Director: FABI and Innovation Africa
Programme Leader: Tree Protection Co-operative Programme

I study the molecular ecology and evolution of fungal communities, fungal pathogens and insect pests of plants, especially trees, as well as their symbioses and their natural enemies. I am particularly interested in the anthropogenic impacts on the outcomes of the interactions between these organisms. These interests are explored within a context of both invasive plant pathogens and pests, and native pests or pathogens expanding their host ranges to attack trees of forestry and agricultural importance. My research combines information from systematics, biogeography, phylogenetics, population genetics, (meta-) barcoding, (-)genomics, (-)transcriptomics and chemical ecolog