My current research spans across the fields of human genomics, population genetics and complex diseases. This includes studies focused on the genetic basis of diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and prostate cancer. I hold a Senior Specialist Scientist position at the SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research and a joint position as an Associate Professor within the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University.

My experience spans over two decades at both South African and international research institutions, including the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in San Diego, U.S.A. and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. After returning to South Africa in 2017 and before starting in my role at the SAMRC in 2021, I worked in industry providing research services to the local scientific community for four years. This included both project management and capacity development to establish global research networks.

I have contributed to establishing specialised laboratories with technologies for high-throughput genotyping, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and optical genome mapping (OGM). I am continuing to explore the genomic diversity in understudied Southern African populations, uncovering unique genetic markers that inform the link between genotype and phenotype. This has proven critical for understanding disease susceptibility and/or progression across individuals to establish genetic risk profiles that determine suitable treatment options for patients on the African continent.