Christopher (Chris) Viljoen (Ph.D. Microbiology) is an associate professor in Human Molecular Biology in the Department of Haematology and Cell Biology, University of the Free State, South Africa. The research interests of our research group focus on various aspects regarding GMOs (genetically modified organisms) including Bio-safety and regulatory aspects including GMO detection and labelling and the impact of GMOs on gene flow. In addition to this he is also involved in research on chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) that includes routines diagnostics to studying the underlying mechanism of this disease and its treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Chris has 32 publications in accredited journals, a WHO published report as well as articles in popular magazines, has presented or co-authored more than 50 conference papers and workshop presentations. He teaches human molecular biology at post-graduate level and has successfully supervised or co-supervised 16 masters and 9 doctoral students.

Articles in scientific journals

• Viljoen CD and Chetty L. 2011. A case study of GM maize gene flow in South Africa. Environmental Sciences Europe 23:1-8.
• Viljoen CD and Chetty L. 2010. Chapter 2: An African perpsective of GM maize gene flow. Theorie in der Ökologie, Band 16 in: Breckling, B., Verhoeven, R.  (eds.): Large-area effects of GM-crop cultivation, pp. 60-61. ISBN 978-3-631-60361-1.
• Coetzee MJ, Louw VJ, Gartrell K and Viljoen CD. 2009. Chakalaka-induced vasodilatation in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia on tyrosine kinase inhibitors. South African Medical Journal 99(12):870-871.
• Botha GM and Viljoen CD. 2009. South Africa: A case study for voluntary GM labelling. Food Chemisty 112 (4):1060-1064.
• Botha GM and Viljoen CD. 2008. Can GM sorghum impact Africa? Trends in Biotechnology. Trends in Biotechnology 26 (2):64-69.
• Chetty L and Viljoen CD. 2007. GM biotechnology: Friend and foe? South African Journal of Science 103:1-2.
• Solomon KF, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2007. Estimates of heterosis and association of genetic distance with heterosis in durum wheat under different moisture regimes. Journal of Agricultural Science 145:239–248.
• Assefa A, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2007. AFLP analysis of genetic relationships between barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces from north Shewa in Ethiopia. Conservation Genetics 8:273–280.
• Viljoen CD and Van Staden J. 2006. The genetic relationship between Encephalartos natalensis and E. woodii determined using RAPD fingerprinting. South African Journal of Botany 72:642-645. ISSN 1684-5315.
• Benesi IRM, Labuschagne MT, Dixon AGO, Viljoen CD and Mahungu NM. 2006. Genetic distance analysis of elite cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) genotypes in Malawi using morphological and AFLP marker techniques. South African Journal of Plant and Soil 23 (1):58-61.
• Adugna W, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2006. The use of morphological and AFLP markers in diversity analysis of linseed. Biodiversity and Conservation 15(10):3193-3205. ISSN 0960-3115.
• Geleta N, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2006. Comparison of AFLP, SSR and morpho-agronomical markers for estimating genetic diversity in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] accessions. Biodiversity and conservation 15:3251-3265.
• Viljoen CD, Dajee BK and Botha GM. 2006. Detection of GMO in food products in South Africa: Implications of GMO labelling. African Journal of Biotechnology 5(2):73-82. ISSN 1684-5315.
• Viljoen CD. 2005. Detection of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) and the need for capacity building. Asian Biotechnology and Development Review 7(3):55-69. ISSN 0972-7566.
• Adugna W, Viljoen CD and Labuschagne MT. 2005. Analysis of genetic diversity in linseed using AFLP markers. Ethiopian Journal of Science 28(1):41-50.
