معرفی
Dr Stephanie Kerr is a Researcher in the School of Biology & Environmental Science at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), specializing in plant biology, biochemistry, and horticultural production. She holds a PhD from the University of Queensland and currently leads projects on flowering and precocity in horticultural trees, aiming to advance agricultural productivity. Her work intersects with the National Tree Genomics Program and involves developing tools for improving tree crops globally.
Education: Doctor of Philosophy (University of Queensland), with undergraduate and postgraduate studies focused on strigolactone’s role in shoot architecture in garden pea.
Research Interests: Her studies center on hormonal regulation (e.g., strigolactone signaling), plant development, and genetic mechanisms controlling flowering. She employs genomic and molecular tools to enhance crop breeding efficiency. Projects include investigating epigenetics in alternate bearing in mango and leveraging nanotechnology for genetic manipulation in macadamia.
Awards: Notable recognitions include the 2022 Science and Innovation Award, Minister for Agriculture Award, and Advance Queensland Women's Research Assistance Program funding. She also received the QUT Faculty of Science ECR/MCR Researcher of the Year 2022.
Advising & Grants: Supervises multiple PhD projects on tree genomics and epigenetics, including investigations into citrus juvenility, mango cultivar defenses, and genomic approaches to accelerate breeding. Her grants include Future Leaders funding for projects on mango alternate bearing and macadamia genetic tools.
Labs & Teams: Active in the Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy at QUT, contributing to interdisciplinary efforts in agricultural innovation and sustainable agrifood systems.
