I am currently a Doctoral candidate in the Microbiology Division of the Department Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Pretoria. My research project focuses on the nitrogen-fixing symbionts of legume plants (i.e., rhizobia) and more specifically soybean (Glycine max), as such my study falls within the scope of the Grain Research Programme at FABI. I am identifying and characterizing those rhizobia found in effective soybean nodules in South African fields by means of molecular analyses. I hope to provide a clearer picture of the rhizobial diversity associated with this introduced legume crop in the field.

I also completed my master’s degree in medical microbiology at the University of Pretoria. My MSc project focused on Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in South African hospitals.