Mike Wingfield, a professor at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), is the recipient of the annual Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award.  

His winning project is titled: Quest to unravel the origin and ecology of two human pathogenic fungi and expand the base of medical mycology in South Africa. Now in its 21st edition, the award was initiated by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust in 2000 to commemorate the Trust’s founder, Harry Oppenheimer, and especially his efforts to support human and intellectual development as well as to advance scholarship. The R2 million award is ranked as one of Africa’s most prestigious research grants.