FABIan through to the FameLab South Africa finals
During December, Darryl Herron, a PhD student at FABI, was regional winner in the FameLab South Africa series. He will participate later this year in the National finals.
News
15 Jan 2018
8 Dec 2017
TPCP celebrates first publications
Six TPCP students celebrated their first publications with bubbly in FABI.
7 Dec 2017
FABI celebrates two Associate Professor promotions for 2018
FABI congratulates and celebrates with two researchers who have reached remarkable milestones in their careers! Prof. Prof.
7 Dec 2017
Plant pathologists from UK and Singapore visit FABI
On Friday 1 December, FABI had the pleasure of hosting three internationally-renowned plant pathologists as part of a celebration of 100 Years of Plant Pathology at the University of Pretoria. For Prof.
5 Dec 2017
FABI Director included in the Web of Science Most Highly Cited Researcher list
Professor Mike Wingfield, Director of FABI has recently been included in Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science) list of the most highly cited researchers globally.
4 Dec 2017
FABI postdoctoral Fellow conducts International Plant Sentinel Network workshops
During November, Dr Trudy Paap, Postdoctoral Fellow in FABI, co-presented International Plant Sentinel Network (IPSN) workshops at SANBI National Botanical Gardens in Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town and Pretoria.
28 Nov 2017
A “sweet” tribute to three FABIans leaving the Institute
FABI hosted a coffee and cupcakes party on 27 November to wish well three people who have become an integral part of the FABI community over the years. Research leader of the Cereal Foliar Pathogen Research Group, Dr. Drs McTaggarts and Shuey joined FABI as postdoctoral Fellows in 2014.
27 Nov 2017
Two FABIans attend the 7th International Barcode of Life Conference
During the past week, two FABIans gave oral presentations at the 7th International Barcode of Life Conference (iBOL 2017) in the Kruger National Park.
24 Nov 2017
Keep a lookout for these Eucalyptus pests
The Diagnostic Clinic of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP) requests your assistance in keeping a lookout for two potential pest species of Eucalyptus on both commercial and ornamental trees in your area.
23 Nov 2017
Prof Bernard Slippers appointed as the new Director of FABI
The staff and students of FABI wish to congratulate Prof. Bernard Slippers who has been appointed as the new Director of FABI with effect from 1 January 2018.
22 Nov 2017
MSc student from Kenya on training visit to FABI
MSc student Dennis Omondi from Maseno University in Kenya visited MPPI, a FABI research group in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, for a month’s training in fungal pathology and molecular biology under the tutelage of PhD student David Nsibo.
22 Nov 2017
FABI hosts fungal genome annotation and comparison workshop
A fungal genome annotation and comparison workshop, organised by PhD candidate Arista Fourie, was held from 13-16 November at FABI.
18 Nov 2017
Italian forest pathologist visits FABI
Prof. Alberto Santini from the Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, in the National Research Council of Italy visited FABI.
17 Nov 2017
FABIans celebrate another year of research excellence at the 2017 year-end gala dinner and awards ceremony
The 2017 FABI year-end gala dinner and awards ceremony marked 20 years since the founding of the Institute and an historic turning point in its future.
16 Nov 2017
Cape Citizen Science releases video about youth engagement in 2017
Cape Citizen Science is a FABI-led project, under the guidance of PhD candidate Joey Hulbert, supported by the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) at the University of Pretoria, and Stellenbosch University.
15 Nov 2017
Advanced Phylogenetics Workshop presented at FABI
The 26th Advanced Phylogenetics Workshop was held from 6-10 November at FABI.
10 Nov 2017
FABIans attend an insect mass-rearing workshop
Dr Gerda Fourie, research leader of the Macadamia Protection Programme (MPP) and Dr Mesfin Gossa, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP) attended an Insect Mass-Rearing Workshop held from 23-27 October at Stellenbosch University.
10 Nov 2017
Senior research scientist from Finland visits FABI
Dr Henri Vanhanen, a senior research scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), visited FABI on 3 November 2017.
9 Nov 2017
Syngenta team visits FABI
The Syngenta Seeds Regulatory and Stewardship team from the Europe-Africa-Middle East (EAME) region visited FABI on 11 October to engage with the researchers regarding the genome mapping and genome editing research that is being performed by FABI.
8 Nov 2017
Assessing the security implications of genome editing technology
Two FABIans were among the travel award recipients to attend an International Workshop in Hannover, Germany.
6 Nov 2017
Argentinian Forest Pathologist visits FABI
FABI hosted a visit by Argentinian forest pathologist Sergio Ramos from the National Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Argentina.
1 Nov 2017
Insect pests of Eucalyptus in Rwanda
FABI researcher Dr Brett Hurley recently visited Rwanda, as part of a project funded by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
27 Oct 2017
CTHB honours participants of its outreach and mentorship programmes
The DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health in Biotechnology (CTHB) at the University of Pretoria hosted a lunch on 26 October to honour those who participated in its outreach and mentoring programmes during 2017.
