Professor Richard Oliver- Biotechnology
Birth of a new disease
New diseases, such as AIDS and SARS, emerge with frightening regularity.
Research led by Murdoch researcher Richard Oliver has shown how a new disease might be created.
His research has revealed that organisms can spontaneously swap genes and acquire characteristics of another species, leading to the emergence of new diseases.
Thanks to his groundbreaking work, scientists around the world will need to review their most cherished notion that species are distinct entities.
Unravelling the genetic code
The Southern Hemisphere’s biggest genome project, supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), found fungal species could swap genes and acquire characteristics of another species.
“Interspecific gene transfer is the smouldering fire undermining our most cherished notion in biology that species are distinct entities,” Professor Oliver said.
Sustainable farms
He is using this discovery to develop disease - resistant crops and improve farming sustainability throughout the world. "our research has revolutionised the way we think about an important group of fungal diseases of plants and we hope to use this new knowledge to create new cereal and legume crops that are more sustainable".
Professor Oliver is director of the Australian Centre of Necrotrophic Fungal Pathogens – a research group based at Murdoch University.
Discover related areas of study:
|
