Dr. Renay Ngobeni-Nyambi is a molecular parasitologist whose research focuses on intestinal pathogens and their impact on human health, particularly in children. She earned her Master of Science degree from the University of Venda in 2015, where she specialized in parasitology. Her early research explored the genetic diversity of Entamoeba histolytica and how host genetic factors influence susceptibility to amoebic infection in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

In 2015, Dr. Ngobeni-Nyambi was awarded a Global Infectious Diseases Research Training (GIDRT) scholarship, which enabled advanced training in diarrheal and infectious diseases at the University of Virginia (USA). Her doctoral research further examined the genetic diversity of Entamoeba species and revealed the role of E. histolytica exosomes in driving amoebic virulence.

She has received international training in pathogen genomics, biotechnology, and bioinformatics, including specialized instruction in the EuPathDB genomic resource at the University of Georgia. Her technical expertise spans gene expression analysis, flow cytometry, phylogenetics, biosafety, and laboratory management, with training completed across South Africa, the United States, Germany, and Japan. She also received advanced training in Entamoeba culture techniques at the University of Tokyo.

In 2021, Dr. Ngobeni-Nyambi conducted postdoctoral research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she investigated host–microbiota–pathogen interactions using animal models. She joined the Department of Microbiology at Stellenbosch University in 2023, where she leads independent research examining the presence of life-debilitating intestinal pathogens in South African water sources and their role in childhood stunting in children under five. Her work aims to generate evidence that informs public health interventions and improves child health outcomes in vulnerable communities.