Ramoagi Segone

I am Ramoagi Segone, a South African researcher, entrepreneur, and emerging innovator working at the intersection of pharmaceutical sciences, natural product research, and business development. My work is driven by a consistent goal: to translate scientific knowledge into practical, scalable solutions that address real health and socioeconomic challenges, particularly within African communities.
I am currently completing my PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, with a specialization in biological assays and natural product pharmacology. My research focuses on the phytochemical profiling and biological evaluation of five ethnobotanically important Bulbine species indigenous to South Africa. In my work, I have applied chromatography-based and spectroscopy-based analytical techniques to map the chemical diversity of these species, identifying both conserved compounds and species-specific chemical markers. This has allowed me to contribute to chemotaxonomic understanding within the genus while also building a foundation for potential therapeutic applications.
Beyond chemical profiling, I have extended my research into functional biological systems. I have conducted in vitro and in vivo studies investigating wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties of plant extracts. My work includes the use of hepatocyte cell models to assess glucose uptake and utilization, as well as zebrafish larvae assays to evaluate regenerative responses following tissue injury. Through these models, I have developed a strong ability to connect phytochemical composition with biological activity, which is central to my approach as a researcher.
My PhD journey has not been linear. Due to delayed access to laboratory work, I experienced a significant shift in timelines. However, I used this period to strengthen other aspects of my academic and professional development, including deepening my literature expertise, refining experimental design skills, and building entrepreneurial experience. I have since completed extensive experimental work and published findings that contribute to the scientific understanding of medicinal plants in wound healing and metabolic regulation.
In parallel with my academic work, I am the founder of Green Marvel, a cosmetic and personal care company focused on scalp care and hair treatment solutions. I started the business with limited resources, initially selling products within a 50-kilometer radius to friends, family, and local customers. Through consistent product quality and customer engagement, the company has grown steadily, with over a thousand units sold across different product lines, including hair sprays, hair food, and growth oils.
Green Marvel is more than a commercial venture to me; it is a platform for integrating science with community development. My long-term vision is to build a value chain where raw materials are sourced through community participation, particularly involving unemployed youth, women, and people with disabilities. This model allows individuals to cultivate or harvest raw materials in their own environments, which the company then purchases, creating decentralized economic participation and job opportunities at a grassroots level.
Within the company, I am involved in product formulation, operations, branding, and strategic decision-making. This has given me hands-on experience in managing limited resources, coordinating small teams, and making decisions under uncertainty. I am also actively involved in navigating partnerships, including collaborations with influencers and digital advertising platforms such as Google Ads to increase visibility and market reach.
In addition to operational work, I have developed a basic but practical understanding of social media marketing, online marketing, and growth hacking strategies. I use these skills to support brand visibility, customer acquisition, and engagement. This includes content positioning, influencer collaborations, and experimenting with digital campaigns to improve conversion rates. While I do not consider myself a marketing specialist, I understand how digital tools can be leveraged to accelerate business growth, especially for emerging brands.
My academic and entrepreneurial experiences complement each other. My scientific training provides me with analytical rigor, experimental discipline, and problem-solving skills, while my business experience has strengthened my ability to think in terms of scalability, customer needs, and market dynamics. This combination allows me to operate effectively as both a researcher and a business-minded scientist.
I am particularly interested in the commercialization of research outputs and the development of science-based products. One of my current directions includes exploring functional herbal formulations, such as rooibos-based blends combined with bioactive plant extracts identified in my research. I am also interested in advanced biomedical applications, including smart wound