EPPI Team
Academic Staff and Research Leaders Total:1
Prof Sanushka NaidooExternal Research Associates Total:1
Ms Nomathemba MajolaProfessional Support Staff Total:3
Dr Ronishree Mangwanda
Ms Adri VealeBiochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
Tissue culture and Plant Transformation Platform Manager
Dr Avhashoni ZwanePostdoctoral Fellows Total:2
Dr Myriam Solis
Dr Demissew TeshomeDoctoral Students Total:3
Mr Lihan Esterhuizen
Ms Nadine Kleinhans
Ms Shae SwanepoelMasters Students Total:10
Mr Ryan Bosch
Ms Bianca Hattingh
Ms Valencia Mogashoa
Mr Tebogo Molemela
Mr Tshoganyetso Motete
Mx Anicka Nel
Mr Sean Schultze
Mr Kaliwe Sindazi
Mr Michal Slupski
Mr Bertus van RooyHonours Students Total:1
Ms Itha WesselsNew Publications
Solís M, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield MJ, Naidoo S. (2025) Transcriptional responses of Eucalyptus to infection by an aggressive leaf blight pathogen reveal the role of host secondary metabolites during pathogen germination. Plant Molecular Biology 115
10.1007/s11103-025-01625-2
Solís M, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield M.J, Naidoo S. (2025) Enhancing plantation forest sustainability: A review of Eucalyptus defence mechanisms to foliar fungal pathogens. Current Forestry Reports
10.1007/s40725-024-00243-3
Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Ployet R, Naidoo S. (2024) Molecular mechanisms underlying tree host-pathogen interactions under drought stress and subsequent rewatering in Eucalyptus grandis. Plant Stress
10.1016/j.stress.2024.100697
Solís M, Naidoo S, Wingfield MJ, Joubert J, Hammerbacher A. (2024) First line of defence: Eucalyptus leaf waxes influence infection by an aggressive fungal leaf pathogen. Plant Biology
10.1111/plb.13707
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 
Swanepoel S, Visser EA, Shuey SS, Naidoo S. (2023) The In Planta Gene Expression of Austropuccinia psidii in Resistant and Susceptible Eucalyptus grandis. Phytopathology 113(6):1066-1076.
10.1094/PHYTO-07-22-0257-R
Solís M, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield MJ, Naidoo S. (2023) A robust disease scoring method to screen Eucalyptus for resistance against the aggressive leaf blight pathogen, Teratosphaeria destructans. Plant Disease:1418 - 1424.
10.1094/PDIS-06-22-1347-RE
Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Ployet R, Naidoo S. (2023) Transcriptional reprogramming during recovery from drought stress in Eucalyptus grandis. Tree Physiology
10.1093/treephys/tpad022
Swanepoel S, Visser E, Shuey L, Naidoo S. (2023) The In Planta Gene Expression of Austropuccinia psidii in Resistant and Susceptible Eucalyptus grandis. PHYTOPATHOLOGY
10.1094/PHYTO-07-22-0257-R
Visser EA, Kampmann TP, Wegrzyn JL, Naidoo S. (2022) Multispecies comparison of host responses to Fusarium circinatum challenge in tropical pines show consistency in resistance mechanisms. Plant, Cell & Environment 46(5):1705-1725.
10.1111/pce.14522