CPHB Team
UP Research Leaders Total:17
Prof Irene Barnes
Prof Martin Coetzee
Prof Tuan Duong
Prof Almuth Hammerbacher 
Prof Brett Hurley
Dr Thabiso Motaung Motaung
Dr David Read
Prof Bernard Slippers
Prof Emma Steenkamp
Prof Noelani van den Berg
Prof Albe van der Merwe
Prof Fanus Venter
Prof Cobus Visagie
Dr Markus Wilken
Prof Brenda Wingfield
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
DST / NRF SARChI Chair in Fungal Genomics
Prof Mike Wingfield
Dr Neriman YilmazExternal Research Associates Total:10
Dr Wubetu Bihon
Prof Volker Brozel
Prof Treena Burgess 
Dr ShuaiFei Chen
Dr Nicky Creux
Prof Pedro Crous
Dr Jeff Garnas
Dr Mesfin Gossa
Dr Chrizelle Krynauw (née Beukes)
Prof Jolanda RouxResearch Fellows Total:4
Dr Tanay Bose
Dr Gudrun Dittrich-Schroder
Dr Seonju Marincowitz
Dr Magriet van der NestPostdoctoral Fellows Total:7
Dr Juanita Avontuur
Dr Claudette Dewing
Dr Privilege Makunde
Dr Nam Pham
Dr Manchela Francinah Ratsoma
Dr Myriam Solis
Dr Ariska van der NestDoctoral Students Total:27
Ms Simoné Bornman
Mr Callin Ceriani
Ms Fanelesibonge Hlabisa
Ms Vaylen Hlaka
Ms Bianca Hough
Ms Carlynn Jacobs
Ms Rosa Knoppersen
Ms Sithembile Kunene
Ms Frances Lane
Ms Mabodiba Maake
Mr Sicelo Masuku
Ms Ofentse Mathibela
Mr Khulekani Cyprian Mbatha
Ms Sphumelele Mkhize
Mr Sizwe Mthembu
Ms Vhangani Mulaudzi
Ms Jenna-Lee Price
Mr Innocent Rakubu 
Ms Jane Baile Ramaswe
Mr Preston Shaw
Mr Byron Sonnekus Sonnekus
Ms Benedicta Swalarsk-Parry
Ms Cheyenne Theron
Ms Chanel Thomas
Ms Alida van Dijk 
Ms Melandre Van Lill
Ms Lente van ZylMasters Students Total:14
Mr Freddie Botha
Mr Johan Cilliers
Ms Bianke Marx
Ms Mpho Matsetela
Ms Ongeziwe Mbhele
Ms Otlotleng Moloto
Ms Tshiamo Phakalatsane 
Ms Ipeleng Pooa
Ms Jostina Rakoma 
Ms Lizzy Ramela
Ms Monique Saayman
Mr Siphamandla Shongwe
Ms Kayla Thomas
Mr Jandré VersterHonours Students
Ms Rachel JacobsNew Publications
Pham NQ, Suzuki H, Marincowitz S, Roets F, Paap T, Kapsosideris N, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2026) Two decades of the Immersiporthe knoxdaviesiana (Cryphonectriaceae) canker outbreak driven by clonal pathogen lineages. Plant Pathology 75:e70274.
10.1111/ppa.70274
Gürtel ND, Pham NQ, Roux J, Nel WJ, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2026) The pine-infesting bark beetle, Cyrtogenius luteus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae), discovered in South Africa. African Entomology 34:e27477.
10.17159/2254-8854/2026/a27477
Schröder ML, van Noort S, Greyling I, Hurley BP. (2026) Parasitoid diversity associated with Phoracantha semipunctata and Phoracantha recurva in South African Eucalyptus plantations. . African Entomology 34
0.17159/2254-8854/2026/a25013
Schertler A, Lenzner B, Dullinger S, Moser D, García-Rodríguez A, Krisai-Greilhuber I, Voglmayr H, Bufford JL, Santini A, Ghelardini L, Capinha C, Reino L, Wingfield MJ, Thines M, Talhinhas P, Dawson W, van Kleunen M, Kreft H, Pergl J, Pyšek P, Weigelt P, Winter M, Essl F. (2026) Are novel and co-xenic associations common in alien fungal and fungus-like plants pathogens?. New Phytologist
10.1111/nph.71455
Thango S, Nsibo DL, Berger DK, Visagie CM, Slippers B. (2026) Phenotypic variation in the in vitro and in planta aggressiveness traits among Exserohilum turcicum strains from South Africa. Plant Pathology 75(4):e70257.
10.1111/ppa.70257