Boosting Aussie wheat: How new reference genomes are revolutionising wheat farming down under

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Boosting Aussie wheat: How new reference genomes are revolutionising wheat farming down under

Wheat plays a vital role in Australia's agriculture, with over 41 million tons produced annually across more than 200 varieties. However, challenges such as pests, diseases, and climate variability make it essential to develop wheat strains tailored to specific environmental conditions. While traditionally plant research has relied on a single reference genome, the field is now advancing toward pangenomics—creating multiple reference genomes to capture the full genetic diversity of a species.

To support this shift, AGRF is collaborating with Professor Rajeev Varshney of Murdoch University to build a comprehensive pangenome for ten key wheat varieties, using advanced genomic technologies. This project will provide detailed contig assemblies and high-resolution genomic data by integrating PacBio HiFi long-reads with Hi-C (Omni-C) data. These efforts aim to improve wheat’s resilience to drought, disease, and other stresses, ultimately supporting global food security through genomics-driven crop improvement.

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A genomic approach to transform liver and renal transplants

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A genomic approach to transform liver and renal transplants

Leading efforts to improve transplant outcomes is Professor Paul James, a Clinical Geneticist and Director of the Parkville Familial Cancer Centre at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital. He leads a Melbourne Genomic Health Alliance funded Clinical Change Project, which seeks to “get more out of the genome” and use genetic insights to personalise patient care in high-intensity settings, such as organ transplants.

AGRF plays a crucial role in this initiative by providing genomic sequencing and analysis to patients with upcoming transplant procedures. The workflow utilises a multi-platform approach, combining low pass Whole Genome Sequencing, Illumina Global Screening Array and Sanger Sequencing to generate high-quality data to inform comprehensive genomic reports for clinicians and pharmacists.

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Discovering Biodiversity: The Bug Barcode Blitz 2024 in Western Australia

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Discovering Biodiversity: The Bug Barcode Blitz 2024 in Western Australia

Western Australia's stunning and diverse landscapes are home to an incredible array of invertebrate species. To help uncover and document this biodiversity, the innovative WA Bug Barcode Blitz program has emerged.  As part of National Science Week, this program engages students and the community in STEM learning experiences and deepen their understanding of global diversity loss.

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Five Women in Science - Associate Professor Sarah Auburn

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Five Women in Science - Associate Professor Sarah Auburn

Associate Professor Sarah Auburn is a molecular biologist, whose passion is using genetics/genomics to learn about the biology and the epidemiology of pathogens and their hosts. A/Prof Auburn's current research program incorporates molecular biology, population genomics and software development to generate laboratory and analytical tools for molecular surveillance of P. vivax towards elimination of this species.

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Five Women in Science - Associate Professor Tu Nguyen-Dumont

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Five Women in Science - Associate Professor Tu Nguyen-Dumont

Associate Professor Tu Nguyen-Dumont from Monash University. Associate Professor Tu Nguyen-Dumont serves as the genomics and bioinformatics lead in several multidisciplinary teams dedicated to exploring and defining genomic variations associated with cancer risk, cancer development, recurrence, and response to treatment.

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Five Women in Science - Dr Lisa Stinson

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Five Women in Science - Dr Lisa Stinson

Dr Lisa Stinson is from The University of Western Australia. Dr Stinson’s work aims to understand infant microbiome assembly in relation to the breast milk composition and infant feeding practices, and to identify mechanisms through which breast milk composition and infant microbial colonization shape life-long health.

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AGRF Annual Report FY2022-23 is out!

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We are so pleased to share our Annual Report for Financial Year 2022-23. You can view and download a copy of the report by clicking on the image.

“At AGRF, we believe that genomics has the power to transform primary industries and clinical genomics while driving innovation and contributing to valuable research in emerging fields such as single cell and spatial genomics. We are committed to continuing our work in these areas and collaborating with our partners to achieve shared goals for a healthier, more sustainable planet.” - Professor Simon Foote (Chairman).

With over 25 years of delivering exceptional genomic services to Australia and beyond, we are excited to share the stories from the past year with you.

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this report. The stories inside showcase the outstanding work being done by our staff, clients and partners and we are thrilled to share them with you here.

“By working together with our partners, we leverage our collective expertise and resources to achieve shared goals and drive innovation in genomics research and development.” - Joe Baini (Chief Executive Officer).

Click on the image to start reading or download here.

If you wish to receive a hard copy of the Annual Report, please email Louise.Hockham@agrf.org.au with your current mailing address and we will send one out to you. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our clients, partners, and staff for their ongoing support and we look forward to working with you in 2024. 

