Miss Mmatshepho Phasha

MSc Student
Tree Protection Co-operative Programme

Research Interests

I got introduced to FABI as Marieka Greyzenhout’s CTHB-mentee in 2008 when I was doing my final
year in BSc Plant Pathology. In 2009 (Microbiology-honours), I became part of the TPCP program
under the supervision of Prof. Emma Steenkamp. I worked on vegetative (in)compatibility genes.
This was an awesome learning experience!, which elevated my interests in genetics.

In 2010 I registered for an MSc Microbiology degree. This is under the supervision of Prof. Emma
Steenkamp, Prof. Brenda Wingfield and Dr. Martin Coetzee. My research is focused on the
architecture, evolution and biological function(s) of introns in the Fusarium circinatum genome and
its close relatives (F. oxysporum, F. graminearum and F. verticillioides). This is yet another awesome
learning experience!!