Dr Marais completed his undergraduate training at University of Pretoria in South Africa and then pursued a career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Stellenbosch in Cape Town. Under guidance from Prof David Hall he developed a keen interest in Maternal medicine with a focus on diabetes in pregnancy. As a registrar research project, they investigated the current diagnosis of gestational diabetes and developed a novel approach with possible far reaching implications for current practice. Since then the project received numerous awards including the 2018 John J. Sciarra IJGO Prize Paper Award. Dr Marais has a keen interest in research and teaching.