World-leading agbiotech research
The focus of researchers in the State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre (SABC) relates to the molecular activities that involve or promote primary production of commercial livestock, crop plants or microbes, or their subsequent processing for added value. The SABC also supports research in biosecurity, biomedical sciences, and environmental biotechnology.
Deliverables and outcomes
Researchers using the SABC facilities have an outstanding track record in research productivity. The facilities include the provision of technologies for research in plant breeding, resistance to disease and pests, transgenic/gene edited plants, variety ID and biomedical diagnostics that leads to enhanced crop varieties and improving the health of livestock.
Research groups
The SABC host and collaborate with several research groups who actively use our facilities. The SABC values the work of these research groups and supports collaborative research and innovation.
Key researchers
Professor Rajeev Varshney
Centre Director
Professor Rajeev Varshney
Centre Director
Rajeev Varshney is responsible for providing oversight, overall direction for R&D activities, promoting, marketing, and raising funds for research operations and major equipment in the SABC. Rajeev is available to answer questions about the Centre and its operation, including incubation of companies and contract R&D.
Academic profile
Professor Mike Jones
Former Director of SABC
Professor Mike Jones
Former Director of SABC
Michael Jones, Professor of Agricultural Biotechnology, is a Cambridge graduate with a PhD in Plant Biochemistry. He established the Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre (SABC) and the Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) at Murdoch University. He is an acclaimed global leader in crop biotechnology - current work focuses on the science and regulation of gene-editing for crop improvement and its practical implementation to help underpin global food security.
Academic profile
Professor Chengdao Li
Researcher
Professor Chengdao Li
Researcher
Professor Chengdao Li has focused on developing new breeding technologies and integrating them to produce commercial barley varieties. He led the world’s trend of transitioning from conventional breeding technologies to utilising doubled haploids, molecular selection, genomic breeding and gene-editing.
Academic profile
Professor Yonglin Ren
Researcher
Professor Yonglin Ren
Researcher
Professor Ren is a leading expert in the post-harvest biosecurity of grains and other agricultural products. Professor Ren leads large teams of student, professional, and academic researchers in numerous projects integral to Australian biosecurity.
Professor David Henry
Researcher
Professor David Henry
Researcher
My research involves developing solutions for Agriculture, the Environment and Health using Inorganic and Computational Chemistry. In particular I focus on materials design for soil amendments, pollution remediation, theranostics for oncology and antibacterial surfaces.
Academic profile
Associate Professor Gérrard Eddy Poinern
Researcher
Associate Professor Gérrard Eddy Poinern
Researcher
Associate Professor Gérrard Eddy J. Poinern, a Murdoch University graduate with a BSc in Chemistry and Physics (Hons-Physics) and a PhD in Physics, serves on Springer Nature-Scientific Reports' Editorial board since 2017. Leading the Murdoch Applied Innovation and Nanotechnology Research Group-MAINRG, he pioneers Nanotechnology advancements. He has notably developed inorganic nanomembranes for skin tissue engineering and earned a Bill Gates Foundation Global Health Grand Challenge Exploration Award.
Academic profile
My research focus is on the prevention treatment and control of parasitic diseases in wildlife, humans, livestock and companion animal. I have a particular interest in zoonotic parasites (those transmitted between animals and humans) and understanding how best to mitigate transmission in specific environments.
Academic profile
Dr Josh Aleri is a registered cattle veterinarian in Western Australia, Ruminant Medicine Research Scientist and a Senior Lecturer in Cattle Medicine and Epidemiology. He holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nairobi, Kenya (2008), Masters in Clinical studies (2011), member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in the Veterinary Epidemiology chapter (2015) and a PhD in Cattle Medicine &Epidemiology from The University of Melbourne (2016).
Academic profile
I am an insect biologist. My research focuses are on insect chemical ecology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biological control and functional genomics to improve our understanding of insect behaviors, insect-host interaction and evolution.
Academic profile
Dr Jon Clements
Researcher
Dr Jon Clements
Researcher
Dr Jon Clements
Researcher
Dr Jon Clements is a Senior Research Fellow.
Being trained as a medical doctor in China, Dr Bin Ma has a strong background in both Biomedical Science and Clinical Medicine. His interest is to integrate biomedical research and clinical medicine, i.e., to study pathogenesis and to develop potential therapies for human diseases by using animal models.
His research interests include neuroscience (e.g., neurodegeneration), infection/immunity, and neuroimmunology.
Academic profile
Key companies
Mirza Dowla
Elders Rural Service Australia Ltd.
Mirza Dowla
Elders Rural Service Australia Ltd.
Dr. Mirza Dowla, EPG Seeds cereal breeder, targets resilient wheat for Australian challenges: drought, heat, mineral toxicity. His program integrates protein quality for marketability. With a BSc in Agricultural Science, he earned an MS in Genetics, Plant Breeding, and a PhD in Biotechnology from Murdoch University.
Sofie de Meyer
MALDIID Pty Ltd.
Sofie de Meyer
MALDIID Pty Ltd.
Dr De Meyer is a biochemist and internationally recognised expert in microbiology with 10+ years leading research projects. The commercialisation of her own research presented an ideal step change towards a career shift and she founded MALDIID Pty Ltd. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family she always had the mindset of making things work no matter how hard you have to work for it. This led to being a recipient and finalist for numerous awards. Now, she works for aquaculture, agriculture and medical technology companies to improve and scale business performance.
Reza Zareie
Proteowa Ltd.
Reza Zareie
Proteowa Ltd.
Dr. Reza Zareie, is SABC commercial scientist and Proteowa Biotech founder specialising in mass spectrometry, protein expression, and characterisation. With a PhD from The University of Adelaide (2000), Reza worked at IMVS, Bresagen (now BioCina), Proteomics International. His patent (US8527211B2) has been with Proteowa since 2014 and CSIRO's "A National Synthetic Biology Roadmap" highlights Proteowa's unique biomanufacturing expertise for WA.
