Dr. Valerie Masocha
Dr. Valerie Farai Masocha is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West University (NWU), South Africa. She holds a PhD in Plant Science from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, specialising in plant molecular biology. Her academic background also includes an MSc in Agronomy (Plant Genetics and Breeding) and a BSc in Agronomy. Valerie’s research focuses on soil and plant–microbe interactions, species distribution modelling, and sustainable agriculture. She has extensively studied the microbiomes associated with indigenous medicinal plants in Southern Africa, exploring their potential to enhance plant health, resilience, and productivity. Her expertise spans plant breeding, molecular biology, metabarcoding, and bioinformatics.
Valerie's work during her Short Research Stay
Dr. Masocha was hosted at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology – Rhizosphere Group and Evolutionary Systems Biology Group during her 12-week Short Research Stay. Her research focused on exploring the root microbiome of indigenous medicinal plants in Southern Africa, aiming to uncover microbial communities that contribute to plant growth, stress tolerance, and biocontrol. During her stay, Valerie conducted high-throughput metagenomic sequencing and functional analysis of microbial communities from plant rhizospheres. She also performed in vitro validation of microbial traits such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and antimicrobial compound production. Additionally, she developed in silico models to simulate plant-microbe interactions under varying environmental conditions.
Selected Publications
- Masocha, V. F., Liu, H., Zhan, P., Wang, K. K., Zeng, A., Chen, S., & Schneider, H. (2022). Bacterial microbiome in the phyllo-endosphere of highly specialized rock spleenwort. Frontiers in Plant Science: Plant Interactions, 13, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.891155
- Ngarega, B., Masocha, V. F., & Schneider, H. (2021). Forecasting the effects of bioclimatic characteristics and climate change on the potential distribution of Colophospermum mopane in southern Africa using Maximum Entropy (Maxent). Ecological Informatics, 65, 101419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101419
- Masocha, V. F., Qingyuan, L., Wang, Q., & Xin, H. (2020). Proteomic variation in Vitis amurensis and V. vinifera buds during cold acclimation. Scientia Horticulturae, 263, 109143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.109143