: 503-506.