Dr Tom Walsh

Principal Research Scientist

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GPO BOX 1700
CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA

Professional Areas

Team Leader: Chemical Response Genomics
The research in my team is focussed on using molecular techniques to understand the response of organisms to substances in the environment. This includes using molecular tools to identify genes that contribute towards resistance to pesticides in insects and other agricultural pests. The lab uses next generation sequencing techniques to address questions related to resistance, including the mechanisms of resistance to Bt toxins and conventional pesticides. As well as mechanisms identification, the lab is exploring the population genetic effects of resistance and the implications of resistance spreading. Genome sequencing, transcriptomics and amplicon sequencing of specific target genes are all used to identify and then quantify resistance alleles in populations of pest insects. One of the main factors determining the effect of resistance is the nature of the resistance, fitness costs, dominance and the variation in different mechanisms of resistance all contribute to the impact of resistance in the real world. A particular recent focus has been the Helicoverpa armigera and H. zea genome projects. This has led to work to identify the source of the recent invasion of H. armigera into the New World and an interest in the potential hybridisation of H. armigera and H. zea.

We have publications by Dr Tom Walsh