• Study of microbial diversity in different habitats particularly extreme and polluted environments
• Water quality, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and solid waste management.
• Microbial products and biopotentials

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Biochemistry

• Prof Tekere - ResearchGate
• Prof Tekere - Google Scholar
• Prof Tekere - ORCID

Professional affiliations:

• Water institute of South Africa (WISA)
• South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SASBMB)
• American Society of Microbiology (ASM)
• Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
• Society for Applied Microbiology, (SfAM, UK)

Awards:

• National Research Foundation Rating C2 (2025-2030)
• 2022 Chancellors Research excellence Award, UNISA
• 2018 Women in Research Leadership Award, UNISA
  Chancellors Prize for Best Researcher in College 2008; 2011; 2012
• UNISA Half- Million and Million Rand Club Award Recipient, 2021, 2023
• Received research grants: 2 Water Research Commission 2016; 2022, NRF/ Thrip 2011, NRF Competitive Support for Rated Researchers, NRF Africa Japan 2025-2028, UNISA Women in Research 2015

• Microbial biodegradation of plastics- bioprospecting of landfills for bioprocess applications
• Remediation and valorisation of mining-influenced waters
• Microbiome of Drinking Water Systems and Water treatment plant sludge
• Purification of Contaminated Soil Using Nano­Calcium & recycling

• Available research opportunities: Postdoctoral fellowship in environmental microbiology and biotechnology (PhD must not be older than 5 years since completion)