Dr Velushka Swart
Plant and Soil Sciences
Lecturer
Prof Noelani van den Berg
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology

Dr Robert Backer
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr Maryke Carstens
Plant and Soil Sciences
Researcher
Researcher
Ms Ncobile Kunene
Plant and Soil Sciences
Research Assistant
Ms Makhosazana Ngema
FABI
Research Assistant
Research Assistant
Dr Magriet van der Nest
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology

Ms Alicia Fick
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
PhD student PhD student
Ms Melissa Joubert
FABI
PhD student MSc Student
Mr Phinda Magagula
FABI
PhD student
Ms Kayla Alexis Midgley
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
PhD student
Ms Tsakani Miyambo
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
PhD student
Ms Heike Möller
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
PhD student
Ms Alicia Vermeulen
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
PhD student
Ms Raven Wienk
FABI
PhD student

Ms Susanna Anbu
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
MSc student
Ms Katelyn Baird
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
MSc student
Ms Johane Cilliers
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
MSc student
Mr Aaron Harvey
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
MSc student
Ms Shalya Moodley
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
MSc student Masters Student

Ms Julia Lutz
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
Mr Johannes (JJ) Nelson
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
Ms Annabel Norval
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology

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New Publications

Hlongwane NL, Dzomba EF, Hadebe K, van der Nest MA, Pierneef R, Muchadeyi FC. (2024) Identification of signatures of positive selection that have shaped the genomic landscape of South African pig populations. Animals 14:235. 10.3390/ani14020236
De Vos L, van der Nest MA, Santana QC, van Wyk S, Leeuwendaal KS, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET. (2024) Chromosome-level assemblies for the pine pitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Pathogens 13(1):70. 10.3390/pathogens13010070
Joubert M, van den Berg N, Theron J, Swart V. (2024) Global transcriptomic analysis in avocado nursery trees reveals differential gene expression during asymptomatic infection by avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd). Virus Research 339:199263. 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199263. PDF
Anbu SP, Swart V, van den Berg N. (2023) Unmasking the invaders: NLR-mal function in plant defense. Frontiers in Plant Science 14:1307294. 10.3389/fpls.2023.1307294 PDF
Backer R, Naidoo S, van den Berg N. (2023) The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi. BMC Plant Biology 23(1):548. 10.1186/s12870-023-04541-z PDF
Kooverjee BB, Soma P, van der Nest MA, Scholtz MM, Neser FWC. (2023) Copy Number Variation Discovery in South African Nguni-Sired and Bonsmara-Sired Crossbred Cattle. Animals 13(15):2513. 10.3390/ani13152513
Dzomba EF, Van der Nest MA, Mthembu JNT, Soma P, Snyman MA, Chimonyo M, Muchadeyi FC. (2023) Selection signature analysis and genome-wide divergence of South African Merino breeds from their founders. Frontiers in Genetics 13:932272. 10.3389/fgene.2022.932272
Wingfield BD, Berger DK, Coetzee MPA, Duong TA, Martin A, Pham NQ, Van den Berg N, Wilken PM, Arun-Chinnappa KS, Barnes I, Buthelezi S, Dahanayaka BA, Durán A, Engelbrecht J, Feurtey A, Fourie A, Fourie G, Hartley J, Kabwe ENK, Maphosa M, Narh Mensah DL, Nsibo DL, Potgieter L, Poudel B, Stukenbrock EH, Thomas C, Vaghefi N, Welgemoed T, Wingfield MJ. (2022) IMA genome‑F17 Draft genome sequences of an Armillaria species from Zimbabwe, Ceratocystis colombiana, Elsinoë necatrix, Rosellinia necatrix, two genomes of Sclerotinia minor, short‑read genome assemblies and annotations of four Pyrenophora teres isolates from barley grass, and a long-read genome assembly of Cercospora zeina. 13:19. 10.1186/s43008-022-00104-3
Swalarsk Parry BS, Steenkamp ET, Van Wyk S, Santana QC, van der Nest MA, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield BD, De Vos L. (2022) Identification and characterization of a QTL for growth of Fusarium circinatum on pine-based medium. Journal of Fungi 8(11):1214. 10.3390/jof8111214
Wienk R, Mostert‑O’Neill M, Abeysekara N, Manosalva P, Freeman B, van den Berg N. (2022) Genetic diversity, population structure and clonal verification in South African avocado cultivars using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Tree Genetics and Genomes 18(41) 10.1007/s11295-022-01573-8 PDF