Prof Chris Viljoen
Photo: Johan Roux
Prof Chris Viljoen widely recognised for GMO research
Prof Chris Viljoen introduction: video
Various aspects of GMOs (genetically modified organisms), including bio-safety and regulatory aspects regarding GMO detection and labelling, and the impact of GMOs on gene flow, are the research focus of Prof Chris Viljoen, an associate professor in Human Molecular Biology in the Department of Haematology and Cell Biology, and his team. He received a C3 rating from the NRF in 2015.
He is also involved in research on chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), which includes routine diagnostics to study the underlying mechanism of this disease and its treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. He has published 37 papers in peer-reviewed journals (31 in international journals), one peer-reviewed book chapter, and eight popular scientific articles, as well as co-authoring a report for the World Health Organization (WHO), and a report for the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
Prof Viljoen has served on several international committees, and is a member of the European Commission Global GMO Network Forum. He is coordinator of the Southern African Network for GM detection laboratories (SANGL), and the founder and manager of the GMO Testing Facility, which is a recognised business unit, generating a third-income stream for the UFS.
Since 2010, Prof Viljoen has been discipline coordinator in Molecular Biology for the HPCSA Medical science intern training programme and, since 2005, a member of the sub-committee to the Advisory Committee for the GMO Act 1997, on risk assessments for the Department of Agriculture in South Africa. He has conducted 24 risk assessment reviews on GMOs (2006-2013) for the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in terms of this Act.
Internationally, he is a member of the European Commission Global GMO Network Forum (GGNF) Steering Committee, and co-ordinator of the Southern African Network of GM Detection laboratories (SANGL), comprising nine SADC countries including Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. He has served on various programmes of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.
The GMO Testing Facility became a Eurofins GeneScan licenced laboratory in 2003. Eurofins GeneScan is recognised world-wide as a leader in molecular diagnostic testing of foods, including genetic modification and animal species for meat purity. The testing facility is an approved laboratory by the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries for GM status certification in South Africa. It is recognised internationally as a leader in research and diagnostics by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, and Italy.