Real-time phylogenetics for food-borne outbreak surveillance. The project aims to introduce, for the first time, real-time evolutionary analysis of agricultural pathogens so that outbreaks affecting crops and the food supply can be managed precisely and rapidly. An expert team will implement a large-scale data analytics framework in user-friendly software that integrates Australian infectious disease genomics data with global data. Underpinning this work are new theory and algorithms that apply ....Real-time phylogenetics for food-borne outbreak surveillance. The project aims to introduce, for the first time, real-time evolutionary analysis of agricultural pathogens so that outbreaks affecting crops and the food supply can be managed precisely and rapidly. An expert team will implement a large-scale data analytics framework in user-friendly software that integrates Australian infectious disease genomics data with global data. Underpinning this work are new theory and algorithms that apply Sequential Monte Carlo to update phylogenetic analyses continuously as new data arrives. Expected outcomes include new knowledge of statistical algorithms for evolutionary analysis, relevant to biological disciplines beyond infectious disease; and enhanced capacity for infectious disease analysis. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100257
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$446,857.00
Summary
Molecular biosecurity: Genomic databanks for managing new pest invasions. This project aims to develop a set of genomics-based approaches for analysing new pest invasions. By producing and analysing genomic databanks for four insect pest species, including three that have recently invaded Australia, this project expects to identify invasion origins and to track new pest incursions within Australia. The project should also provide insights into pest ecology, including movement rates and populatio ....Molecular biosecurity: Genomic databanks for managing new pest invasions. This project aims to develop a set of genomics-based approaches for analysing new pest invasions. By producing and analysing genomic databanks for four insect pest species, including three that have recently invaded Australia, this project expects to identify invasion origins and to track new pest incursions within Australia. The project should also provide insights into pest ecology, including movement rates and population change over time. This information can enable more efficient deployment of biosecurity resources and pave the way for genomics to be used pre-emptively to stop new invasions. This can help make genomics a go-to response to new pest invasions and position Australia at the forefront of genomics-based pest biosecurity.Read moreRead less
Uncovering vertebrate lifespan biodiversity with whole genome sequencing. This project aims to integrate existing data on the genetic mechanisms of lifespan evolution in model systems with a novel combination of whole genome sequencing and comparative phylogenomics to reveal the common genomic signatures of lifespan evolution in vertebrates. Expected outcomes include a perspective on the evolution of lifespan, a topic of major health interest for Australia and the rest of the developed world. Th ....Uncovering vertebrate lifespan biodiversity with whole genome sequencing. This project aims to integrate existing data on the genetic mechanisms of lifespan evolution in model systems with a novel combination of whole genome sequencing and comparative phylogenomics to reveal the common genomic signatures of lifespan evolution in vertebrates. Expected outcomes include a perspective on the evolution of lifespan, a topic of major health interest for Australia and the rest of the developed world. This will provide significant benefits, such as long-term implications for aging research, with possible business applications. It will also increase Australia’s visibility and competitiveness in the developing field of bioinformatics.Read moreRead less
Improving access to phylogenomic resources for under-resourced species: a new look at existing tools. This project will have an impact on our understanding of how to most effectively use existing genomic resources to benefit a wider range of species and to better design new genomic resources. By doing so, improved access to genomic resources will be provided to species that currently have few options.
