{{short description|South African Professor of genetics}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Brenda Wingfield | image = | birth_name = Brenda D. Fairbairn | image_caption = | nationality = | field = | work_institutions = University of Pretoria | alma_mater = University of Cape Town<br />University of Minnesota<br />Stellenbosch University | awards = Christiaan Hendrik Persoon medal <br /> Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award | spouse = Mike Wingfield }}

'''Brenda D. Wingfield''' is a South African Professor of genetics and previous Deputy Dean of the University of Pretoria. She is known for her genetic studies of fungal tree pathogens.

==Biography== Brenda D. Fairbairn<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael J. Wingfield |url=https://www.apsnet.org/members/give-awards/awards/Fellows/Pages/MichaelJWingfield.aspx |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Michael J. Wingfield |language=en-US}}</ref> was born in Zambia and educated in Zimbabwe.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Butler-Adam |first=John |date=2016-07-26 |title=Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Awards, 2016 |journal=South African Journal of Science |language=en |volume=112 |issue=7/8 |page=2 |doi=10.17159/sajs.2016/a0164 |issn=0038-2353 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In High School, she found that she enjoyed genetics and went on to study at the University of Natal.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://city-press.news24.com/Business/winning-women-a-passion-for-trees-20160701|title=Winning Women: A passion for trees|last=Grant-Marshall|first=Sue|date=2016-07-01|website=CityPress|language=en|access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref> She graduated with B.Sc.Hons Med from the University of Cape Town, Master's degree from the University of Minnesota<ref name="up">{{cite web|url=http://www.up.ac.za/the-genomics-research-institute/article/1929175/professor-brenda-wingfield|title=Professor Brenda Wingfield|website=University of Pretoria|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> and PhD from the University of Stellenbosch (1989).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acgt.co.za/our-contributors/professor-brenda-wingfield|title=Professor Brenda Wingfield|website=African Centre for Gene Technologies|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> In the late 1990s, she began to work at the University of Pretoria.<ref name=":0" /> She was one of the founding members of the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute.<ref name=":2" />

She has published over 400 articles on genetics and trained over 50 both Masters and PhD students respectively.<ref name="up" /> Wingfield holds the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Fungal Genomics.<ref name=":0" />

==Research== Wingfield's work centers on fungi that act as tree pathogens.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.omt.org.za/the-harry-oppenheimer-fellowship-award/past-fellows/2015-brenda-wingfield/|title=2015 – Brenda Wingfield|website=The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust|access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref> In conjunction with her research, she works with the South African forestry industry.<ref name=":2" />

In 1995 Wingfield studied various species of ''Armillaria'', especially ''A. cepistipes'', ''A. gallica'', ''A. mellea'', and ''A. tabescens'' in Europe and North America.<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=3760915|title=A PCR-Based Identification Method for Species of Armillaria|journal=Mycologia|volume=87|issue=2|year=1995|pages=280–288|author=T. C. Harrington and B. D. Wingfield|doi=10.1080/00275514.1995.12026531}}</ref> In 2004 she along with Michael Wingfield, Pedro Crous and Irene Barnes studied variations of ''D. septosporum'' and ''D. pini'' and concluded her research on a fact that ''D. pini'' is different to ''D. septosporum''.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/343865|title=Multigene phylogenies reveal that red band needle blight of Pinus is caused by two distinct species of Dothistroma, '' D. septosporum'' and ''D. pini'' |author=Irene Barnes|author2=Pedro W Crous|author3=Brenda D Wingfield|author4=Michael J Wingfield|journal=Studies in Mycology|year=2004 |volume=50|issue=2|pages=551–565}}</ref> In April of the same year she studied introduction of ''L. wingfieldii'' fungi into North America and how it is consumed by various bark beetles such as ''T. piniperda'', ''D. valens'' and ''I. pini''.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Leptographium wingfieldii introduced into North America and found associated with exotic Tomicus piniperda and native bark beetles|journal=Mycological Research|author=Karin Jacobs|author2=Dale R. Bergdahl|author3=Michael J. Wingfield|author4=Shari Halik|author5=Keith A. Seifert|author6=Donald E. Bright|author7=Brenda D. Wingfield|volume=108|issue=4|pages=411–418|date=April 2004|doi=10.1017/S0953756204009748|pmid=15209281}}</ref> In 2010, she worked as the lead researcher on the team for the first African project working to map the full genome of a fungus that causes pine pitch canker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scibraai.co.za/a-life-dedicated-to-fungi-and-academics/|title=A life dedicated to fungi - and academics|last=Duvenage|first=Engela|date=2014-07-10|website=SciBraai|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref>

==Awards== Wingfield was a recipient of the Christiaan Hendrik Persoon medal for her scientific achievements from the Southern African Society for Plant Pathology.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/profiles/brenda-wingfield-185436|title=Brenda Wingfield|website=The Conversation|date=19 August 2015 |access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> She was also the first woman to receive that honor.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.up.ac.za/research-matters/news/post_2528662-two-more-international-accolades-for-prof-brenda-wingfield|title=Two more international accolades for Prof Brenda Wingfield|date=2 August 2017|website=University of Pretoria|access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref> In 2013, she received an A rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF).<ref name=":0" /> She was recognized for her research work by the National Science and Technology Forum in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forestry.co.za/prof-brenda-wingfield-wins-nstf-award/|title=Prof Brenda Wingfield wins NSTF award|date=7 July 2014|website=Forestry South Africa|access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref> In 2016 an Oppenheimer Memorial Trust has awarded her with an ''Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fabinet.up.ac.za/index.php/news-item?id=401|title=Brenda Wingfield receives the Harry Oppenheimer Memorial Fellowship award|work=FABI|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> She was awarded an honorary membership of the Mycological Society of America (MSA) in 2017, she is also a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society.<ref name=":1" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== Elsabe Olivier, [//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtOEdQaaKRQ Prof Brenda Wingfield supports Open Access at the University of Pretoria] {{Scholia|author}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wingfield, Brenda}} Category:20th-century births Category:Living people Category:South African geneticists Category:University of Cape Town alumni Category:University of Minnesota alumni Category:Stellenbosch University alumni Category:Academic staff of the University of Pretoria Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Associate fellows of the African Academy of Sciences