I obtained my PhD degree in Microbiology from the University of the Free State. The PhD focused on bioprospecting for the presence of 3-hydroxy fatty acids in the yeast genus Cryptococcus and was done with Professor Lodewyk Kock.

In 2010, I was appointed as a lecturer and principal investigator in the department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, University of the Free State. Recognising my potential, I was selected as a Vice-Chancellors’ Prestige Scholar, an opportunity that allowed me to undertake a research visit to the laboratory of Robin May at the University of Birmingham, UK. I also secured funding from the Fulbright programme to undertake another research visit to the laboratory of Alex Idnurm at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (now at the University of Melbourne).

I lead a research laboratory in the department where I host and supervise honours, masters, doctoral and postdoctoral students.

Articles:

L.U. Madu, O.M. Sebolai (2019). Complementary Use of Microscopic Techniques and Fluorescence Reading in Studying Cryptococcus-Amoeba Interactions. Journal of Visualized Experiments, In press. Corresponding author. IF = 1.3. 

A.O. Ogundeji, B.F. Porotloane, C.H. Pohl, P.S. Kendrekar, O.M. Sebolai (2018). Copper acyl salicylate has potential as an anti-Cryptococcus anti-fungal agent. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 62, e02345-17. Corresponding author. IF = 4.6.

L.M. Du Plooy, J. Albertyn, C.H. Pohl, O.M. Sebolai (2018). Functional characterization of cryptococcal genes: then and now. Frontiers      in Microbiology 9, Article no. 2263. Co-author. IF = 4.2.

U.L. Madu, A.O. Ogundeji, C.H. Pohl, J. Albertyn, O.M. Sebolai (2017). Elucidation of the role of 3-hydroxy fatty acids in Cryptococcus-amoeba interactions. Frontiers in Microbiology 8, Article no. 765. Corresponding author. IF = 4.2.

A.O. Ogundeji, C.H. Pohl, O.M. Sebolai (2017). The repurposing of anti-psychotic drugs, quetiapine and olanzapine, as anti-Cryptococcus drugs. Frontiers in Microbiology 8, Article no. 815. Corresponding author. IF = 4.2.

R. Fourie, R. Ells, G. Kemp, O.M. Sebolai, J. Albertyn, C.H. Pohl (2017). Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces aspirin insensitive eicosanoids and contributes to the eicosanoid profile of polymicrobial biofilms with Candida albicans. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 117, 36-46. Co-author. IF = 3.1.

Books and chapters:

O.M. Sebolai, A.O. Ogundeji (2015). New antifungal discovery from existing chemical compound collections. In: Antifungals: from genomics to resistance and the development of novel agents, A. Coste and P. Vandeputte, eds. Horizon Scientific Press: United Kingdom, pp. 143-158. ISBN: 978-1-910190-01-2.

My research centres on human microbial infections, with a special interest in the role of microbial lipids in pathogenesis and microbial growth control strategies via identifying novel drug targets, including the re-purposing or re-positioning of medicines that are typically used to treat non-infectious conditions as antimicrobial drugs.

I am always interested in hearing from potential students who may wish to join the laboratory.

Undergraduate level:

1. Third-year microbiology module, i.e., MCBE3714; Microbial ecology and environmental microbiology

Postgraduate level:

1. A component of Hons techniques module, i.e., BOCT 6804 / MCBT 6804; Microscopy section

2. Hons microbiology module, i.e., MCBP6804; Applied microbial physiology