Dr Marcel van der Merwe

Postdoctoral Fellow

Marcel profile

Office: 63 Heugh Road, Walmer, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), 6065
Email: marcelvd.merwe93@gmail.com  

PhD, Microbiology, Rhodes University (2021)

Marcel van der Merwe completed his PhD at Rhodes University in South Africa in 2021. His research focused on yeast-baculovirus synergism to improve the efficacy of the biological control agent, Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus (CrleGV-SA), used to control Thaumatotibia leucotreta or otherwise commonly known as the false codling moth. Currently, he is in his 1st year of postdoctoral research at the Center for Biological Control (CBC) at Rhodes University. He is working on developing a UV-resistant isolate of the novel alphabaculovirus Cryptophlebia peltastica nucleopolyhedrovirus (CrpeNPV). Developing a UV-resistant CrleNPV isolate will result in longer field persistence and allow it to be used as an effective biological alternative to CrleGV-SA to control Thaumatotibia leucotreta.

Research Interests

  • Insect virus
  • Biological control
  • Microbiology

Recent Publications

van der Merwe, M.; Jukes, M.D.; Rabalski, L.; Knox, C.; Opoku-Debrah, J.K.; Moore, S.D.; Krejmer-Rabalska, M.; Szewczyk, B.; Hill, M.P. 2017. Genome Analysis and Genetic Stability of the Cryptophlebia leucotreta Granulovirus (CrleGV-SA) after 15 Years of Commercial Use as a Biopesticide. International journal of molecular science, 18(11), pp 2327. IF 3.226

Last Modified: Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:00:04 SAST