Dr Anne Rae

After completing her PhD at the Plant Cell Biology Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, Anne headed to the UK where she spent five years as a postdoctoral researcher at the renowned John Innes Centre, an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science, genetics and microbiology. During her time at the centre, Anne focussed on investigating Rhizobium-legume interactions – the process which leads to the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules.

Joining CSIRO in Brisbane in 1994, Anne continued her research on plant development, physiology and function. After testing novel molecular approaches to improving forage digestibility, she joined the crop nutrition team to focus on sulfate and phosphate uptake in cereal crops. Anne then turned her focus to sugarcane research, where she led a series of collaborative projects aimed at increasing sucrose content, developing alternative products from sugarcane, and defining traits for improved productivity.

Anne now leads the Crops Program in CSIRO Agriculture and Food, working with teams of researchers to lead innovation for resilient and sustainable agriculture. This research involves the application of crop biology and advanced breeding technologies to deliver value and impact for Australia and globally.

Her work has been published in a range of professional journals and Anne has been invited to speak at international crop science conferences including TropAg, Tropical Crop Biotechnology, and the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. Anne has served on a number of industry groups including as a Steering Committee member for CSIRO’s Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Advisory Board member for the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility, and on the Editorial Board of Scientific Reports.

Anne Rae has a Bachelor of Science and a PhD (Plant Cell Biology Research Centre) from the University of Melbourne.