Staff Profile

Career Summary

Biography

Qualifications

• PhD, Macquarie University
• Bachelor of Science (Agriculture), University of Sydney

Research

Research keywords

• Nutrient Transport
• Phloem Unloading
• Plant Molecular Physiology
• Seed Filling

Research expertise

The paradigm that sink processes exert primary control over biomass distribution in plants (Patrick 1997) has guided my approach to discovering how nutrient transport is regulated. In established non-meristimatic sinks, control is restricted to sink transport processes (Patrick 1997). To examine these transport phenomena experimentally, we introduced an innovative model using developing legume seeds (Patrick & McDonald 1980) on which substantial progress has been made in understanding cellular pathway, mechanism and control of nutrient transport (Patrick & Offler 2001; Zhang et al. 2007). Employing novel structure/function approaches, CE Offler (University of Newcastle) and I showed that nutrient release/uptake occurs in specialised transport cells located at maternal/filial seed interfaces (Patrick & Offler 2001). These studies highlighted a central role for transfer cells in developing seeds (Offler & Patrick 1993). A claim since verified by physiological (McDonald et al. 1996) and molecular (Harrington et al. 1997) observations. In collaboration with CE Offler and SD McCurdy (University of Newcastle) a major research program has been undertaken to discover gene networks responsible for induction of and building the wall labyrinth (eg Wardini et al. 2007 a, b). With NA Walker (University of Sydney), we showed that sucrose release from maternal seed tissues was energy coupled by a proton antiport mechanism (Patrick 1997) and that uptake by their filial tissues occurs by sucrose/H+ symport (McDonald et al. 1996). The latter finding was the first direct demonstration of transport function by a higher plant transfer cell. These findings underpinned a collaboration with WB Frommer (Carnegie Institute, Stanford University) in cloning genes encoding sucrose/ (Tegeder et al. 1999), amino acid/ (Tegeder et al. 2000) H+ symporters and sucrose effluxers (Zhou et al. 2007). Recently, a molecular genetic approach established that sucrose transporters play a central role in determining biomass accumulation by seeds (Rosche et al. 2002). With SD Tyerman (University of Adelaide) and Walker, we discovered ion channels, including novel non-selective channels, responsible for release of phloem-imported ions from seed coats (Zhang et al. 2002). Coordination of transport events in maternal and filial seed tissues are considered to be regulated by a turgor homeostatic mechanism located in maternal seed tissue (Patrick 1997; Zhang et al. 2004). Our expertise in nutrient loading of developing legume seeds provided a strong information platform to undertake similar studies of cereal grains in collaboration with RT Furbank (CSIRO Plant Industry eg. Aoki et al. 2004). Working along similar lines to those described above, discovering the cellular pathway of phloem unloading in developing tomato fruits (Ruan and Patrick 1995) underpinned an ongoing collaboration with DW McCurdy that has identified hexose transporters as major determinants of fruit sugar levels (cf. Gear et al. 2000), a key agronomic trait. Intellectual property, derived from results obtained using forward and reverse genetic studies, is protected by a provisional patent (APPAN: 2006906647). The latter describes an experimentally validated approach to increase fruit sugar levels. A current consultancy for CSR to advise on a multimillion-dollar research program to increase sucrose content of sugarcane is predicated on my experience in nutrient distribution in plants.

Languages

• English

Fields of Research

Memberships

ARC Committee member

• Member - College of Experts

Editorial Board.

• Editor - Associate Editor, Functional Plant Biology
• Member - Faculty 1000 (2000 - )
• Editor - Journal of Experimental Botany

Appointments

Invitations

Collaboration

Molecular physiology of nutrient transport and distribution within plants with a particular interest in membrane transport including development of cells specialized for membrane transport, transfer cells

Administrative

Administrative expertise

Internal

• Chair, Faculty Research Committee, Faculty of Science and IT (1999 - 2003).
• Manager, Plant Growth Facility (1979 - 2008).
• Facilitator, Plant Science Group (1990 - 2008).
• Course Co-ordinator for BIOL 2220 (1998 - 2008) and BIOL 3330 (1998 - 2008).

External

• Chair, Scientific Program Committee for the 1999 International Conference on Assimilate Transport and Partitioning convened at Newcastle.
• Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Experimental Botany (1991 to present).
• Member of FACULTY of 1000. Author on-line reviews of papers in the Life Sciences. (2000 to present).

Associate Editor, Functional Plant Biology (2008 - )

• Member of ARC College of Experts, Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Panel (2004 - 2006).

Member of ARC Future Fellowship Panel (2008 - )

• Honorary Secretary, Australian Society of Plant Scientists (2004 - 2006).

Member of the Advisory Board, Australian Plant Phenomics Facility (2008 - )

• International and national working groups and committees such as:

Crop Productivity - Research Imperatives Revisited (1986). Kettering Foundation.

Terminology, Symbols & Units in Plant Physiology (1987). F. Salisbury ed.

International Phloem Transport Conference Committee (1990 to present).

External Review of CSIRO Sub-program: Photoassimilates, Carbon Partitioning and Energy (1998).

Workshop review CRC Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (1998).

Pre-review of Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tasmania (2003).

Member of the steering committee for the formation of an International Society entitled Plant Communication Network (2003 - ).

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Honours and RHD supervision
• Undergraduate Plant Physiology and Plant Development

Teaching expertise

Undergraduate

I have a commitment to, and enthusiasm for, achieving excellence in

optimising the learning experience of students at both under- and

postgraduate levels. I have taught at all levels in delivering undergraduate

Biology courses. My overall guiding principle is to offer a secure learning

environment in which students can assimilate the skills and basic

understanding required. The approach is predicted on first to be trained as a

scientist, then a biologist and ultimately a person competent in the particular

Biological sub-discipline being taught. To achieve these broad objectives, I

work at stimulating students to recognise the excitement of scientific

discovery and the practical implications of the topic at hand. This creates an

environment that empowers them to take charge of their learning process

while offering training in skills required to pursue a scientific inquiry. Such

skills include a capacity to question, to develop logical argument, to plan and

undertake experiments, to critically analyse information, to integrate ideas, to

think laterally and to communicate in both verbal and written forms.

Research Training

As a postgraduate supervisor, I am committed to offering a stimulating

research environment and training students toward being independent and

competent researchers. The prime focus of the latter is time management,

experimental design and execution, critical evaluation of the literature and

their results and scientific writing and presentation skills. This is achieved

through a number of approaches. Our group meets weekly to provide a

venue for students to discuss their findings in an informal setting. This

program is supplemented with one-on-one fortnightly meetings with each

student. The training students receive is put into rigorous practise by

encouraging them to participate regularly in national conferences and to

prepare their results for publication in peer-reviewed international journals.

In this context, our students have each published at least one paper and in

one case 8 papers from their research projects. Except for one student, all

Higher Degree students under my supervision have successfully completed

their degrees. Twelve of the 14 have pursued active careers in science and

hold positions in the tertiary sector (2 x Associate Professors in Australian

Universities; 2 x tenure track in US; 1 x Lecturer in Indonesia), industry (1),

government research institutions and agencies (3) and as a journal editor (1

Nature Biotech) and postdoctoral fellows (2).

Since 1976, when the first crop of Biological Science graduates became

available, I have supervised 22 Honours students three of whom received

University medals on graduation and 7 of whom have gone onto undertake

PhD programs under my supervision. My Honours supervision style follows

that outlined for the PhD program. The difference is that there is a more

intense feedback as they progress through assessment tasks of preparing an

essay, presenting two seminars and writing a thesis.