Christopher Lucani

Christopher Lucani is a Research Fellow (equivalent to Postdoctoral Researcher) in Plant Physiology at the University of Tasmania's School of Natural Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences. His research bridges plant physiology (drought tolerance, hydraulic systems) and environmental health technology (public health applications of mobile sensing).

Research focuses on:

• Plant hydraulic adaptations to environmental stress, particularly drought responses in trees and crops
• Development of digital health tools like the AirRater app for real-time environmental hazard monitoring
• Intersections between atmospheric pollutants, respiratory health, and community interventions

Publications (2016-2022) show dual expertise: 60% focus on plant hydraulics (xylem function, drought resistance mechanisms) and 40% on environmental health technology (mobile apps for air quality/pollen monitoring). Recent work emphasizes public health applications during wildfires.

Funded projects include:

• Firewatch Tasmania (2019-2022, $24,855): Mobile app development for bushfire risk communication
• AirRater evaluations (2017-2021, $99,951 across 4 projects): Deploying smartphone technology for respiratory health surveillance in collaboration with Australian health departments