26 Oct 2017
FABIans participate in Santa Shoebox Project: Share the joy of giving
A small group of FABIans from the Shaw Lab decided to ensure that eight underprivileged children receive a Christmas gift in the form of a Santa Shoebox.
25 Oct 2017
International Insect Rearing Workshop
A Research Assistant and postgraduate student at the FABI Biocontrol Facility, Samantha Bush, attended the 20th International Insect Rearing Workshop at Mississippi State University, Starkville, USA, from 1-5 October.
23 Oct 2017
PSANA SPCA drive
PSANA, the Postgraduate Students Association for the Natural and Agricultural Sciences, recently launched a Community Service Portfolio in an effort to help the greater Pretoria community.
20 Oct 2017
FABI hosts Lesotho Biosafety Committee visit
Dr Sanushka Naidoo and Mrs Adri Veale hosted the Lesotho National Biosafety Coordinating Committee on a visit to FABI.
19 Oct 2017
FABIan selected as ASPB Plantae Fellow
Danielle Roodt, a PhD student in FABI, has been selected to become a Plantae Fellow for the 2017-2018 period; the only African representative among a group of 35 scientists. Annually, Plantae selects scientists, spanning from graduate to Professor level, to aid in keeping the platform interactive and up to date, and to share what they are reading with a global community.
18 Oct 2017
FABIans present at the Plant Genome Evolution Conference
The fourth Plant Genome Evolution (PGEV) Conference, a Current Opinion in Plant Biology conference held every two years, took place in Sitges, south of Barcelona, Spain from 1-3 October.
13 Oct 2017
FABI Biennial Report available online
The FABI Biennial Report 2015-2017 is now available online and can be downloaded here (add url). The report summarizes the research activities, publications, as well as staff and students achievements of the all the research groups in the Institute over the past two years.
12 Oct 2017
FABI Research Fellow visits CERC
FABI Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Janneke Aylward, visited the China Eucalypt Research Centre (CERC) in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China, from 24-27 September.
6 Oct 2017
Jolanda Roux receives Havenga Prize
Prof. Jolanda Roux, an associate professor in FABI, has been awarded the prestigious Havenga Prize for Natural Sciences by the Suid Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (South African Academy for Arts and Science) at a ceremony on 29 September.
5 Oct 2017
FABI shines at the IUFRO Anniversary Congress
A large contingent of FABI and other South African forestry research scientists and postgraduate students attended the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations’ 125th Anniversary Congress held from 18-22 September in Freiburg, Germany. IUFRO President and FABI Director Prof Mike Wingfield was joined by 11 fellow FABIans along with eight other South Africa representatives. The five-day conference drew 1,348 oral and 454 poster presentations by more than 2,000 attendees to the congress. Posters: Arriagada-Cares D. De Vos L, M. Gevers C. Granados G. Hulbert, J. Pham N. Santana Q. Vivas M. Session Presentations: Chirwa P. Hurley B. Jami F. Naidoo S. Pavlic-Zupanc D. FABIans organised two discussion sessions: Dr Brett Hurley. Joey Hulbert. Dr Irene Barnes chaired a session “Dothistroma and other needle diseases of pine”.
4 Oct 2017
FABIANs attend International Symposium on Biological Control
Drs Brett Hurley and Michelle Schröder attended the 5th International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods (ISBCA), held in Langkawi, Malaysia from 11-15 September. The session topics included aspects of accidental introduction of biocontrol agents, pre- and post-release genetics, Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) policy, and successes and uptake of biocontrol in developing countries. Presentations from FABI included: Dr Brett Hurley – Investigating the complex gall community of Leptocybe invasa. Dr Michelle Schröder – Biological control of the Gonipterus scutellatus species complex: testing the species, climatic and phonological mismatch hypotheses In addition, a poster was submitted by Samantha Bush, titled ‘Host specificity testing of Psyllaephagus bliteus, an accepted biocontrol agent of Glycaspis brimblecombei, reveals a new host. Samantha’s poster, which was from her MSc work, won the Best Poster Award – congratulations Samantha!
4 Oct 2017
FABI student leads international session at IUFRO Congress
FABI PhD student Joey Hulbert organised a session titled ‘Early detection and monitoring of invasive forest pests and pathogens with citizen science’ at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress in Freiburg Germany.
3 Oct 2017
Professor Mike Wingfield receives the Chinese Government Friendship Award
Professor Mike Wingfield, Director of FABI and President of IUFRO visited Beijing during the weekend of 28 September where he received the Chinese Government Friendship Award for 2017. The award was presented to Mike to acknowledge his 20 years of collaboration with Chinese colleagues in the field of tree health. Mike’s visit to China also provided an opportunity to meet with various colleagues with close ties to IUFRO.