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Manu Magar is a Researcher at the School of Biological Sciences , University of Western Australia , with a focus on plant genetics and climate resilience. They also hold an external position as a Biotechnologist at the National Biotechnology Research Center, Nepal Agricultural Research Council since May 2014. M.Sc.Ag. in Agricultural Science from Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University (2012) B.Sc.Ag. in Horticulture from Tribhuwan University (2009) Research Interests Their work centers on plant breeding , gene expression , and crop genomics to combat heat stress in wheat. Key areas include transcription factor analysis , ERF gene regulation, and drought tolerance mechanisms. Article Trends Magar’s publications (2022–2025) emphasize AP2/ERF superfamily genes in wheat, heat tolerance pathways, and ethyline signaling during grain filling. Their work bridges genomic studies and transcription factor roles in stress response. Collaborations & Research Active in international collaborations between Australia, Nepal, and India, Magar contributes to crop improvement via genomic analysis and biotechnology .

• Plant breeding
• Tissue culture for plant breeding
• Gene expression
• +5 more

Dr. Matthew Brookhouse is a Senior Lecturer at the Fenner School of Environment & Society, part of the Australian National University's Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions. With a PhD in Dendroclimatology from ANU, he specializes in using forest structural complexity and tree-ring analysis to understand climate interactions and ecological responses in Australian subalpine environments. Research Focus: Sub-alpine ecology, Dendrochronology, CO2 responsiveness in eucalypt species Teaching: First-year research methods with emphasis on statistical application, advanced modeling and field botany Projects: Leading collaborative snow-gum dieback research and dendrochronological monitoring initiatives His publications span 2006-2025 with recent emphasis on machine learning applications for forest monitoring, tropical tree-ring chronologies for climate change, and climate sensitivity in Australian alpine ecosystems. Key collaborations include institutions like Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and University of Canberra researchers. Current projects focus on snow-gum woodland dieback mechanisms, high-resolution dendrometric monitoring, and integrating dendrochronology with environmental policy frameworks. He maintains active supervision of research students and contributes to both undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum development.

• Plant physiology
• Sub-alpine ecology
• Dendrochronology
• +2 more

Professor Oula Ghannoum is a renowned plant scientist and academic leader at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE), Western Sydney University. She serves as Director of the ARC Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture and holds leadership roles, including Biological Sciences Discipline Lead and Associate Editor at Functional Plant Biology . Her research focuses on photosynthesis, global change biology, and protected cropping, aiming to enhance food security and climate resilience through crop improvement and sustainable agricultural practices. Education: BSc (Honours) in Plant Biochemistry, University of NSW (1993) PhD in Plant Physiology, Western Sydney University (1998) Research Interests: Professor Ghannoum’s work addresses global challenges like food security and climate change by exploring plant responses to environmental stress. Her lab uses advanced technologies like smart glasshouses and hyperspectral imaging to optimize crop yield and quality. Key areas include sugar signaling pathways in C3/C4 plants, water use efficiency, and heat tolerance in cereal crops. Grants & Funding: She has secured over $25M in research funding, leading projects on C4 photosynthesis, automated crop monitoring, and protected cropping systems. Notable collaborations include the ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis and Future Food Systems CRC. Awards: 2024 Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence in Research Award 2023 Education and Outreach Award (Australian Society of Plant Scientists) 2001 ARC Postdoctoral Fellowship Labs & Teams: Her team develops innovative frameworks for sustainable horticulture, combining biology with AI and smart technologies. Ongoing work includes imaging-based crop monitoring and phenotyping for climate-resilient crops.

• Photosynthesis
• Global Change Biology
• Protected Cropping
• +4 more

Sultan Mia is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia. His research focuses on plant genetics and crop science, particularly in the area of drought tolerance in wheat and other crops. He is actively involved in genomic and proteomic studies to identify biomarkers and candidate genes associated with stress tolerance. Dr. Mia's research spans several key areas in agricultural science, including drought tolerance, plant breeding, and genomics. His work utilizes advanced techniques such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), proteomic analysis, and genotyping to understand the molecular basis of stress responses in crops. Specific interests include the development of drought-tolerant wheat varieties through the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes. Recent publications by Dr. Mia demonstrate a strong focus on drought tolerance mechanisms in wheat and other crops. His work integrates genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to identify key biomarkers and genetic markers. Notable contributions include the discovery of SNP markers for drought tolerance in wheat and the investigation of antioxidant responses in buckwheat under drought stress. These studies highlight a trend towards multi-omics approaches for crop improvement. Dr. Mia has supervised at least one doctoral thesis, as indicated by the "Supervised Work (1)" in his profile. While specific grant details are not provided, his research output suggests involvement in collaborative projects addressing agricultural challenges, particularly in the context of climate change and water scarcity.

