Tyrally Ordinario has been with PerkinElmer for over five years where she currently holds an application scientist role. Prior to that, she worked in the pharmaceutical laboratory sector as well as in clinical research. Her main responsibilities at PerkinElmer are developing advanced LCMSMS workflow solutions for the food industry

Limbikani Matumba is an Associate Professor and Dean of Faculty of Life Sciences and Natural Resources at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). Before being appointed as Dean, Limbikani served as Director of Research and Outreach for three years. He received a Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2014) from Ghent University, Belgium under the mentorship of Prof. dr. Sarah De Saeger. His research focuses on mycotoxins and he has published over 30 scientific articles on this subject in journals listed in the Web of Science (ISI). He currently serves on editorial board for the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture (Wiley), Journal of Regulatory Science (Texas A&M) and he has just been appointed as an editor for Mycotoxin Research (Springer). Before joining the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources in 2015, he had served as a Researcher for 12 years under the Department of Agricultural Research Services (MALAWI).

Prof Lise Korsten is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Pretoria. She serves on the boards of the National Laboratory Association, the Post-harvest Innovation programme of the Department of Science and Technology and the Fresh Produce Exporters Forum. She is also a member of the Specialist Technical Committee of the South African National Accreditation System. Prof Korsten developed South Africa’s biological control agent for fruit and has established a research group in sanitary and phytosanitary aspects of international trade. She has expanded her research portfolio to include aspects related to post-harvest pathology and food safety in the fresh produce supply chain.

She is a three-time recipient of the University of Pretoria’s Exceptional Achiever Award and twice received special recognition from the South African National Accreditation System
SANAS) for her contribution to improving and promoting SANAS accreditation. Prof Korsten holds a B2-rating from the NRF.

Senior-level professional with experience leading science and business initiatives in the biotechnology and scientific instruments industries.

Karim is a published research biochemist involved in assay development and validation. He completed his doctoral work at the Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit (RU) on the regulation of gene expression in breast cancer. Before this, he completed an MSc on the development and commercialisation of fermentation biotechnologies.

His achievements include scholarships from the National Research Foundation, and full academic honours from Rhodes University. He is also a successful entrepreneur, having initiated or been involved in a number of innovative start-ups, including South Africa’s first bottled fermented mead.

Karim formerly managed the technical development of agricultural antibiotic replacements, and has applied the latest molecular research tools in solving unique problems. He has taught biochemical theory and techniques at university level, and has worked professionally with both public and private STEM-sector actors, both in South Africa and overseas.

In particular, Karim offers industry a skillset for solving unique and novel problems, and for the development of innovative and effective analytical methods.

When he’s not in the lab, Karim likes to explore, encounter new ideas, and generally try new things.