Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
About
The capture of CO2 by photosynthesis using sunlight is fundamental to the maintenance of life on earth. At the Research School of Biology, we study the energy metabolism of plants, algae and cyanobacteria, including the functioning of light capture, CO2 fixation and the interactions with respiration processes and how these determine growth and productivity of agricultural and natural ecosystems.
Our approaches range from synthetic biology to physiology and plant phenomics. The ANU node of the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility is developing new modeling and machine learning approaches to enables us to scale from leaf to field. This means we can translate our knowledge about the biochemistry and physiology of leaves and individual plants to their functioning in agroecosystems, in particular under changing climatic conditions.
Our research is embedded in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates-funded C4 Rice and RIPE (Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency) projects.
Groups
Atkin Group studies plant metabolic responses to environmental gradients, including how leaf respiration varies within and among biomes across the globe.
The Badger Group is focused on understanding the ways different photosynthetic organisms have adapted to efficiently fix CO2, where CO2 is a limiting substrate.
We study the genetic basis of Climate Adaptation in foundation plant species, using state of the art Genomic and Phenomic techniques
We work on engineering strategies to increase crop tolerance to salinity and drought, and to advance water filtration technology.
We aim to unravel molecular and biochemical mechanisms that enable plant cells to adapt to challenging environmental conditions
We investigate the structural organization of the thylakoid membrane; electron flow in leaves; quantification of Photosystem II; and photodamage.
Our group studies plasmodesmata to answer important plant science questions related to development, cellular transport, root biology, signalling and evolution.
We study relating photosynthesis to nitrogen; CO2 diffusion within leaves; analysing how plants acclimate to their light environment.
Our research includes: photosynthesis and growth with N2 and water use of plants; stomatal physiology; isotopic composition of plants & global change science.
Our research focuses on the identification of enhanced photosynthetic properties in crop and model plant germplasm, and improving C4 photosynthesis.
The Masle group's central interest is on the interplay between genetic and environmental determinants of plant development and adaptation to stress.
The Melonek Group studies the genetic and molecular basis of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration in plants.
The overarching theme of our research is to determine the controls and regulators of communication between the chloroplast and nucleus.
The Price lab is presently focusing on the molecular biology and physiology of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria (blue-green photosynthetic bacteria) and plants
We are investigating aspects of carbon acquisition by plants including the biochemistry of CO2 fixation and regulation of CO2 diffusion into and within leaves.
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.
Projects
News
Esteemed senior ANU biologist and mentor, Professor Barry Pogson, has been awarded the highest accolade for staff, the 2019 Peter Baume Award.
Australian research could help breeders develop more drought-resilient crops that can produce more food and more profit with less water.
Professor Barry Pogson, from the ANU Research School of Biology, was awarded $2.9 million to create higher-yielding and more resilient 'smart plants' for good and bad seasons.
Distinguished Professor Graham Farquhar has been honoured with a tapestry representing his life's work, including his Kyoto Prize, unveiled at University House.
Plant biologist and Head of the Plant Sciences Division at the ANU Research School of Biology, Professor Owen Atkin, has been named the 2019 Vice-Chancellor's Entrepreneurial Fellow for his work around entrepreneurial agri-technology.
To create a future you can look forward to we need to upgrade our crop plant resources. Upgrading crops to improve productivity and adapt to environmental stresses, such as extreme climatic conditions, is key to our future food security and quality of life.