Dr Cindy Harper is the Director of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa. She obtained her BVSc (Veterinary Science) and MSc degrees from the University of Pretoria. She has supervised post-graduate students who have been actively involved in the research activities of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. She has authored papers in scientific journals, has presented at national or international scientific congresses and numerous presentations at other meetings. Her main research interests are in applied veterinary genetics and molecular based veterinary forensics, particularly of wild African species. She has played an active role in international standardisation of genetic testing of companion and wild animal species and developed the RhODIS (Rhinoceros DNA Index System) program, which serves as a flagship program for the use of DNA as a forensic tool to support the investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime, focussing on rhinoceros specifically.