Louise F Thatcher
Dr Louise Thatcher is a Research Scientist and Team Leader of Break Crop Genomics and Diseases at CSIRO Agriculture and Food in Floreat, Perth. She obtained a BSc (with 1st class Honours, 1999) and PhD (2007) in molecular biology and microbiology from the University of Western Australia. Extending from her PhD studies on transcriptional regulation of plant defense responses and molecular plant-microbe interactions, Louise was awarded a CSIRO OCE Postdoctoral Fellowship (CSIRO Plant Industry, Brisbane, 2007-2011) to focus her research on Fusarium wilt, a disease of global significance caused by members of the F. oxysporum species complex. Using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, Louise and her colleagues made step changes in our understanding of the molecular dialogue that takes place between pathogen and host. More recently in Perth, Dr Thatcher’s research focuses on Fusarium wilt of legumes, Fusarium crown rot of cereals, and novel biologicals-based strategies for the control of intractable fungal diseases on break crops such as canola. Along with other members of the team, recent research has focused on understanding the pathogenicity mechanisms of F. oxysporum and molecular aspects of host resistance or susceptibility. Combined, this research works towards reducing crop losses to necrotrophic fungal pathogens by improving host disease resistance and providing new disease management options.
Abstracts this author is presenting: