Eleanor is a keen marine biologist, and has been conducting research through the University of Cape Town on the parasites of a number of endemic South African shark species. Her research focuses on the discovery and description of several species new to science, the ecology of parasite communities with potential for application in fisheries stock assessment, and the transmission of blood parasites. She has won several awards for her work, including the best oral presentation at the 7th International Symposium on Fish Parasites in Italy in 2007. Eleanor is also a qualified SCUBA diver and boat skipper.