• Drought Tolerance
• Plant Breeding
• Genomics
• +3 more

Dr Farhad Masoomi-Aladizgeh is a Research Fellow in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney. His work focuses on understanding how environmental stresses like heat and drought impact crop fertility, particularly in cereal crops. He holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Plant Biology. His research emphasizes male reproductive systems in plants and seeks to identify molecular mechanisms underlying abiotic stress susceptibility to enhance climate resilience in crops. Education includes advanced training in plant sciences, with a focus on molecular biology and stress physiology. Current research projects explore transcriptome responses to stress, stress tolerance gene identification in crop relatives, and ABA-mediated stress protection in rice. His publications span plant proteomics, stress physiology, and molecular protocols, with a strong emphasis on drought and heat tolerance mechanisms. Notable work includes developing universal nucleic acid isolation protocols and analyzing stress responses in rice and cotton. No scientific awards are listed, but his contributions to crop resilience research are significant. He advises no current students but collaborates on interdisciplinary projects involving genomic and proteomic approaches to agricultural challenges. Research is centered at the University of Sydney with potential collaborations in plant science labs focused on environmental stress mitigation strategies.

• Plant Biology
• Environmental Stress Biology
• Crop Improvement
• +3 more

Professor Brendan Choat is a leading plant physiologist and Professor at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University. With a distinguished career in plant hydraulics and water relations research, he has established himself as a global expert in understanding how plants respond to drought stress. His work spans both natural ecosystems and agricultural systems, with particular emphasis on Australian native forests and crop species. Choat's research focuses on the intricate relationship between plant water transport systems and environmental stressors, particularly drought. His work examines how the xylem tissue functions as a hydraulic system that must balance water delivery to leaves while avoiding cavitation (embolism) that can lead to plant mortality. His groundbreaking research has demonstrated that many woody plant species operate close to their physiological safety margins with respect to drought, making them vulnerable to future climate changes. His laboratory employs cutting-edge non-invasive imaging techniques, including X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (microCT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), to directly visualize xylem function in living plants. This approach has allowed his team to address fundamental questions about how cavitation forms and spreads through plant vascular systems during drought stress. Analysis of Professor Choat's extensive publication record reveals a consistent focus on plant drought responses, with particular emphasis on Eucalyptus species and mangrove ecosystems. His research has increasingly incorporated large-scale monitoring approaches, remote sensing data, and trait databases to understand vegetation responses to climate extremes across broader spatial scales. Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2018-2024) ARC Future Fellowship (2013) Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (2010) Thomson Reuters Citation and Innovation Award (2015) Professor Choat leads multiple significant research projects examining tree dieback in Australian forests, particularly focusing on Eucalyptus species. His work with citizen scientists through the 'Dead Tree Detective' project has provided valuable data on drought impacts across diverse forest biomes. He maintains active collaborations with researchers across Australia and internationally, contributing to large-scale initiatives like the AusTraits plant trait database. His research has direct implications for forest management, conservation strategies, and predicting ecosystem responses to climate change.

• Plant hydraulics
• Xylem function
• Drought stress responses
• +6 more

Dr Marten Moore is a Research Fellow at the Division of Plant Sciences, The Australian National University. His research focuses on understanding mRNA dynamics, plant stress responses, and photosynthesis efficiency through molecular and genetic approaches. He investigates how plants adapt to environmental stresses such as light fluctuations and salinity, with a particular emphasis on retrograde signaling pathways linking chloroplasts to nuclear responses. Dr Moore’s work integrates experimental and computational methods, including the development of tools like ConCysFind for analyzing conserved protein sequences across plant species. He collaborates on projects aimed at enhancing crop resilience through improved energy use efficiency and yield stability, leveraging insights from wheat and Arabidopsis models. Key Projects: Using RNA regulation to improve energy use efficiency and boost yield in wheat (2024–2027) Regulators of protein translation reveal new pathways to plant productivity (2022–2025) Smart Plants and Solutions for Enhancing Crop Resilience and Yield (2021–2025) His research interests span mRNA fate during stress recovery, nitric oxide signaling in plant cells, and the role of glutathione peroxidases in symbiotic root nodules. Dr Moore’s contributions bridge fundamental plant biology with applied agricultural challenges, aiming to translate molecular insights into practical solutions for sustainable agriculture.

