I obtained my undergraduate degree in BSc Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Pretoria, during which I was a mentee in the Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) mentorship programme in FABI. I am currently doing my MSc degree in Biotechnology under the supervision of Professor Dave Berger in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. I am therefore a member of the Molecular Plant-Pathogen Interactions (MPPI) research group in FABI. My project pertains to the fungal pathogen Cercospora zeina which causes grey leaf spot disease in maize. C. zeina is a foliar pathogen which causes significant maize crop yield losses.