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Biography
Armanda Bastos is a Professor of One Health in the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases. She manages the One Health platform at the Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station (HHWRS) in the Kruger National Park and coordinates the MSc in Global One Health, a joint offering of the University of Pretoria and the Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. In keeping with the interdisciplinarity required for effective One Health research, she remains an active academic in the Department of Zoology and Entomology. This dual faculty role permits the complementary merging of two key research focus areas; infectious disease epidemiology and wildlife conservation.
A molecular biologist by training, Armanda’s research encompasses molecular epidemiology, molecular diagnostics and the molecular taxonomy and evolution of a broad range of viral, bacterial, zoonotic and vector-borne disease agents. She completed her PhD degree on the Molecular epidemiology and diagnosis of SAT-type foot-and-mouth disease viruses in southern Africa, whilst employed as a Senior/Veterinary Researcher (1994-2000) at the flagship ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI) BSL3 / Transboundary Animal Diseases (TAD) laboratory. In July 2000 she joined the University of Pretoria as a lecturer in the Department of Zoology and Entomology, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2002, Associate Professor in 2007, and full Professor 2013. She served as Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Mammal Research Institute from 2016-2017 and as Head of the Department of Zoology and Entomology from 2018-2022.
To date, Armanda has published 124 scientific papers and 7 book chapters, primarily on transboundary animal diseases (TADs), molecular assay development, genomics and conservation genetics. She has supervised/co-supervised the postgraduate research projects of 21 doctoral, 34 Masters (28 research & 6 coursework) and 21 BSc Hons level students to completion and serves on the editorial board of CABI One Health. Previous editorial board appointments include Deputy Editor for PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Associate Editor for BMC Genetics and Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Professional and academic experience
- >32 years' experience as a researcher
- >23 years’ experience in teaching at tertiary level
- >5 years’ experience in senior academic management
Professional memberships
Subjects taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels
- ZEN 251 Invertebrate biology
- ZEN 261 African vertebrates
- ZEN 354 Evolutionary physiology
- ZEN 362 Evolution and phylogeny
- ZEN 784 Contemporary research methods
Research interests
- Molecular epidemiology of infectious disease agents (viral, bacterial and fungal)
- Wildlife conservation
- Molecular diagnostics
- Vector- and rodent-borne diseases
- Molecular phylogenetics and evolution
Collaboration
- University of California-Davis, USA
- CIRAD, France
- Regional Veterinary Office, Agricultural Research Institute, Mozambique
- Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Nigeria
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Kenya
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya
- ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, South Africa
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), South Africa
- Organisation for Tropical Studies (OTS), South Africa
- University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Postgraduate Students
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Name of student
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Degree
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Title
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Supervisor
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Co-supervisor(s)
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| Nina Kruse |
BSc(Hons) |
Haemoparasite prevalence and diversity in two cryptic Mastomys rodents across an anthropogenic gradient in Greater Kruger
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Prof. Armanda Bastos |
Dr Liezl Retief
Dr Laurence Kruger
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Olanrewaju Adekunle
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MSc
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Spatial distribution, resistance status and mechanisms of Anopheline mosquitoes from Western Nigeria
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Prof. Yusuf Abdullahi
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
Dr Babalola
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Kondwani Kachali
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MSc
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Malaria entomology and insecticide resistance in Vhembe district, Limpopo Province, a high disease burden region of South Africa
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Dr Megan Riddin
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Jacqueline McTamney
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MSc
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Comparative analysis of the small intestinal microbiome in captive versus free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus): implications for gastrointestinal health.
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Prof Adrian Tordiffe
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
Dr Holly Ganz
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| Irena Dione Mendez Barrios |
MSc |
Tick and pathogen diversity at the animal-human interface in communities settled near the edge of tropical forests in Guatemala |
Prof. Armanda Bastos |
Dr Katharina Kreppel |
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Stuart Neilon
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MSc
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Monitoring the external and internal environment of aardvark (Orycteropus afer) burrows
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Keaton Rea
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MSc
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Host-parasite diversity in the common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) from southern Africa
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Candice de Waal
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PhD
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Haemoparasite diversity in African lions (Panthera leo) from the Kruger National Park, against a backdrop of host diversity.
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Dr Eduard Roos
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Rua Khogali
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PhD
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Using metagenomics to unravel the impact of camel tick microbiomes on pathogen prevalence and transmission risk
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Dr. Jandouwe Villinger
Dr Daniel Masiga
Dr. Caleb Kibet
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Elsa Lameira
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PhD
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The dynamics of Ornithodoros ticks and African swine fever virus interactions at the wild-domestic suid interface in central Mozambique
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Prof. Mary-Lou Penrith
Dr Carlos Quembo
Dr Helene Jourdan
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Cynthia Mapendere
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PhD
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The role of bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) in African swine fever dynamics
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Dr Ferran Jori
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
Dr Livio Heath
Prof. Eric Etter
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| Given Matseketsa |
PhD |
Rule-breaking in conservation: issues and solutions for terrestrial protected areas in south-eastern Zimbabwe |
Prof. Kerstin Krüger |
Prof. Edson Gandiwa
Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Rivalani Mthombeni
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PhD
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Molecular epidemiology of African swine fever in southern Africa: whole genome sequencing of p72 genotype I and II viruses
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Prof. Armanda Bastos
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Dr Livio Heath
Dr Antoinette van Schalwyk
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| Mxolisi Mgongoma |
PhD |
Livestock and wildlife as sentinels for disease emergence and environmental contamination |
Prof. Armanda Bastos |
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| Francis Mulwa |
PhD |
Bionomics, genetic diversity and population structure of Aedes aegypti in major cities along the Kenyan northern transport corridor: Implications for risk of dengue transmission
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Prof. Armanda Bastos |
Dr Joel Lutomiah
Prof. Rosemary Sang
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Research output/publications and impact
- 124 publications in accredited journals
- 7 book chapters
- 3 editorials (special issues in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Animals & Pathogens)
- Full list in Google Scholar
NRF rating
B2
Awards and recognition
- Exceptional Academic Achiever Award, University of Pretoria (2024)
- MASSAf: Inducted as a Member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (2023)
- FRSSAf: Inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa (2019)
- Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Professional Academic Leadership (PAL) programme award (2019)
- National Research Foundation: President’s Award (2005)
- Exceptional Young Researcher Award, University of Pretoria (2004)
- Academic Honorary Colours (2001): seven papers published from PhD; four as first author
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fellowship (1999)
- Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS): Young Scientist Grant (1998)
- Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI): Director’s Award (1997/8)
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