About Bianke
Bianke, a biotechnologist and bio-entrepreneur (and artist!), enjoys pioneering research activities. She is passionate about harnessing the health and nutrition benefits of plants. With a methodical and creative mind, she thrives on exploratory research for scientific process development and design – identifying problems and finding solutions.
Bianke is particularly interested in future foods. Her skills and consultancy offer a fully integrated, multidisciplinary mindset, encompassing technical competencies in Molecular biology, animal and plant cell culture, genetic transformation and non-genetic enhancement strategies, sustainable agriculture and food systems, Functional foods, enzymology, genetic sequence and metabolite data analyses. Additionally, she is an advocate for AI in educational spaces and deliberately designs learning and assessment opportunities that incorporate the use of generative AI platforms, actively stimulating learners to embrace the use of AI as a ‘learning co-pilot’.
About Bianke
Bianke, a biotechnologist and bio-entrepreneur (and artist!), enjoys pioneering research activities. She is passionate about harnessing the health and nutrition benefits of plants. With a methodical and creative mind, she thrives on exploratory research for scientific process development and design – identifying problems and finding solutions
Bianke is particularly interested in future foods. Her skills and consultancy offer a fully integrated, multidisciplinary mindset, encompassing technical competencies in Molecular biology, animal and plant cell culture, genetic transformation and non-genetic enhancement strategies, sustainable agriculture and food systems, Functional foods, enzymology, genetic sequence and metabolite data analyses. Additionally, she is an advocate for AI in educational spaces and deliberately designs learning and assessment opportunities that incorporate the use of generative AI platforms, actively stimulating learners to embrace the use of AI as a ‘learning co-pilot’.
Journeying Science
Bianke obtained her PhD in Biotechnology, from the Institute for Plant Biotechnology (Stellenbosch University), receiving an excellence award for completing her doctorate within three calendar years (2013-2015). She went on as a postdoctoral fellow to co-manage a SARChI research team, developing a health and nutrition research program, and designing and hosting a diversity of projects borne from her own mind. During this time, Bianke published and reviewed several scientific and ‘other interesting’ articles, participated in national and international conferences, graduated over 35 postgraduate learners (BSc. Hons; MSc.), received a postdoctoral excellence award from the office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation (SU), and was one of three Sub-Saharan South Africans to receive a COIMBRA fellowship that mobilized her to KU Leuven (Belgium), where she built strong and ongoing research relations.
Bianke participates pro bono, with the Institute for Plant Biotechnology, in training national and international teams of learners about Biotechnology and business to enhance their future careers (EARTH University, Costa Rica; IPB internship, Stellenbosch University ). She continues mentoring young minds in the Future 17 sustainable development goals (SDG, United Nations) challenge program that seeks to guide the future leaders of change on sustainability practices and, shaping ‘yesterday-ready future-fit’ minds to dynamically acquire attributes toward entrepreneuring and innovating.
Art by Bianke
