Patrick Sekoai is a senior researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Biorefinery Industry Development (CSIR-BIDF) Facility. He has a scientific career that spans almost a decade in microbial biotechnology and bioprocessing. He received his academic training in South Africa (UKZN, Wits, and HySA at NWU) and Asia (Hong Kong SAR, China). His research primarily focuses on the upcycling of bio-wastes (agricultural, municipal, and industrial), where various market-based products are produced from these feedstocks using novel microbial-driven processes. His research has been published in top-tier international journals, with a Google Scholar H-index of 23 and Scopus H-index of 20, and he has >1000 citations in both databases. In his R&D portfolio at the CSIR-BIDF, he is developing technologies that are instrumental in converting biomass into valuable products, and heads various SMME and industry-funded projects that fall within the circular economy.