Pillay completed all her studies from undergraduate through to master’s at UKZN and is now pursuing her PhD there, continuing her work in cancer research using bioinformatics. Drawn to UKZN because of its proximity to home, she appreciated the well-rounded science degree she could enrol in and saw the Institution as the place where she could fulfil her childhood dream of conducting research and obtaining her PhD.

Pillay is the first in her family to graduate in the sciences and to hold a postgraduate degree. She hopes to pursue a career in research and academia.

Intrigued by the field of genetics as it presents the opportunity to decode the blueprint behind life, Pillay finds it fascinating how genes affect everything, from our physical characteristics to our susceptibility to diseases. Genetic advancements significantly impact agriculture, medicine and our understanding of evolution.

Her master’s research involved detecting and applying a bioinformatic analysis to apparently significant hub genes and key pathways that facilitate the proliferation of breast cancer and the progression to brain metastases.

Despite considerable focus on breast cancer as a leading cause of death for females worldwide and a growing body of data and treatment strategies, there is still a dearth of information on breast cancer that metastasises to the brain. Targeted gene therapies have the potential to benefit breast cancer patients, help mitigate the progression of cancerous breast tissue, and decrease the progression of breast cancer to distant organs such as the brain.

Pillay focused on identifying therapeutic target genes and biomarkers that aid the inhibition of breast cancer from spreading to the brain and identifying functional target genes that are essential for distant metastatic-free and recurrence-free survival of breast cancer and brain metastases. She conducted her study using computational genetics, known as bioinformatics.

Pillay determined that the hub genes she identified could be potential therapeutic targets and diagnosis markers for breast cancer brain metastasis. She also discovered that the key genes were overexpressed in the cancer cells, playing a role in the critical cancer features of resisting cell death and sustaining continuous signalling that enables uncontrolled growth. Various target genes identified were found to be positively linked with tumour purity. A strong association was also found between several types of immune cells and the functional target genes Pillay identified.

Despite the pressure sometimes associated with her research, especially since she completed her 205-page thesis in under a year, on challenging days, Pillay found motivation in the motto, “Diamonds are made under pressure”.

Pillay was also motivated by receiving a certificate of merit for a research module in her honours year, in which she conducted research on breast cancer. She has submitted two papers from her master’s for publication and plans to publish a third, the first from her PhD research, later this year.

During her studies, Pillay has worked as a tutor for the School of Life Sciences’ writing place on the Westville campus and has endeavoured to keep a balance during her research and lengthy computational analysis by taking short breaks throughout.

She thanked her supervisor, Professor Oliver Zishiri, for his support and guidance. She credited her parents, Prega and Jane, for nurturing her intelligence and love for science from a young age, and the rest of her family for their constant support and words of wisdom.

Pillay, a strong believer in gender equality and female empowerment, encouraged other students to discover their passion, something that has the potential to improve the world, and pursue it.

‘Being true to yourself and improving the world is the path to success,’ she said. ‘Always emit confidence and believe in yourself, and you will be unstoppable.’

Pillay, with her bright attire and touch of sparkle, hopes to convey to young girls that they can be feminine and thrive in life and in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields. She emphasised the value and genderless nature of curiosity as the foundation of a scientific mindset.

Words: Christine Cuénod

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini