As a biologist with a background in microbiology and biochemistry, it is difficult for me to pinpoint precisely what my interests are. However, over the years I have discovered that some research areas interest me more than others. Such areas include the mechanisms involved in the evolution of organisms, the dynamics of speciation and the phylobiogeography of taxa. More recently, I have developed an interest in the application of machine learning as a tool in to assist us in our research. I am therefore involved in research projects of diverse nature, all motivated by “the pleasure of finding things out”*.
My current research projects and activities can be grouped under the following headings:
Taxonomy and phylogeny of Ganoderma species from Africa,Phylogeography and evolution of Armillaria species,Genomics and genome evolution of plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria, andMachine learning and Artificial Intelligence: With a focus on their application in biological research.
*From: “The best short works of Richard P. Feynman. The pleasure of finding things out”.
Highlights
Phylogenetic Workshops
I am responsible for developing, coordinating and presenting advanced phylogenetics workshops. These workshops focus on theoretical and applied aspects of methods used in inferring phylogenetic relationships amongst organisms. The workshops was initiated after the realisation that most researchers have limited experience in the practical application of evolutionary models and tree building algorithms as well as the execution of computer software used for the analyses. My major objective with the workshops is to provide "hands on" experience in the use of databases and the range of software currently available for evolutionary biologists and systematicists.
Postma A, Klynsmith L, Duong TA, Allison JD, Smidt W, Waterhouse RM, Lesny P, Oeyen JP, Petersen M, Martin S, Liu S, Zhou X, Ziesmann T, Donath A, Mayer C, Misof B, Niehuis O, Peters RS, Podsiadlowski L, Coetzee MPA, Joubert F, Slippers B. (2026) Genome and transcriptome-based identification and expression profiling of chemosensory gene families across developmental stages and tissues in Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae). Insect Molecular Biology 10.1111/imb.70029
Thomas C, Wilken PM, Coetzee MPA, Visagie CM. (2025) Advancing the taxonomy of Sclerotinia (Helotiales, Sclerotiniaceae): a review and recommendations for an important plant-pathogenic genus. IMA Fungus 10.3897/imafungus.17.175737
Molina L, Rajchenberg M, de Errasti A, Vogel B, Coetzee MPA, Aime MC, Pildain MB. (2022) Sapwood mycobiome varies across host, plant compartment and environments in Nothofagus forests from Northern Patagonia. Molecular Ecology 10.1111/mec.16771
