Prof Dave Berger is a professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and leads the Molecular Plant-Pathogen Interactions research group at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria. He is a molecular plant pathologist who conducts collaborative research on crop diseases of economic importance in Africa and globally. His main research aim is to develop sustainable management strategies for long-term food security. He is an NRF “internationally acclaimed researcher”. He was the recipient of the 2016 Special Award for Crop Science and Food Security from the National Science and Technology Forum and South 32.