Research Programs

Program 1: Organelle Biogenesis and Plant Growth

The process of photosynthesis, trapping the energy of sunlight into chemical energy, occurs within chloroplasts. The interconversion of this chemical energy into the plant's principal energy currencies (high-energy nucleotides) occurs predominantly in mitochondria. Still further chemical interconversions take place in peroxisomes. Yet in a dry seed, prior to its germination, none of these energy organelles are present in a functional form.
The biogenesis and relative abundance of these energy organelles has an enormous impact on plant growth and productivity. The aim of this research program is to understand the way in which such organelles are assembled inside plant cells, and the processes that control and coordinate these key events. We will generate Arabidopsis plants (see 'Why Arabidopsis?') with alterations in biogenesis of one organelle type and then use a combination of molecular profiling techniques to analyse the impact of these defined alterations on the biogenesis and activity of the other organelles, on nuclear gene expression, and on metabolite profiles. (Read more....).

Program 2: Metabolic Function and Organelle Signalling

The process of photosynthesis traps the energy of sunlight as chemical energy, which the plant uses for growth, defence and reproduction. The aim of this research program is to analyse the energy-handling metabolic pathways associated with plant organelles with the goal of discovering novel genes, proteins and mechanisms by which metabolite flux and energy flow is managed at the cellular level. By understanding these processes we can identify ways to optimise organelle function for improved plant growth, product quality and yield. (Read more....).

Program 3: Organelles Signalling and Stress Responses

The aim of this discovery area is to understand aspects of inter-organelle and intercellular communication. Our goal is to discover key genes, metabolites and proteins that function in signalling pathways that mediate environmental signals leading to altered plant development. Our approach is to dissect critical signalling events in response to environmental stimuli and developmental cues (e.g., stresses such as changes in light intensity, temperature shock and water and/or nutrient supply) at the genetic, biochemical and physiological level. We anticipate that one outcome from an understanding of these processes will be the development of tools and strategies to modulate the function of select signalling pathways, thereby enabling a rational approach to directed plant development. (Read more....).

Program 4: Energy Systems

This discovery activity transverses the other three and will serve to tie the three together, provide cohesion and enforce the standardisation and quality control needed to generate high-quality datasets. It will consist exclusively of data analysis, employing data from our three "wet-lab" research areas together with data from international repositories and our collaborative partnerships. Data will be mined for novel correlations to be followed up for breakthrough discoveries and will also be globally analysed with the final aim of producing accurate predictive models of plant energy metabolism. The recent award of funding to create a Western Australian State Centre of Excellence in Computational Systems Biology in conjunction with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology will allow us to apply the latest systems biology approaches to our data. Currently this program is primarily at the strategic planning stage. (Read more....).