• Plant Physiology
• Molecular Biology
• RNA Processing
• +4 more

Robert Furbank is a Professor and Centre Director at the Australian National University (ANU), leading the ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis. He specializes in enhancing crop yields through improving photosynthesis and abiotic stress tolerance in cereals like wheat and rice. His work spans plant phenomics, genetic manipulation, and high-throughput phenotyping techniques. He co-leads the C4 Rice Consortium, aiming to introduce C4 photosynthesis into rice to boost productivity. Furbank holds a BSc (Hons) from the University of Wollongong (1979) and a PhD from ANU (1982). He has received prestigious awards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellowship (1987) and the CSIRO Plant Industry Leadership Award (2014). Research interests include C3/C4 photosynthesis mechanisms, carbon allocation, and developing tools for plant phenomics. He collaborates internationally with organizations like CIMMYT and IRRI, focusing on translational research to bridge experimental findings with crop improvement. His recent projects address heat tolerance in wheat and satellite-based phenotyping for crop analysis. Education: Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours), University of Wollongong, 1979 PhD, Australian National University, 1982 Research Highlights: Combining molecular genetics and phenomics to understand genetic variation in photosynthesis; developing CO2-concentrating mechanisms in rice; improving wheat yield via high-throughput measurement tools. Awards: Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellowship (1987) ACT ICT Innovation Award (2013) CSIRO Plant Industry Leadership Award (2014) Grants and Collaborations: Leads major initiatives like the ARC Centre and participates in global consortia such as the International Wheat Yield Partnership. His work integrates advanced imaging and machine learning for crop trait prediction.

• Plant Phenomics
• C4 Photosynthesis
• Crop Yield Improvement
• +3 more

Kirsty Owen is a Senior Lecturer in Crop Nematology at the School of Agriculture and Environmental Science and a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland. Her expertise focuses on managing root-lesion nematodes in grain crops, with a research emphasis on biotic constraints in farming systems, interactions between soil-borne pathogens, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. She holds a BScAg (1994), MScAg (1996), and PhD (1999), all from Sydney. Education: BScAg, University of Sydney, 1994 MScAg, University of Sydney, 1996 PhD, University of Sydney, 1999 Her research explores interactions between nematodes, soil-borne diseases, and beneficial fungi, aiming to enhance crop resilience. Teaching includes plant physiology, biology, food security, and emerging agricultural technologies. She has supervised over a dozen graduate students, including key projects on root-lesion nematode resistance in wheat and mung bean, and soil legacy effects of invasive species. Current projects address smoke taint mitigation in wine regions and genetic resistance in crops. Publications span nematode management strategies, crop rotation impacts, and advanced detection technologies. Notable contributions include optimizing NDVI for wheat tolerance assessment and systematic reviews of mycorrhizal-nematode interactions. Professional affiliations include the Australasian Plant Pathology Society and the Australasian Association of Nematologists.

• Plant Nematology
• Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
• Farming Systems
• +3 more

Michelle Leishman is a Professor and Director of the Smart Green Cities Research Centre and Australian Harmony Centre for Ecosystem Futures at Macquarie University's School of Natural Sciences. Her work bridges urban ecology, plant conservation, and climate change adaptation through projects like Which Plant Where (with Hort Innovation), urban greening initiatives (with Sydney Water), and ecosystem restoration (with Botanic Gardens of Sydney). Her research focuses on urban greenspace and plant-environment interactions , particularly invasive species impacts , vegetation responses to climate change , and ecosystem restoration . She has published extensively on topics like urban tree resilience , riparian vegetation recovery , and plant-pathogen dynamics . Her recent work includes biostimulant applications for drought tolerance and myrtle rust susceptibility in Australian flora. Michelle is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of NSW and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering . She received the 2022 NSW Premier's Prize for Biological Sciences and the 2017 BHERT Award for Outstanding Collaboration , reflecting her leadership in applied ecological research.

• Urban Ecology
• Plant Conservation
• Invasive Species
• +3 more

Johanna Turnbull is a Lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Wollongong, affiliated with the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences (SEALS). Her research focuses on plant ecophysiology, particularly stress biology, photosynthesis, and climate change impacts on Antarctic mosses. She employs advanced techniques like ELISAs, spectrophotometric assays, and remote sensing to monitor plant health and stress markers. Turnbull has been involved in long-term Antarctic moss monitoring since 2000, contributing to projects like the State of the Environment Indicator 72. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes student-centered approaches, including blended learning, formative feedback, and active learning strategies in large cohorts. She has developed courses using case studies, flipped lectures, and peer assessment. Turnbull has secured funding for interdisciplinary projects, such as ECO-ANTARCTICA (Antarctic observing systems) and Drones@UOW (UAV-based ecological monitoring). She collaborates widely, appearing in media (e.g., The Conversation) and publishing influential work on Antarctic vegetation dynamics and climate change impacts. Turnbull’s research spans 20+ peer-reviewed articles, with notable contributions to understanding moss desiccation tolerance, Antarctic ecosystem resilience, and the application of remote sensing in polar environments. Her work bridges plant physiology, ecology, and technology, addressing critical questions about life in extreme environments and climate-driven ecological shifts.

