School of Molecular Sciences group leader, and ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology's Monika Murcha has been awarded the esteemed Australian Society of Plant Scientists (ASPS) Jan Anderson Award for 2019.
In its second year, the Jan Anderson Award is given to an early or mid-career female plant scientist in recognition of outstanding research conducted subsequent to their PhD.
Dr Monika Murcha research has shown that the import of protein and tRNA from the cytosol is a vital regulatory point of control for regulating plant mitochondrial activity, mass and number. She has uncovered key transporters and receptors necessary for regulating organelle biogenesis indispensable for plant energy production, optimal growth and development.
"I am truly honoured to win this prestigious award, especially as Australia has so many wonderful female plant scientists. I am completely fascinated by the complex interactions within a plant cell and I am driven by the discoveries we make in the lab. I hope that I can encourage a passion for plant science and be a positive role model for a career in plant research," Monika said.
Monika will receive the award and present her research in a plenary Anderson Lecture at the ASPS's annual conference for 2019.