My research interests are focused on ensuring food security, irrespective of climatic changes in Africa and around the world. Specifically, I investigate how agriculturally important crops regulate the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to drought, heat, and salt stress. I address biologically significant and fundable questions in my research, utilizing a comprehensive approach that includes molecular genetics, biochemistry, structural biology, physiology, chemistry, bioinformatics, omics, and systems biology.
Each project and biological question I explore aims to deepen our understanding of how plants exhibit tolerance and resistance to stress, while others may be compromised. What sets these plants apart at the molecular level? To gain this deeper understanding, I make predictions, generate models, and integrate data from various platforms, leveraging the latest advanced tools to test my hypotheses.
Collaborating with different experts, including molecular biologists (e.g., Rudo Ngara), plant molecular biologist (e.g., Lee-Ann Niekerk), plant physiologists (e.g., Tatenda Goche), physist (e.g., Richard Ocaya), and microbiologist (e.g., Arun Gokul), I find the ultimate reward in science lies in understanding how the intricate scientific pieces fit together to provide answers to working hypotheses (or modify them if necessary)—all in the pursuit of food security.
Some of my significant contributions include identifying responsive proteins such as germins, peroxidases, and histones. These proteins piqued interest due to their unique responsiveness to severe stress or their common response to osmotic stress in sorghum. As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, my research remains attuned to the need for Africa and the world to reimagine their approaches. Working in a rural area, my research also addresses skills development for farmers and contributes to achieving the millennium goals set by many governments globally.