• Plant Physiology
• Climate Change Impacts
• Antarctic Ecosystems
• +3 more

Dr William Salter is a Lecturer in Crop Physiology at the University of Sydney's School of Life and Environmental Sciences, based at the Narrabri Plant Breeding Institute. His research focuses on enhancing crop productivity and resilience through innovations in plant physiology, phenotyping technologies, and open-source agricultural tools. He leads a research group developing low-cost sensors and data pipelines for measuring plant traits like light use efficiency, canopy architecture, and weed detection. Education: BSc (Edinburgh) and PhD (Sydney) Research interests include optimizing photosynthesis for food security, improving water/nutrient efficiency in crops, and adapting farming systems to climate change. His work prioritizes accessible, open-source solutions to democratize scientific tools. Recent grants include studies on wheat heat tolerance and drought resilience. He advises students like Edward David on crop stress physiology projects. Collaborations involve the Sydney Institute of Agriculture and international partners. Labs/Teams: Narrabri Plant Breeding Institute research group, International Centre of Crop and Digital Agriculture team.

• Crop Physiology
• Agricultural Technology
• Plant Stress Tolerance
• +4 more

Dr. Krystal Randall is a Research Fellow at the University of Wollongong's School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences (SEALS), specializing in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. Her work integrates spatial biology, microclimate modeling, and field monitoring to study plant-climate interactions at ultra-fine scales. Her research focuses on climate change impacts in Antarctic ecosystems , particularly how extreme events affect moss communities. She develops novel technologies including drone-based remote sensing systems, MossCam, and smart sensors for remote biological monitoring. Her fieldwork spans Australia's alpine regions and multiple Antarctic locations, collecting critical data on physical-biological interactions in polar environments. Key research trends from her publications include the application of drone hyperspectral imaging and AI for Antarctic vegetation monitoring , microclimate modeling at unprecedented scales, and physiological studies of moss survival in extreme conditions. Her work bridges spatial biology, climate science, and technology development. Scientific recognition includes: Antarctic Science Foundation Ambassador (2023) She coordinates courses including BIOL241 (Biodiversity of Terrestrial Organisms) and BIOL362 (Ecophysiology), and supervises PhD research on Antarctic moss responses to extreme climate events. Her funded projects include the ECO-ANTARCTICA observing system and internal grants for technology development. Randall leads field campaigns developing new monitoring methodologies while contributing to global datasets like SoilTemp.

• Climate change impacts in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems
• Biological consequences of extreme climate events
• Remote biological monitoring technology development
• +7 more

Dr. Alison Smith is a Principal Research Fellow at the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, University of Wollongong. With over 40 years of experience as a biometrician, her research focuses on linear mixed models for plant breeding and crop improvement programs, particularly addressing genotype-environment interactions and multi-phase experimental design. Key collaborations: Industry partnerships across Australian plant breeding programs Honors: Invited to deliver the 2019 Fisher Memorial Lecture at Rothamsted Research Her research spans applied statistics and statistical genetics , with recent work on the Design Tableau approach for linear mixed models. She has supervised multiple PhD projects on topics like genomic selection and statistical diagnostics in plant breeding. Notable grants include the ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding and Linkage Projects grants. Her 70+ publications include high-impact studies on frost susceptibility in cereals and genetic analysis of heat stress adaptation in wheat.

• Applied Statistics
• Statistical Genetics
• Plant Breeding
• +3 more

Dr. Yunying Fang is a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University's School of Environment and Science, affiliated with the Australian Rivers Institute. She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney and previously worked at the NSW Department of Primary Industries (2013–2023). Her research focuses on Soil Biogeochemistry, Soil Carbon/Nutrient Cycling, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, with an emphasis on Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change and Soil Health Resilience. Education: PhD in Soil Science, University of Sydney Research Interests: Soil Carbon Sequestration Mechanisms Impact of Land Management and Climate Change on Ecosystem Processes Stable Isotope Methodologies for Soil Amendment Studies Funded Projects (Selected): Developing Standard Protocols for Microplastics in Soils (Solving Plastic Waste CRC, 2025–2028) Climate Change Effects on Phosphorus Cycling (Griffith University Internal Grant, 2023) Innovative Microbial Carrier Products Evaluation (High Performance Soils CRC, 2023–2026) Teaching & Supervision: Associate Supervisor for doctoral projects on Land Management in Rubber-Based Systems and Organic Amendments in Soil Carbon Sequestration Affiliations: Member of Australian Rivers Institute Research Entity Griffith Sciences Group

• Soil Biogeochemistry
• Soil Carbon/Nutrient Cycling
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• +4 more