Mark Waters

Mark Waters is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia’s School of Molecular Sciences. His research focuses on plant development, hormone signaling, and synthetic biology. He holds a PhD from the University of Nottingham and conducted postdoctoral work at Oxford and UWA. Waters has secured major grants, including an ARC Future Fellowship (2015), and leads projects on plant hormone signaling and abiotic stress tolerance. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in sustainable agriculture and climate resilience.

Education:

• BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, University of Oxford (2001)
• PhD in Plant Sciences, University of Nottingham (2004)

Research interests include the genetic basis of plant development, hormone perception mechanisms, and applications of synthetic biology to enhance crop resilience. Current projects explore karrikin signaling, strigolactone networks, and plant-fungal symbiosis. He teaches courses such as GENE2250 (Principles of Inheritance) and GENE3370 (Genomics).

Notable grants include 'Towards building a carbon dioxide foundry' (Woodside Energy Limited, 2022) and 'From energy stress to hormones: new signals in bacteria and plants' (ARC, 2021). Awards include the Peter Goldacre Medal (2015).

Labs/Teams: Active in the ARC Centre of Excellence Plant Energy Biology and collaborates on projects involving plant signaling and stress responses. Engages in public outreach through events like 'Sausages and Science.'