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Dr. Thendo Mafuna

Lecturer
Name: Thendo Mafuna
Location: C2 lab 405 Auckland Park Kingsway Campus
Biochemistry Staff  Staff Members

Contact Details:
Tel: +27(0) 11 559 2402

Email: tmafuna@uj.ac.za

About Dr. Thendo Mafuna

Dr. Thendo Mafuna is a skilled Bioinformatician with expertise in Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology. His research focuses on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in prokaryotic pathogens, particularly within agricultural environments. By combining bioinformatics tools and molecular biology approaches, Dr. Mafuna investigates the genetic and functional mechanisms driving AMR, with a goal of informing better management strategies. His work includes the development of computational pipelines for analyzing complex biological datasets to uncover resistance patterns and gene transmission pathways.

Beyond AMR, Dr. Mafuna has expertise in transcriptomics, metagenomics, and fungal genomics. He uses transcriptomics to study gene expression in response to various environmental and physiological conditions, and metagenomics to profile microbial communities and identify novel resistance genes. In fungal genomics, his research focuses on understanding fungal biology, including mechanisms of pathogenicity and resistance. Through his multidisciplinary approach, Dr. Mafuna contributes to advancing genomic research while mentoring emerging scientists and fostering impactful collaborations.

A highly motivated researcher and educator, Dr. Mafuna is committed to building a collaborative research portfolio, fostering scientific innovation, and inspiring the next generation of scientists through teaching and mentorship.

Links

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4978-5692

Recent Publications:

  1. Malesa R, Pierneef R, Magwedere K, Mafuna T and Matle I (2024) Genomic characterisation of generic Escherichia coli from food-producing animals and products of animal origin in South Africa. Front. Bacteriol. 3:1432292. doi: 10.3389/fbrio.2024.1432292
  2. Manqele, A., Adesiyun, A., Mafuna, T., Pierneef, R., Moerane, R., & Gcebe, N. (2024). Virulence Potential and Antimicrobial Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates Obtained from Beef and Beef-Based Products Deciphered Using Whole-Genome Sequencing. Microorganisms, 12(6), 1166. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12061166
  3. Matle, I., Atanda, A. C., Pierneef, R., Magwedere, K., & Mafuna, T. (2023). Resistome, mobilome, virulome analysis and phylogenomics of Enterococcus faecalis isolated from raw muscle foods of beef origin in Gauteng, South Africa. Genomics, 115(6), 110742.
  4. Carroll LM, Pierneef R, Mafuna T, Magwedere K and Matle I (2023) Genus-wide genomic characterization of Macrococcus: insights into evolution, population structure, and functional potential. Front. Microbiol. 14:1181376.
  5. Mafuna T, Matle I, Magwedere K, Pierneef RE, Reva ON (2022) Comparative Genomics of Listeria Species Recovered from Meat and Food Processing Facilities. Microbiology spectrum, 10(5), e0118922.
  6. Mafuna T, Matle I, Magwedere K,Pierneef RE and Reva ON (2021) Whole Genome-Based Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates Recovered From the Food Chain in South Africa. Front. Microbiol. 12:669287.