• Genet T, Viljoen CD and Labuschagne MT. 2005. Genetic analysis of Ethiopian mustard genotypes using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. African Journal of Biotechnology 4(8):891-897. ISSN 1684-5315.
• Geleta LF, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2005. Genetic variability in peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) measured by morphological data and amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. Biodiversity and Conservation 14:2361-2375. ISSN 0960-3115.
• Geleta LF, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2004. Relationship between heterosis and genetic distance based on morphological traits and AFLP markers in pepper. Plant Breeding 123:467-473. ISSN 0179-9541.
• Jacoby A, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2003. Genetic relationships between Southern African Solanum nigrum and related species measured by morphological and DNA markers. Euphytica 132(1):109-113. ISSN 0014-2336.
• Koen E, Labuschagne MT and Viljoen CD. 2002. The influence of eyespot resistance genes on baking quality and yield in wheat. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 82:1537-1540. ISSN 0022-5142.
• Hills PN, Van Staden J and Viljoen CD. 2001. Differences in polypeptide expression in thermo-inhibited and germinating achenes of Tagetes minuta L. Plant Growth Regulation 34:187-194. ISSN 0167-6903.
• Labuschagne MT, De Swart AM and Viljoen CD. 2000. Genetic relationships between South African wheat cultivars as measured by gliadin banding patterns. Plant Breeding/Zeitschrift für Pflanzenzüchtung 119:280-282. ISSN 0179-9541.
• Viljoen CD, Wingfield MJ, Jacobs K and Wingfield BD. 2000. Cornuvesica, a new genus to accommodate Ceratocystiopsis falcate. Mycological Research 104(3):365-367.
• Viljoen CD., Wingfield BD. and Wingfield MJ. 2000. Computer aided systematic evaluation of morphological characters of the ophiostomatoid fungi. Mycotaxon 74:217-239. ISSN 0093-4666.
• Viljoen CD, Wingfield BD and Wingfield MJ. 1999. Genetic relatedness of Custingophora olivaceae to Gondwanamyces spp. from Protea spp. Mycological Research 103(4):497-500. ISSN 0953-7562.
• Wingfield BD, Viljoen CD and Wingfield MJ. 1999. Phylogenetic relationships of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with Protea infructescences in South Africa. Mycological Research 103(12), 1616-1620. ISSN 0953-7562.
• Marais GJ, Wingfield MJ, Viljoen CD and Wingfield BD. 1998. A new ophiostomatoid genus from Protea infructescences. Mycologia 90:136-141. ISSN 0027-5514.
• Viljoen A, Marasas WA, Wingfield MJ and Viljoen CD. 1997. Characterisation of Fusarium subglutinans f. Sp. pini causing root disease of Pinus patula seedlings in South Africa. Mycological Research 101:437-445. ISSN 0953-7562.
• Smit WA, Viljoen CD, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ and Calitz FJ.1996. A New Canker Disease of Apple, Pear, and Plum Rootstocks Caused by Diaporthe ambigua in South Africa. Plant Disease 80(12):1331-1335.
• Viljoen CD, Wingfield BD and Wingfield MJ. 1993. Comparison of species of Seiridium associated with cypress canker using sequence data. Experimental Mycology 17:323-328. ISSN 0147-5975.
• De Lange WJ, Wingfield BD, Viljoen CD and Wingfield MJ. 1993. RAPD - fingerprinting to identify Eucalyptus grandis clones. South African Forestry Journal 167:47-50. ISSN 0038-2167.
• Viljoen CD. 1993. Biotechnology in perspective. FRD Programme Report Series No 9, December 1993. ISBN 1-874916-15-2.
• Viljoen CD, Wingfield BD and Wingfield MJ. 1992. Agar, an alternative to agarose in analytical gel electrophoresis. Biotechnology Techniques 7:723-726.

Articles in popular print media

• Viljoen CD. 2011. ‘Genetic Labelling’ claims wrong. Business Day 3 February 2011.
• Viljoen CD. 2007. Experiences and lessons learned. Biosafety Protocol News 2(3):6-8.
• Viljoen CD. 2006. An update of global GM crop production and GM food labelling in South Africa. Ons Eie 41(4):20-22.
• Viljoen CD. 2001. A critical look at modern plant biotechnology and its effect on the African continent. Farmers Weekly. September 10 Issue.