The Department of Microbiology is strongly research orientated.  Eight of the academic staff members are NRF-rated (currently one A, four B’s and three C’s).  The following broad research themes are currently pursued.

Prof. Marinda Viljoen-Bloom

Microbial hydrolysis of starch for biofuel production

Dr H Volschenk

Functional microbial bioinformatics

Prof Leon Dicks

Development of probiotic lactic acid bacteria for humans and animals, taxonomy of lactic acid bacteria, characterisation of antimicrobial peptides (including bacteriocins) produced by lactic acid bacteria and their industrial application; industrial and medical microbiology.

Prof Karin Jacobs

Microbial communities from fynbos soil; taxonomy and biology of soil fungi, indoor air quality monitoring and fungal detection. Microbial community analyses of the GIT of various organisms.

Prof Alf Botha

The interactions between yeast and their biological, chemical and physical environment. 

Prof Gideon Wolfaardt

Microbial biofilm ecology, and application of this knowledge to manage microbial aggregates in engineered, industrial and clinical settings

Prof Wesaal Khan

Development and application of rainwater harvesting treatment systems; optimisation and monitoring of cost-effective point of use rainwater harvesting treatment systems

Prof Thulani Makhalanyane

African microbiome research

Dr Renay Ngobeni

Molecular parasitology, water-related parasitology and childhood diarrhoea