Cultivating a Cleaner Future
Providing Australia with a viable plant-based fuel drives the work of Professor Chris Grof.
The philosophy of the Centre for Plant Science (CPS) is to encourage and support members to pursue the fields of plant science that ignite their passion for research. This is undertaken in a supportive and high-quality research environment fostered through cooperative activities by CPS members that include:
The fruits of these initiative are manifested in productive research outcomes for all CPS members. For instance, since 2010, when the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) assessment scheme was introduced, we have achieved the highest ranking -- “well above international standard” -- in all four rounds.
The CPS has a long-established national and international reputation for discovering the physiological and molecular mechanisms regulating nutrient transport and metabolism in higher plants, as well as regulation of transfer cell development. While research programs addressing nutrient transport across membranes and transfer cell biology remain, with the appointment of additional academic staff, the research of the Centre has diversified to encompass emerging areas of plant science. These include:
The formation of the Australia-China Research Centre for Crop Improvement (ACRCCI) in 2009 added an international collaborative program to the research profile of the Centre. Currently international collaborations are enabling the identification of mechanisms conferring tolerance and adaptability of select crop species to environment stress.
Some members of the Centre for Plant Science are custodians of the Don McNair Herbarium - for details see www.newcastle.edu.au/donmcnairherbarium
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.