Accepting HDR Candidates

Available HDR projects

The future of plant science can be unlocked with cutting-edge research projects, designed for enthusiastic and talented students eager to dive deep into the realms of plant biology, environmental science, and horticultural crop genomics. Our team thrives in a world of discovery and innovation to contribute to groundbreaking research that will shape the future of plant science. We are tackling pivotal questions about how environmental changes influence plant adaptation, agricultural productivity, protected cropping, and crop resilience. Our team focuses on understanding how altered light conditions, temperature, bioacoustics, and mechanical stress impact plants. We elucidate how long-term changes in the environment train memory forming processes that enhance stress acclimation, boost crop production, facilitate photoprotection, and prime resistance to pest attack.

Research opportunities provide hands-on experience with advanced technologies in molecular biology, epigenetics, biochemistry, functional genomics, physiology, cell biology and plant phenotyping. We unravel new scientific frontiers through utilising next generation sequencing, metabolomics, volatilomics, transcriptomics, genetic engineering, synthetic biotechnology, gene editing, viral induced gene regulation, tissue culture, and other transgenic engineering approaches to study gene functions in plant and microbial systems.

HUNTING FOR GENETIC AND METABOLIC REGULATORY SWITCHES IN PLANTS

Bacteria and plants are natural chemical factories producing micronutrient metabolites (e.g. vitamins and antioxidants such as carotenoid pigments) that promote animal health, cellular communication and regulate gene expression. We are discovering photochemical and metabolite-responsive RNA switches that modulate plant energy biology, organelle biogenesis and cellular homeostasis by regulating gene expression and/or protein levels. This project generates fundamental new knowledge to translate innovation in synthetic biology.

ELUCIDATING CHEMICAL SIGNALS THAT PRIME PHOTOPROTECTION AND BOOST CROP YIELD

Environmental and development conditions affect the temporal and spatial variation of plant carotenoid secondary metabolites that provide pharmaceutical as well as nutritional benefits for animals and plants. We discover carotenoid-derived metabolites that modulate gene expression, chloroplast biogenesis, photoprotection, photosynthesis, and carbon assimilation. The translation of carotenoid molecules into natural growth regulators can sustain agroecosystems by promoting fungal symbiosis, deterring insect herbivores, and boosting crop vigour.

DECIPHERING HOW PLANTS MEMORISE CELLULAR VIBRATIONS FROM MECHANICAL STRESS

Plants sense and respond to cellular vibrations from touch, sound, wind, rain, and herbivory that trigger mechanically induced stress. Plants forget a single event of mechanical stress yet remember prolonged events that alter plant morphology and prime resistance to insect and fungal pests. We investigate the physiological, molecular, and epigenetic forming processes that program a mechanically induced stress memory that primes a tougher and more resilient plant to natural stress events. Advancing new knowledge of the mechanisms by which plants retain stress memory can invigorate sustainable agroecosystem practices and boost crop yield.

ELUCIDATING PLANT CELL BEHAVIOUR TO FREQUENCY-DEPENDENT BIOACOUSTICS

We are testing and engineering sonication devices to investigate the frequency-dependent power-law behaviour of plant living cells. We contrast contact-induced mechanical vibrations with precision non-contact sonication methods. We interrogate the relationship between the frequency of sonic vibrations with floral pollination success and tomato fruit size to understand the power law behaviour of plant cells. Our translational goal is to automate precision robotic bioacoustics for tomato floral self-pollination that can offer financial benefits for the protected cropping industry.

HORTICULTURAL INNOVATION UTILISING GENETICS FOR NEXT GENERATION ORCHARDS

Our mission is to develop tools for breeders, growers, and scientists to expedite the development of new crop cultivars that will enhance sustainability, production, and profitability for next generation orchard systems. We advance gene annotations, characterise gene functions, decipher regulatory mechanisms, and understand genomic variability in the target crops almond and mango. The goal is to understand the genetic mechanisms underpinning complex traits such as flowering, precocity, bud dormancy, nut quality, fruit colour, and their interactions with the environment. In the long-term, this project can expedite the development of new crop varieties to ensure long-term viability, profitability, and global competitiveness for horticultural tree crops.

ENGINEERING SMART FILMS TO BOOST HORTICULTURAL PROTECTED CROPPING

We are evaluating novel Smart Glass nanotechnology films, photovoltaic shade coverings, and advanced fertigation strategies that can improve yield and energy use efficiency in high-tech glasshouse and mid-tech polyhouse horticultural crop growth systems. We are testing commercial genetic varieties to identify superior germplasm that can boost crop vigour and production in protected cropping.