The research group focuses on the discovery, development and mode of action of novel antimicrobial peptides and the molecular elucidation of the beneficial properties of probiotic bacteria. By using in silico genome mining strategies, bioprospecting, and synthetic and molecular biology techniques, the research group aims to identify, characterise, and produce novel and more effective antimicrobial peptides and probiotics with potential medical applications.

Biocatalysis research involves the improvement of catalysts used to convert alkanes, alcohols, fatty acids, or monoterpenes into value-added building blocks of pharmaceuticals, bioplastics, cosmetics, flavours, or fragrances through rational design and directed evolution, as well as metabolic engineering and process development with a strong focus on solving the three-dimensional structures of relevant biocatalysts through X-ray crystallography.

The research in the Milk Biochemistry group focuses on milk composition (dairy and non-dairy animals), the quantity and quality of milk in Mangaung, lactose intolerance and a possible cure, prebiotic oligosaccharides in milk, and alternative biological and technological methodologies in cheese processing.

The One Health Research Unit at the University of the Free State is dedicated to understanding and mitigating infectious diseases at the human-animal-environment interface. Our research focuses on zoonotic pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and environmentally transmitted diseases, with a particular emphasis on Mycobacteria spp. of public health concern.

In the SBDD group at the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, UFS, we focus on developing novel compounds to combat infections caused by fungal pathogens. Experimental approaches include heterologous protein production, protein purification, and solving the structure of the target protein by X-ray crystallography with the aim of using the SBDD technique of X-ray crystallographic fragment screening.