Niloofar Vaghefi

Niloofar Vaghefi is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Centre for Crop Health (CCH), University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ). Her research focuses on Plant Pathology, Population Genetics, Genomics, Mycology, and Crop and Pasture Protection.

• Professional Memberships: American Phytopathological Society (APS), Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS), APPS-Qld Organizing Committee, National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network (NPBDN), Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE).

Her work investigates fungal and bacterial pathogens affecting legumes (mungbean, chickpea, soybean) and cereals (barley, sorghum). Key studies include Macrophomina species genomics, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens plasmid dynamics, and Cercospora beticola fungicide resistance mechanisms. She employs multi-locus phylogenies, whole-genome sequencing, and GWAS to understand pathogen evolution and disease management.

• Scientific Awards: Excellence in Early Career Research Award (2019), Publication Awards (2014, 2019), Australian Pathogen Bioinformatics Symposium Student Award (2014), Alton Gould Edmonds Travel Scholarship (2014).