MSc student
I obtained my BSc Microbiology and BScHons Microbiology degree at the University of Pretoria in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Currently, I'm doing my MSc under the supervision of Prof Almuth Hammerbacher and co-supervision of Dr Tanay Bose and Prof Brenda Wingfield. The project I am working on is focused on Epidendrum ibaguense-a horticultural orchid with global distribution. In this project I am going to study the global diversity of mycorrhizae associated with this orchid. Furthermore, I am going to investigate the underlying biochemical interactions during the orchid mycorrhizal symbiosis between E. ibaguense and its symbiotic mycorrhizae.
D’Angelo D, Sorrentino R, Nkomo T, Zhou X, Vaghefi N, Sonnekus B, Bose T, Cerrato D, Cozzolino L, Creux N, D’Agostino N, Fourie G, Fusco G, Hammerbacher A, Idnurm A, Kiss L, Hu Y, Hu H, Lahoz E, Risteski J, Steenkamp E T, Viscardi M, van der Nest M A, Wu Y, Yu H, Zhou J, Karandeni Dewage C S, Kotta-Loizou L I, Stotz H U, Fitt B D L, Huang Y, Wingfield BD. (2025) IMA GENOME - F20 A draft genome assembly of Agroathelia rolfsii, Ceratobasidium papillatum, Pyrenopeziza brassicae, Neopestalotiopsis macadamiae, Sphaerellopsis filum and genomic resources for Colletotrichum spaethianum and Colletotrichum fructicola. IMA Fungus 10.3897/imafungus.16.141732
Nkomo T, Bose T, Wingfield BD, Knoppersen R, Mbhele O, Nemesio‐Gorriz M, Rodas CA, Paetz C, Cilliers CT, Ferreira MA, Hammerbacher A. (2024) Geographic location shapes fungal communities associated with Epidendrum roots. Mycological Progress 10.1007/s11557-024-01990-0
Nkomo T, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield BD, Bose T. (2023) Fungal Planet description sheets: 1478–1549 (Description of Tulasnella epidendrea). Persoonia - Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi 10.3767/persoonia.2023.50.05