Haplodiploidy: the great evolutionary innovation of the Hymenoptera. This project aims to identify a key gene that causes thelytokous parthenogenesis. Thelytoky is the ability of a female to clone herself (virgin birth), and is wide spread in the Hymenoptera which include bees, wasps and ants. Hymenopteran thelytoky is important because it facilitates some major transitions in life history, particularly social parasitism. The capacity for virgin birth is central to the invasiveness of many ant s ....Haplodiploidy: the great evolutionary innovation of the Hymenoptera. This project aims to identify a key gene that causes thelytokous parthenogenesis. Thelytoky is the ability of a female to clone herself (virgin birth), and is wide spread in the Hymenoptera which include bees, wasps and ants. Hymenopteran thelytoky is important because it facilitates some major transitions in life history, particularly social parasitism. The capacity for virgin birth is central to the invasiveness of many ant species, and enables social cancers (parasitic workers that kill colonies) in bees. The benefit of this project is that the identification of the gene should help identify potentially invasive ant species and help prevent the social cancers that affect commercial beekeeping in South Africa from spreading world-wide.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL230100030
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,320,000.00
Summary
A walk on the wild side: understanding disease resistance across plants. Plants are in constant battle with pests and pathogens. Wild species host genetic diversity, providing sources of disease resistance, while the narrow genetic base of crop varieties leads to an increasing reliance on the unsustainable application of chemical fungicides. Here I will apply the latest genomics approaches to characterise disease resistance gene diversity across the plant kingdom. Comparison of gene diversity wi ....A walk on the wild side: understanding disease resistance across plants. Plants are in constant battle with pests and pathogens. Wild species host genetic diversity, providing sources of disease resistance, while the narrow genetic base of crop varieties leads to an increasing reliance on the unsustainable application of chemical fungicides. Here I will apply the latest genomics approaches to characterise disease resistance gene diversity across the plant kingdom. Comparison of gene diversity within and between plant families will improve our understanding of resistance gene evolution in wild species and the impact of domestication and breeding on resistance gene diversity. Translation of this knowledge will support breeding for crop resilience, leading to durable resistance and more sustainable crop productionRead moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100685
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Historical pest genomes inform debate about how rapid evolution proceeds. This project plans to compare the genomes of archived and contemporary specimens to discover how two key Australian pest moths have adapted to insecticides, aiding prediction of how they may respond in the future. Agricultural pest species are often capable of rapid adaptation to insecticides, resulting in widespread genetic resistance. Does this resistance build on existing genetic variation, or are fresh mutations used t ....Historical pest genomes inform debate about how rapid evolution proceeds. This project plans to compare the genomes of archived and contemporary specimens to discover how two key Australian pest moths have adapted to insecticides, aiding prediction of how they may respond in the future. Agricultural pest species are often capable of rapid adaptation to insecticides, resulting in widespread genetic resistance. Does this resistance build on existing genetic variation, or are fresh mutations used to produce a fast adaptive response? How do adaptive strategies differ among key Australian pests? This project aims to answer these questions and advance understanding of mechanisms that underpin rapid evolution to improve approaches toward pest management and agricultural protection.Read moreRead less
Genome-wide determination of Puccinia psidii s.l. rust resistance in eucalypts. Recently, guava rust was detected in Australia, posing significant risks to native flora, plantations, and timber exports. Scientists from The University of Melbourne and Victorian Department of Primary Industries together with tree breeders, forest growers and forest managers aim to use tree genomics rust resistance breeding to enable management and operational responses and inform policy development.
Optimising plant populations for ecological restoration and resilience. When choosing individual plants for restoration populations, there is potentially a trade-off between maximising genetic diversity (‘adaptability’) and selection for desirable properties (‘adaptation’). This project aims to develop pioneering methods to quantify this trade-off, and facilitate the design of optimised populations, with a focus on two Australian rainforest trees that are being impacted by myrtle rust infection: ....Optimising plant populations for ecological restoration and resilience. When choosing individual plants for restoration populations, there is potentially a trade-off between maximising genetic diversity (‘adaptability’) and selection for desirable properties (‘adaptation’). This project aims to develop pioneering methods to quantify this trade-off, and facilitate the design of optimised populations, with a focus on two Australian rainforest trees that are being impacted by myrtle rust infection: Rhodamnia argentea and Rhodamnia rubescens. By studying the genetic variation in each species, and how this relates to myrtle rust resistance and climate, this project aims to design populations that are genetically diverse, maximally resistant to myrtle rust, and adapted to future climate.Read moreRead less
The evolutionary origin, cellular response and genetic impact of insecticide resistance mutations in agricultural pests. Diamondback moth is a global pest of canola and Brassica vegetables, and populations can rapidly evolve resistance to insecticides. The project will use a combination of genome sequencing, fieldwork and gene expression analysis to identify mutations causing resistance to Bt insecticidal toxins and assess the threat of resistance evolving in Australia.