The Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics (CMEG) at the University of Pretoria (UP) is proud to announce that our very own Dr Thulani Makhlanyane has received the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME) award for service excellence! Through the action of ambassadors, the ISME and the field of microbial ecology have grown around the world.

Dr Makhalanyane is a lecturer in the Department of Genetics, Deputy Director at the CMEG and an avid researcher focussing on the microbial ecology of extreme environments. He has been a member of the ISME for a number of years and has acted as member of the advisory board/session organiser for several of the Society's meetings.

Dr Makhalanyane has spearheaded the South African bid to host the 18th ISME Symposium in Cape Town in 2020. This would be the first ISME Symposium to be held in Africa. With assistance from Prof Don Cowan, Director of CMEG, and the Cape Town Bid Local Organising Committee (LOC), the bid has successfully made it through the initial stages. The host city will be announced during the current symposium in Canada.