TPCP Team
Group Leaders
Prof Bernard SlippersUP Research Leaders Total:17
Prof Irene Barnes
Prof Martin Coetzee
Prof Tuan Duong
Prof Almuth Hammerbacher 
Prof Brett Hurley
Prof Tjaart Krüger
Dr Thabiso Motaung Motaung
Prof Sanushka Naidoo
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:12
Prof Jeremy Allison
Dr Wubetu Bihon
Prof Treena Burgess 
Dr ShuaiFei Chen
Prof Pedro Crous
Dr Jeff Garnas
Dr Ilaria Germishuizen
Dr Mesfin Gossa
Dr Chrizelle Krynauw (née Beukes)
Dr Osmond Mlonyeni
Dr Carlos Rodas
Prof Jolanda RouxResearch Fellows Total:7
Dr Janneke Aylward
Dr Tanay Bose
Dr Lieschen De Vos
Dr Gudrun Dittrich-Schroder
Dr Seonju Marincowitz
Dr Michelle Schroder
Dr Magriet van der NestPostdoctoral Fellows Total:9
Dr Felipe Balocchi
Dr Charlene Clarke
Dr Firehiwot Eshetu
Dr WenWen Li
Dr Privilege Makunde
Dr Jackson Muyobela
Dr Nam Pham
Dr Myriam Solis
Dr Ariska van der NestDoctoral Students Total:31
Mr Callin Ceriani
Mr Johannes Christoff Joubert
Mr Lihan Esterhuizen
Mr Taygen Fuchs
Ms Ginna M. Granados
Ms Pilar Hemmelmann
Ms Fanelesibonge Hlabisa
Ms Vaylen Hlaka
Ms Sithembile Kunene
Ms Frances Lane
Ms Mabodiba Maake
Mr Sicelo Masuku
Mr Lazarus Mavima
Mr Khulekani Cyprian Mbatha
Ms Pfano Mbedzi
Mr Tshepo Joseph Mmushi
Ms Ruth Nante
Mr Siphephelo Phungula
Ms Jenna-Lee Price
Ms Jane Baile Ramaswe
Ms Luki-Marie Scheepers
Ms Lehlogonolo Quecious Shalang
Mr Preston Shaw
Ms Nomfundo Shinga
Ms Benedicta Swalarsk-Parry
Ms Cheyenne Theron
Ms Alida van Dijk 
Ms Melandre Van Lill
Ms Lente van Zyl
Mr Edwin WanjofuMasters Students Total:28
Ms Jade Ashmore
Mr Adam Bazerbachi
Ms Simoné Bornman
Ms Janie Coetzer
Mr Kyle Craninx
Mr Sam Eichhorn
Ms Kerryn Fourie
Mr Johan F. Griesel
Mr Christiaan Grobler
Mr Lehlohonolo Hlahane
Ms Brittney-Aidan Jamieson
Ms Zimazile Jazi
Mr Nigel Kombora
Ms Chulumanco Majavu
Ms Bianke Marx
Ms Ongeziwe Mbhele
Ms Monique Muller
Ms Kiara Munsamy
Ms Thobeka Mzimela
Ms Lizzy Ramela
Ms Vera Röder
Mr Drake Slabbert
Mr Michal Slupski
Mr Tolu Soogun
Mr Grant Terblanche
Ms Kayla Thomas
Mr Bertus van Rooy
Mr Nkhoye ZondoHonours Students Total:13
Ms Zandri Coetzee
Ms Janhvi Dayah
Ms Nadia Gürtel
Ms Oratile Lekalakala
Ms Mamello Machusi
Ms Mamello Machusi
Ms Damei McCue
Ms Nondumiso Mngomezulu
Ms Rabia Omar
Ms Ayanda Phulula
Ms Kiara Lee Schutte
Mr Jandré Verster
Mr Keegan WaltonNew Publications
Shaw PL, Slippers B, Wingfield BD, Laurent B, Penaud B, Wingfield MJ, Crous PW, Bihon W, Duong TA. (2025) Chromosome-level genome assemblies for the latent pine pathogen, Diplodia sapinea, reveal two accessory chromosomes with distinct genomic features and evolutionary dynamics. G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics :jkaf239.
10.1093/g3journal/jkaf239 
Pham NQ, Liu FF, Duong TA, Wingfield BD, Chen SF, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Genetic diversity of Calonectria reteaudii isolates from infected Eucalyptus leaves and associated soils indicates a phyllosphere origin of the pathogen. Forest Pathology 55:e70037.
10.1111/efp.70037
Schröder ML, Hurley BP, Wingfield MJ, Slippers B, Garnas JR. (2025) Thermal limitations to the biological control of Gonipterus sp. n. 2 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in South African Eucalyptus plantations. Agricultural and Forest Entomology
10.1111/afe.70002
Lynn KMT, Wingfield MJ, Tarigan M, Durán A, Santos SA, Nel WJ, Barnes I. (2025) Investigating bark, ambrosia and nitidulid beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytinae and Nitidulidae) communities and their potential role in the movement of Ceratocystis manginecans in commercial forestry plantations in Riau, Indonesia. Agricultural and Forest Entomology
10.1111/afe.12698
Solís M, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield MJ, Naidoo S. (2025) Transcriptional responses of Eucalyptus to infection by an aggressive leaf blight pathogen reveal the role of host secondary metabolites during pathogen germination. Plant Molecular Biology 115
10.1007/s11103-025-01625-2
Seale T, Brözel VS, Potgieter SC, Rupp O, Blom J, Steenkamp ET, Venter SN. (2025) Diversity of Environmental Escherichia coli in Subtropical Freshwater Systems of South Africa. Current Microbiology 82:414.
10.1007/s00284-025-04402-y
Harris MA, Kemler M, Slippers B, Hassel N, Tsamba J, Arthan W, Kellogg EA, AuBuchon-Elder T, Vorontsova MS, Archibald S, Hempson GP, Lehmann CER, Besnard G, Bergerow D, Brachmann A, Solofondranohatra CL, Greve M. (2025) Productivity drives leaf mycobiome diversity patterns at global and continetal scales. Global Ecology and Biogeography 34:e70094.
10.1111/geb.70094
Gao M, Yan Z, Liu Z, Jiang Y, Liu T, Miao X, Dai M, Bose T, Chang R. (2025) A novel Arthrobotrys species: Taxonomic characterization, nematicidal activity, and multi-omics insights into nematode predation. Biological Control 208:105853.
10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105853
Esterhuizen HJ, Slippers B, Bosman AS, Roux J, Jones W, Bose T, Hammerbacher A. (2025) Early detection of Phytophthora root rot in Eucalyptus using hyperspectral reflectance and machine learning. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 237:110761.
10.1016/j.compag.2025.110761
Pham NQ, Wingfield BD, Marincowitz S, Brawner JT, Hulcr J, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Cryphonectria canker on Eucalyptus in Florida reconsidered. Forest Pathology 55:e70031.
10.1111/efp.70031