{"links":{"self":"http://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/API/grants/DE260100171"},"data":{"type":"grant-details","id":"DE260100171","attributes":{"code":"DE260100171","administering-organisation":"The Australian National University","announcement-administering-organisation":"The Australian National University","scheme-name":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","grant-status":"Active","funding-commencement-year":2026,"years-funded":3,"project-start-date":"2026-01-01","anticipated-end-date":"2028-12-31","grant-summary":"Safeguarding Australia's native plant biodiversity from a fungal pandemic. Myrtle rust is a fungal plant disease that is capable of infecting at least 382 native species, threatening Australia's native plant biodiversity. This project aims to identify and characterise novel disease resistance sources in native plant species against myrtle rust. The expected outcomes include the first molecular identification of myrtle rust resistance genes in up to five native species and the first identification of recognised fungal proteins by one of these resistance gene products. With breakthrough knowledge in host genomics and fungal infection, project benefits include new conservation strategies to protect threatened and endangered species. This provides a critical advancement towards Australia’s goal of zero extinctions.","funding-current":530646.00,"funding-at-announcement":526439,"investigators-current":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Ashley","familyName":"Jones","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0002-7368-1666 "}],"investigators-at-announcement":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Ashley","familyName":"Jones","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0002-7368-1666 "}],"organisations-current":[{"organisationName":"The Australian National University","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"ACT"}],"organisations-at-announcement":[{"organisationName":"The Australian National University","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"ACT"}],"field-of-research":[{"isPrimary":false,"code":"310204","name":"Genomics and Transcriptomics","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":true,"code":"3108","name":"Plant Biology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"310805","name":"Plant Pathology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"410401","name":"Conservation and Biodiversity","type":"FOR20"}],"socio-economic-objective":[{"code":"180602","name":"Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species In Terrestrial Environments","type":"SEO20"},{"code":"180606","name":"Terrestrial Biodiversity","type":"SEO20"},{"code":"260204","name":"Native Forests","type":"SEO20"}],"international-collaboration":["Brazil","China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)","Singapore"],"lief-register":[],"achievement-summary":null,"national-interest-test-statement":"The spread of a plant fungal disease, myrtle rust, poses a clear threat to Australia's environment. The introduced exotic fungus can infect, defoliate and cause death in at least 382 Australian native plant species. The repercussions to Australian ecosystems, and cascading impacts to our economy and society are highlighted by government agencies, industry peak bodies, and community groups. This research project is therefore timely and necessary as it will inform a targeted national response and conservation actions that ultimately safeguard economic resilience in tourism, recreation, nursery and garden industries, including rural, regional and indigenous enterprises. Employing cutting-edge genomics and bioinformatics, the project will discover how natural genetic diversity can protect certain plant populations from the fungal disease. The discoveries and subsequent knowledge transfer will inform and enhance conservation and biosecurity initiatives targeted at halting extinctions and supporting national restoration and revegetation programs to enhance ecosystem biodiversity. Ultimately, through strengthening collaborations and industry engagement, this project will extend capacity and raise our national biosecurity preparedness for future environmental fungal threats."}}}