William Thomas

William Thomas is a Research Fellow at the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, where he is part of the Batley Lab led by Prof. Jacqueline Batley.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Genomics from The University of Western Australia (awarded July 16, 2024)
• BSc (First Class Honours) in Botany from The University of Western Australia (awarded October 31, 2018)

Thomas's research focuses on the genetics of plant disease resistance in Brassica crops. He identifies novel resistance genes, explores molecular mechanisms of resistance, and studies plant-pathogen co-evolution using genomic approaches. His work contributes significantly to Sustainable Development Goals related to food security and sustainable agriculture.

His publication record shows consistent advancement in Brassica genomics, with recent work spanning from fundamental molecular studies of gene function to applied research on disease resistance mechanisms and crop improvement strategies. His research fingerprint demonstrates expertise in Brassica (100%), Genomics (41%), Rapeseed (39%), Disease Resistance (30%), and related fields.

His notable recognitions include:

• Research Collaboration Award (2025)
• Ken and Julie Michael Convocation Postgraduate Research Travel Award (2021)
• Mike Carroll Travelling Fellowship (2021)
• Grains Research and Development Corporation Research Scholarship (2020)

Thomas currently serves as Chief Investigator on the UWA RCA 2025 project with $20,000 funding from The University of Western Australia. He contributes to teaching BIOL3364 (Evolutionary Processes) and BIOL5542 (Conservation Genetics). His research has established him as an emerging expert in plant genomics with practical applications for improving crop resilience and addressing global food security challenges.