Dr. Charlene Marais (née Rabe) completed both her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of the Free State. These projects entailed the isolation, identification and synthesis of metabolites from rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) and also a biomimetic investigation of the fermentation of rooibos. Her current research focuses on the modification of industrial and other catalytic methods (e.g. hydroformylation, olefin metathesis, and transfer hydrogenation) for the preparation of flavonoids, stilbenoids and other compounds with potential anticancer and antidiabetic activities.
Seven MSc and six PhD students have graduated under her (co)-supervision, whereas two MSc and two PhD projects are running. Dr Marais has published 33 articles in peer-reviewed international journals.
