Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide, with the current therapeutic options associated with limited effectiveness and severe side effects. Nature is an excellent source of remedies, with traditional uses of medicinal plants for treating various medical conditions, including those similar to cancer, in Africa. Consequently, Seth is focused on discovering potent compounds in medicinal plants from Africa that can serve as building blocks for designing more effective anticancer drugs with reduced toxicity.

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma, a highly aggressive liver cancer typically diagnosed at an advanced stage worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, with a poor survival rate. Interestingly, not everyone with chronic hepatitis B virus infection develops hepatocellular carcinoma. Consequently, Seth is focused on identifying the triggers of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocarcinogenesis and identifying therapeutic targets.

Mosquitoes transmit malaria parasites, and gametocytes are the only parasite stage transmitted from the infected host to mosquitoes; therefore, gametocytes are the prime target for transmission-blocking interventions. However, most antimalarial drugs are not gametocytocidal, rendering patients who receive many of these drugs as reservoirs for parasite transmission. Consequently, Seth is also focused on characterising novel malaria parasite transmission-blocking natural products.