Dr Jabulani Ndaba
Research Interests:
Ecological toxicology, marine and freshwater ecology, and ecological engineering, Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow: South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity.
Dr Jabulani Ndaba’s interests lie in understanding the cellular and ecological mechanisms that underlie ecosystem-scale interactions among aquatic species (freshwater and marine) and their surrounding environment, enabling the implementation of solution-based approaches in the ever-changing anthropogenic environment. Dr Jabulani Ndaba’s research is multidisciplinary, covering the quantification of sub-cellular biomarkers such as metallothioneins, tracing metal and bioaccumulation in water, organisms and solid fractions, assessing microphytobenthic diversity, and characterising food-web interactions using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes.
This multidisciplinary approach provides a mechanistic understanding of applied nature-based solutions by designing, collaborating with indigenous communities and implementing ecological engineering prototypes along urbanised coastal infrastructure. From understanding the earlier molecular-level stress responses to community-level dynamics, Dr Jabulani Ndaba aims to better understand the casual links driving ecosystem degradation. This is essential for engineering targeted, predictive conservation strategies and nature-based interventions that can mitigate severe human impacts on vulnerable aquatic habitats.
Education
| Degree | Institution and location | Graduated |
| BSc. Human Physiology and Zoology | University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg | 2017 |
| BSc (Hons) Zoology | University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg | 2018 |
| MSc. Biological Research Certificate | Far Eastern Federal University, Russia | 2020 |
| MSc. Zoology | University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg | 2021 |
| PhD. Science | Rhodes University, Makhanda | 2026 |