Research interests: 

Professor Songca’s current research interests include the synthesis and applications of nanoparticulate metal organic frameworks in facilitating the combinations of photodynamic therapy, radiodynamic therapy, and  sonodynamic therapy with other minimally invasive anticancer and antibacterial therapeutic technologies. We are also interested in the departmental surveillance of water-borne heavy metals and microbial pathogens in informal settlements along the major rivers in KwaZulu-Natal due flooding incidents. There are planned scholarship of teaching and learning studies aimed at elucidating the learning and teaching transformations that are necessary to facilitate adaptation and sustainability in the classroom due to the revolutions in technological advancement such as artificial intelligence and other educational revolutions. The department is concerned about the declining staff-student interface such as class and tutorial attendance and participation and seeks to understand any causes emanating from advances in learning and teaching technologies. The purpose is to test possible corrective and remedial actions and discover any opportunities for technology enhanced learning and teaching. Professor Songca is rated by the National Research Foundation of South Africa as a researcher in category C2.

Professional Fellowships:

Professor Songca is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) member of the materials and metals society (TME), and a Research Fellow of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Past Projects:

My research on the applications of porphyrins as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy dates back to the demonstration their photo bactericidal properties, their photophysical and their photochemical properties as photosensitizers for anticancer photodynamic therapy. Given the poor solubility of these materials in hydroxylic media, we improved their solubility by preparing fluorine and 2,3-dihydroxy-propyloxy derivatives. We also used the fluorinated derivatives to demonstrate improved in vitro activity and tissue distribution using 19F magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and tumour microenvironment imaging using the 19F nucleus. These studies resulted in significant improvements of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy. However, clinical translation of anticancer and antibacterial applications of photodynamic therapy was still fraught with challenges, such as selective accumulation of these photosensitizers in cancerous tumours, sufficient cancer cell targeting to inhibit not only tumour growth but also metastasis, systemic toxicity, hypoxia, and low tissue light penetration.