I am currently a MSc Biotechnology candidate, between the departments of Genetics and Plant Sciences, at the University of Pretoria. I am highly passionate about science and am fascinated by genetics.

I completed my BSc undergraduate degree in Genetics with minors in microbiology in 2019, and my BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology under Dr. Nicky Creux in 2020. The subject of my Honours research was to investigate the role of PIF genes in regulating floral response to heat stress temperatures. I used Helianthus annuus,the common sunflower, as a model.

The subject of my MSc research is a continuation of this, as I will be studying transcriptomic data collected from H. annuus anther and style filament tissue under heat stress and simulated light pollution. The aim is to examine which genes are upregulated in order to identify future gene candidates for heat tolerant crop development amongst others.

Future global temperatures are expected to increase as a result of global warming, and this will have resounding affects on our crops. Other anthropogenic effects such as light pollution remain largely unstudied. It is therefore important to understand how  these crops will respond to these future conditions, and how this will impact fertility and production.