Groups
Find out more about our research groups.

Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development »
Our research is aimed at uncovering the genetic and genomic basis of morphological complexity in animals, from both developmental and evolutionary perspectives.

Altin Group - Tumour immunology and liposome targeting group »
The Altin group on tumour immunology and liposome targeting.

Atkin Group - Plant respiration in a changing world »
Atkin Group studies plant metabolic responses to environmental gradients, including how leaf respiration varies within and among biomes across the globe.

Backwell Group - Behavioural ecology of fiddler crabs »
We study the behaviour of fiddler crabs in their natural environment (tropical mangrove forests) in Darwin.

Badger Group - Photosynthetic functional genomics »
The Badger Group is focused on understanding the ways different photosynthetic organisms have adapted to efficiently fix CO2, where CO2 is a limiting substrate.

Ball (Eldon) Group - The molecular basis of coral biology »
We use molecular tools to investigate many aspects of coral biology including comparative genomics, development, stress responses and calcification.

Ball (Marilyn) Group - Ecophysiology of salinity and freezing tolerance »
We study how physiological adaptations and responses to environmental stresses affect the structure and functioning of plant communities.

Behm Group - Nematode molecular biology »
We use powerful biological resources provided by C. elegans to study aspects of nematode biochemistry, molecular biology and behaviour, and control methods.

Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption »
We study the genetic basis of Climate Adaptation in foundation plant species, using state of the art Genomic and Phenomic techniques

Brock Group - Membrane Structural & Synthetic Biology »
The Brock lab loves membrane proteins; looking at them in atomic detail, discovering new drug molecules, and engineering them to create new biosensors. Join us!

Broer Group - Membrane transport and nutrition »
Broer group studies the role of amino acid transport in the onset of insulin resistance and the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism.

Bromham Group - macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution »
We use phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate the characteristics of lineages that influence the pattern and rate of genome evolution.

Brown Group - Open source phenomics technologies and novel tool development for improving knowledge discovery »
We manage the ANU node of the NCRIS funded Australian Plant Phenomics Facility (APPF).

Byrt Group – Engineering plant membrane proteins and solute transport to increase yield security »
We work on engineering strategies to increase crop tolerance to salinity and drought, and to advance water filtration technology.

Callaghan Group - Human disease and membrane transport »
Our research focuses on understanding the contributions of membrane transport processes to disease and overcoming their impact in treating disease.
Cardillo Group - Macroevolution, Macroecology and Biogeography »
We are interested in big-picture questions about biodiversity. Why are there so many species in the tropics? How have some places become biodiversity hotspots?

Chow Group - Thylakoid structure and function »
We investigate the structural organization of the thylakoid membrane; electron flow in leaves; quantification of Photosystem II; and photodamage.

Chung Group - Biophysics of ion channels »
We are developing a computational program to study the interaction between polypetpides (drugs, toxins, other large molecules) and membrane ion channels.

Cockburn Group - Evolutionary ecology »
Current work focuses on cooperative breeding of superb fairy-wrens and woodswallows.

Cooper Group - Insect physiology, salt and water regulation »
Group research topics include insect physiology, salt and water regulation; locust and grapevine scale biology, and environmental physiology.

Corry Group - Transport proteins and computational biophysics »
Corry group's research examines the structure and function of a family of pore forming proteins known as ion channels.

Crisp Group - Plant systematics and biogeography »
Our research interests include phylogenetics and classification of Australian plants, origins, biogeography and diversification of flora.

Djordjevic Group - Root architecture, root nodule formation, nitrogen fixation, regulatory peptides, plant development, Rhizobium »
Sustainable food security is of utmost importance to the future of the planet.

Evans Group - Physiology of photosynthesis; interactions with nitrogen »
We study relating photosynthesis to nitrogen; CO2 diffusion within leaves; analysing how plants acclimate to their light environment.

Fahrer Group - Immunology »
We are working on a very simple and inexpensive cancer immunotherapy treatment, and a bioinformatics study looking for novel proteins in different genomes.

Farquhar Group - Coordination of CO2 fixation and transpiration in plants »
Our research includes: photosynthesis and growth with N2 and water use of plants; stomatal physiology; isotopic composition of plants & global change science.

Foley Group - Animal-Plant interactions »
The aim of our research is to understand the ecology and evolution of interactions between plants and animals in the Australian biota.

Furbank Group – Improving photosynthesis and crop yield »
Our research focuses on the identification of enhanced photosynthetic properties in crop and model plant germplasm, and improving C4 photosynthesis.

Gardner Group - Avian ecology and climate change »
We are interested in understanding species’ responses to environmental change.

Gordon Group - Population biology of micro-organisms »
We study the functional role and evolution of bacteriocins, the ecology and evolution of the Enterobacteriaceae, and the ecology and evolution of plasmids.

Hardham Group - Plant pathogen interactions »
The group investigates the cellular and molecular basis of the infection of plants by Phytophthora and fungal pathogens.

Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex »
Research in the Head Group focuses on the evolution, ecology and physiology of sexual reproduction.

Howitt Group - Transporter structure and function »
Howitt group explores how transporters function and aim to understand their molecular mechanisms.

Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes »
We focus on understanding what processes shape the distribution of genetic variation.The nature of our work is largely computational and statistical.

Jennions Group - Behavioural and reproductive ecology »
What do we do? We are interested in whole organism evolutionary biology, especially the evolution of behavioural and morphological reproductive traits.

Jones Group - Disease resistance »
We investigate the molecular basis of disease and disease resistance in tomato (leaf mould and Fusarium wilt resistance) and flax (flax rust resistance).