How Genomics Is Making Phage Therapy a Reality

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How Genomics Is Making Phage Therapy a Reality

Bacteria have long been a challenging adversary in the world of medicine. Antibiotics have been a primary treatment for bacterial infections, but their overuse has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant (AMR) bacteria, causing a significant health threat (refer health economics report commissioned by Iredell, Lin et al, Phage Australia). A promising revival of phage therapy is set to combat AMR infections more effectively and with fewer side effects than antibiotics.

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Beyond The Reference Genome: How pangenomics is changing the game

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Beyond The Reference Genome: How pangenomics is changing the game

Reference genomes have long been the backbone of genomic research. These 'one-size-fits-all' representations are typically constructed from sequencing projects that use just a single representative. While there is no doubt that they have been invaluable, they fall short in capturing the full genetic diversity within a species - who’s to say that the one individual chosen to be sequenced has the full gamut of every piece of information in their genome?

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Journey Through the Stars: Insights from NASA's STAR program.

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Journey Through the Stars: Insights from NASA's STAR program.

As World Space Week comes to a close, join us in following the stellar journey of our own Kirk Jensen, as he shares his remarkable experience within the NASA STAR program. The STAR course was put together by NASA to offer intense training in fundamental space biology and in how to conceive and conduct biological/biomedical research projects in space.

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Off-world Living Through Plants for Space (P4S)

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Off-world Living Through Plants for Space (P4S)

Imagine being stranded on a desert island in the middle of nowhere, having to survive off whatever you can find. Now picture an extreme level where there are no plants, animals, oxygen, and very little sunlight. Well, this daunting scenario is what space-faring humans will face as we start to settle on the moon, Mars, and beyond.

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ZERO: A hopeful future for children with cancer

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ZERO: A hopeful future for children with cancer

In Australia, more than 1,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every year. While the overall survival rate for childhood cancer is now over 80%, for some types of cancer the rate is much lower. Every week, three young lives are lost to cancer – more than to any other disease.

In 2021, AGRF joined a unique collaboration aiming to improve these statistics, becoming a key partner in the Zero Childhood Cancer Program (ZERO), Australia’s first national precision medicine program for children with cancer..

Learn how AGRF are helping to make a difference.

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AGRF Annual Report for Financial Year 2021-22 is out!

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We are so pleased to announce that our Annual Report Financial Year 2021-22 is now available. You can view and download a copy of the report by clicking on the image below.  

“AGRF had a successful year, providing genomic services through our national network of laboratories. We also supported innovative research by providing access to our advanced platforms and technical experts, enabling our clients to achieve valuable scientific outcomes.” Professor Simon Foote (Chairman)

AGRF now have over 25 years of delivering exceptional genomic services to Australia and beyond, and we are excited to share the stories from the past year with you. 

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this report. The stories inside showcase the outstanding work being done by our staff, clients and partners and we are thrilled to share them with you here. 

“The strength of AGRF reflects the leadership of our Board, the management team, and our dedicated staff. We are excited about a future where genomics continues to make the world a better and more sustainable place and we will continue to invest in new technologies to ensure our team continue to be at the forefront of genomic science.” Joe Baini (Chief Executive Officer)

Click on the thumbnail below to start reading or download here. 

If you wish to receive a hard copy of the Annual Report, please email Louise.Hockham@agrf.org.au with your current mailing address and we will send one out to you. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our clients, partners, and staff for their ongoing support and we look forward to working with you in 2023. 

AGRF Report 2021 is out!

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We are so pleased to announce that our 2021 Report is now available. You can view and download a copy of the report by clicking on the front cover below.

The last few years have been challenging for all, but we were privileged to be able to continue supporting and working with you, as the scientific community went through great times of change and progress.

AGRF now have almost 25 years of delivering exceptional genomic services to Australia and beyond, and we are excited to share the stories from the past few years with you.

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this report. The stories inside showcase the outstanding work being done by our clients and partners, and we are thrilled to share them with you here.

Just click on the thumbnail below and you’ll be able to open and read the report.

Alternatively, you can download a copy here.

If you do wish to receive a hard copy of the Annual Report, please email Katherine.Hayes@agrf.org.au with your current mailing address and we will send one out to you in the New Year.

We would like to also take this opportunity to thank you and all of our clients, partners, and staff for their support this year and we look forward to working with you in 2022 - have a happy and safe holiday period.

- Your Partners at AGRF