Professor Michael Wingfield

Professor Michael Wingfield’s research interests are in the broad area of forest biotechnology. He has been involved in research projects in many parts of the world, particularly those relating to the health of trees and determining the pathways of movement of the organisms that cause tree disease.

His research into disease-causing fungi has resulted in several fungi named in his honour.

Together with industry partners, he established the Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP) 36 years ago, and it has grown to be one of the world’s best-recognised tree protection groups with collaborative programmes and projects globally. In 1998, he joined the University of Pretoria as a professor and founding director of the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI). FABI now houses the TPCP and numerous other internationally recognised plant biotechnology programmes.

Prof Wingfield has received numerous accolades over the years. Most recently, the 2017 China Friendship Award; the 2020 National Science and Technology Forum Theme Award; and the 2022 Harry Frederick Oppenheimer Award. He holds three Honorary Doctorates awarded by the University of British Columbia, North Carolina State University, and the University of the Free State, respectively.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa, the Southern African Society for Plant Pathology, and the American Phytopathological Society.

Over the last eight years, his research outputs include 276 peer-reviewed journal articles, three books, and three book chapters.