Bottom row: Dr Shima Ziajahromi, Dr Zeinab Khalil, Dr Eve Maunders, Dr Qi Yang
Nine early-and mid-career researchers have received this year's Thomas Davies Research Grant for Marine, Soil and Plant Biology.
Grant recipients
Dr Amanda Dawson, CSIRO
Decoding the biological passport: tracing microplastic journeys using the ecocorona composition
"I am deeply honoured to receive the Thomas Davies grant. This award will significantly advance the research I have been working on at CSIRO to develop a microplastic biological passport - a tool that could revolutionise our ability to track and understand the environmental journey of microplastics. By studying the unique biological signatures that form on microplastics in various environments, I aim to develop a reliable approach for tracing their sources and movement. This work holds exciting potential for improving environmental monitoring and protection practices. I am grateful for this support and look forward to making impactful contributions to environmental science with this grant."
Dr Julian Greenwood, Australian National University
Establishing a transient assay to rapidly assess resistance responses in canola
"I'm very excited to be a recipient of the Thomas Davies research grant and I look forward to putting it towards the improvement of canola disease resistance. Canola is the third most important crop in Australia, but its production is under constant threat of disease. The fungal disease, Blackleg, is the most devastating disease of canola in Australia with estimated yield losses of 10 to 15 percent each year. The interaction between Blackleg disease and canola disease resistance is poorly understood and there is no method to quickly assess the function of new and existing canola immune receptors. This grant will support the establishment of a method to rapidly assess resistance responses in single canola cells called protoplasts."
Dr Satomi Hayashi, Queensland University of Technology
Unveiling a native Australian plant's defence: identifying the novel resistance gene against Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus
"I am pleased and deeply honoured to receive the 2025 Thomas Davies research grant, with the possibilities it opens up for my career development and potential to make a lasting impact in the scientific community. Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) poses a significant threat to the global tomato industry, with the potential to devastate entire fields if not properly managed. We have identified wild isolates of the Australian native plant Nicotiana benthamiana that exhibit a strong near-immune response to TYLCV infection. I aim to identify novel TYLCV resistance genes and explore the mechanisms of resistance they provide. I hope that the insights gained from this study will enhance our understanding of disease resistance, contributing to sustainable and lasting resistance in field crops."
