Dr Jason Able has been awarded the prestigious Goldacre award from the Australian Society of Plant Scientists for his work with the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC.

The Goldacre award celebrates research by early career scientists. Able won the award for his work investigating and manipulating genes in wheat that are essential for processes during meiosis.

“Successful reproduction depends on precise timing and coordination of a series of events during meiosis,” he said. “By studying these processes, we can develop more effective plant breeding programs which can enhance food production.”

Able’s research interests lie in understanding the molecular mechanisms that control chromosome pairing and recombination within cereals, specifically bread wheat.

He will be presented with the award at ComBio next week.