Keogh Group - Evolutionary biology & ecology of reptiles and amphibians »
My primary research interest is the study and evaluation of evolutionary processes and we work mostly on reptile and frog systems.
Kirk Group - Membrane transport in parasites »
We study membrane transport mechanisms in malaria and toxoplasma parasites. The proteins involved offer significant potential as antiparasitic drug targets.

Kruuk Group - Evolutionary ecology and quantitative genetics »
Our research aims to understand how genetic and environmental factors shape the diversity of wild animal populations in today's changing environments.

Lanfear Group - Mutation, molecular evolution and phylogenetics »
Our work is motivated by the desire to understand molecular evolution, from the origin of mutations in individuals to their fixation in evolving lineages.

Langmore Group - Avian evolutionary and behavioural ecology »
We study many aspects of evolutionary and behavioural ecology in birds, mainly by using field experiments and observations to test evolutionary theory.

Lehane Group - Antimalarial drug action and resistance »
We study membrane transport processes in the Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria.

Leyton Group - Assembly, function, and applications of nanoscale bacterial surface structures »
We study how autotransporters are assembled into bacterial outer membranes, and how they function to mediate infection and disease once they get there.

Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi »
Our main research interest is in fungal-plant-interactions, both applied and pure research, on a range of important pathogens.

Magrath Group - Behavioural ecology; acoustic communication; ornithology »
We have broad interests in behavioural ecology, particularly acoustic communication and breeding biology in birds.

Maier Group - Molecular mechanisms of malaria pathogenesis »
The Maier Group focusses on the identification of molecules involved in malaria pathogenesis and transmission.

Maleszka Group - From molecules to behaviour »
We are investigating diverse epigenetic mechanisms in the context of behaviour and developmental plasticity, mainly using the honey bee model.

Martin Group - Transporters in drug resistance, animal behaviour, & agriculture »
We work on the identification, heterologous expression, and characterisation of membrane transport proteins (also known as transporters).

Masle Group - Environmental sensing, systemic signalling and development: plant resilience to drought and changing climate »
The Masle group's central interest is on the interplay between genetic and environmental determinants of plant development and adaptation to stress.

Mathesius Group - Root microbe interactions - symbionts to parasites »
We are interested in the molecular mechanisms controlling nodule development in legumes, and how this is linked to other aspects of root architecture.

Meir Group - Tropical forest ecosystems »
Research in the Meir Group focuses on the functioning of tropical forest ecosystems, and how this varies in relation to climate, soils and species composition.

Mikheyev Group - Evolutionary genomics »
We are a new research group, interested in applying cutting-edge tools in genomics and bioinformatics to fundamental questions in evolutionary biology.

Millar Group - Plant RNA biology »
Termed, Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation (PTGR) in the areas of MicroRNAs & RNA binding proteins (RBPs), is the predominant interest of the Millar group.

Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation »
Our research focuses on evolutionary biogeography; biodiversity discovery and conservation; biogeography speciation; and biological responses to climate change.

Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology »
We are interested in phenotypic plasticity - the range of forms a given genetic individual can exhibit under different environments.
Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology »
Our research explores how early developmental experiences impact physiology and metabolic function.

Peakall Group - Pollination, evolution and conservation »
Our research spans reproductive ecology, genetics, phylogeny, biochemistry and chemical ecology.

Pogson Group - Chloroplast to nuclear signalling: light, drought and carotenoids »
The overarching theme of our research is to determine the controls and regulators of communication between the chloroplast and nucleus.

Price Group - The cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism and the use of synthetic biology to transfer it to C3 crop plants »
The Price lab is presently focusing on the molecular biology and physiology of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria (blue-green photosynthetic bacteria).

Rathjen Group - Plant immunity »
Rathjen group focuses on all aspects of plant immunity, characterising the fascinating interplay between host and pathogen.

Rowell Group - Population genetics, karyology and phylogeography of terrestrial invertebrates »
We study the mechanisms behind the proximal processes of evolution – those that lead to population differentiation, divergence and ultimately speciation.

Saliba Group - Physiology and biochemistry of the malaria parasite »
The Saliba Group is investigating vitamin utilisation pathways in the red blood cell stage of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Schwessinger Group - Plants, fungi, evolution »
Our Group focuses on questions around plant biosecurity in Australia by studying the interaction between plants and their fungal pathogen.

Solomon Group - Wheat biosecurity »
The Solomon group focuses on pathogens of wheat that threaten food security and stability.

Stone Group - Quantitative and Computational Biology »
We study aspects of the evolutionary process, including mutational events, the genetic basis of fitness-related traits, and genetic variation.

Tcherkez Group - Plant metabolic fluxes and interactions »
Our research is focused on understanding plant metabolism, mostly using stable isotopes (13C, 15N, 33S) and metabolomics.

van Dooren Group - Cell biology and metabolism of apicomplexan parasites »
We study the basic biology of parasites, with the hope that such knowledge can be used in developing new treatment options against these formidable foes.

Verma Group - Bacterial and bacteriophage genetics, and vaccine development »
We investigate the molecular mechanism of the O-antigen modification in S. flexneri by studying the structure proteins responsible for these changes.

von Caemmerer Group - CO2 fixation and water loss of leaves »
We are investigating aspects of carbon acquisition by plants including the biochemistry of CO2 fixation and regulation of CO2 diffusion into and within leaves.

Whitney Group - Synthetic Photosynthesis - bioengineering enzymes to adjust carbon fixation »
We focus on the development and use of synthetic tools to scrutinize the biology of the most abundant protein, the photosynthetic CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco.

Williams Group - Plant structural immunology »
We aim to understand the molecular basis of the interactions between plant hosts and the microorganisms, particularly fungi, that colonise them.

Zeil Group - Ecological neuroscience »
We are interested in insect navigation and the sensory, neural and behavioural adaptations that underpin navigational competence in insects.