Dr Louise Thatcher
Senior Research Scientist
Contact details:
- +61262183883
-
GPO BOX 1700
CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA
Biography
Dr Thatcher is Group Leader of Crop Protection, a dynamic group with researchers based in Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. The group develops innovative control options as well as efficient marker-assisted selection tools and pre-breeding germplasm effective against major pests and pathogens of grain crops.
Dr Thatcher's personal research focuses on genetic strategies for crop disease resistance and biologicals-based strategies for crop protection and improving yield.
This encompasses:
* Biological control of crop diseases through beneficial soil microbes and endophytes, and the bioactive compounds they produce.
* Omics-based platforms for microbial natural product discovery.
* Break crop pre-breeding for improved disease resistance and agronomic traits.
* Biologic-crop interactome studies and applying this knowledge to develop new crop protection strategies.
Background:
Dr Thatcher obtained a BSc (1st class Hons, 1999) and PhD (2007) in microbiology and plant molecular biology from the University of Western Australia. Her research studies focused on biocontrol of bacterial diseases in aquaculture and genes controlling defense and stress responses in the model plant Arabidopsis.
She completed two Postdoctoral Fellowships within CSIRO Plant Industry (Brisbane, Perth) focusing on pathogenicity mechanisms of Fusarium wilt members, host resistance and the roles of jasmonate signalling.
From 2014 Dr Thatcher was Team Leader of Break Crop Genomics with a Focus on Disease where she developed Fusarium pathogenomics and molecular plant pathology research in legumes and canola.
Building on the work of Dr Margaret Roper, in 2015 Dr Thatcher started a new field of research on the biological control of fungal diseases in agriculture and led the Crop Biologics Team. In 2019 Dr Thatcher relocated to CSIRO Canberra.
Learn more:
To learn more about Dr Thatcher's research or the CSIRO Crop Protection Group, visit our website https://research.csiro.au/crop-disease/
Join the team:
Louise is always looking for talented new team members.
Current Roles
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Group Leader
Protection from pathogens and pests -
Project Leader
Crop biologics -
Committee Member
Ag&F Womens Mentoring Network
Academic Qualifications
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2007
PhD (Plant molecular biology)
University of Western Australia -
1999
Bsc, Hons (1st class) (Microbiology)
University of Western Australia
Professional Experiences
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2020-current
Associate Editor
Plant Molecular Biology -
May 2019-Aug 2019
Visiting Scientist
Molecular Microbiology Department, John Innes Centre -
July 2019-July 2019
Visiting Scientist
Plant Pathology Research Unit, INRA -
2010-2013
OCE (Office of the Chief Executive) Postdoctoral Fellowship
CSIRO -
2007-2010
OCE (Office of the Chief Executive) Postdoctoral Fellowship
CSIRO -
Jan 2007-June 2007
Research Associate
CLIMA, UWA
Achievements and Awards
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2019-2019
INRA-CSIRO exchange scheme award
CSIRO -
2018-2020
Julius Career Award
CSIRO Research Office -
2017-2017
Agriculture and Food Director’s Award in the category ‘Inclusion & Diversity’ (Team award)
CSIRO -
2015-2015
AW Howard Memorial Trust Study Grant
AW Howard Memorial Trust -
2012-2012
Science Communication Award (Team)
CSIRO Plant Industry
Other highlights
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2016-2016
ON Innovation Program - Lean Launch Pad Team Leader - Rotstopper biologicals
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2017-2017
ON Innovation Program - ONPrime4 team member - New Traits in Canola
Grants
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2018-2018
COGGO Research Fund - Assessment of entomopathogenic fungi
Community and Corporate Citizenship
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2018-2019
Floor Fire Safety Warden
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2015-2018
Deputy Floor Fire Safety Warden
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2016-present
Participant in SAGE and STEM discussion groups, and hosting STEM students
