Dr Jason Able

Biography/ Background

Undergradaute - 1993 to 1996
Postgraduate - 1997 to 2001
CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellow - 2001
GRDC Research Fellow - 2002 to 2005
MPB CRC & UA Research Fellow/Lab Head - 2005 to 2010
Lecturer in Plant Breeding & Durum Breeder - 2010 to current

Qualifications

BSc (Hons I) (USQ); PhD (UQ - St. Lucia)

Teaching Interests

Jason lectures into the Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences. Jason also lectures to first and second year science undergraduates in the Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) covering the broad area of plant biotechnology ("Introduction to Biotechnology I" and "Principles of Biotechnology II").

Research Interests

The durum wheat breeding program and lab are based at the Waite Campus. Jason's research interests are numerous but can be broadly categorised under the research area of Plant Breeding & Genetics.

The durum wheat breeding program at the Waite is focussed on developing new durum wheat varieties for our ever-changing environments and an ever-expanding market. Founded in the late 1980's by Dr Tony Rathjen, several varieties have been released including Tjilkuri (meaning 'Green Shoots'). Since November 2010 Jason has been continuing with Tony's legacy. Further information about the breeding program and the pre-breeding research that the group is interested in can be found at this website: http://www.sciences.adelaide.edu.au/plant_genetics/breeding/durum.html. If you are interested in becoming part of the breeding program and/or are interested in developing research projects in collaboration with Jason and other academics affiliated with durum research at the Waite, make contact.

Jason's other research interest (particularly between 2005 to now) centred on understanding the molecular mechanisms that control meiosis in bread wheat (hexaploid). Specifically the group is interested in the processes of chromosome pairing and recombination during the meiotic process. This research is on-going and students and/or early career researchers interested in developing projects related to this field are encouraged to contact Jason to discuss possible opportunities. The following website can also be viewed for additional information: http://www.sciences.adelaide.edu.au/plant_genetics/genetics/meiosis.html

Jason is an active member of several scientific societies including the Australian Society of Plant Scientists. Funding for his research is primarily from the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) and the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science & Research (DIISR) through the Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF). Jason and his team have developed, and maintain, excellent collaborative linkages with Professor Graham Moore (John Innes Centre, UK), Associate Professor Sanjay Kapoor (University of Delhi South Campus, India), Professor German Spangenberg (DPI Victoria), and Professor Peter Langridge (ACPFG, Adelaide).

Publications

Selected Journal Articles (since 2006)

• Khoo KHP, Able AJ & Able JA (2012), The isolation and characterisation of the wheat molecular ZIPper I homologue, TaZYP1, BMC Research Notes. Vol. 5: 106, http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/5/106. (Corresponding Author).
• Khoo KHP, Able AJ, Chataway TK & Able JA (2012), Preliminary characterisation of two early meiotic wheat proteins after identification through 2DGE proteomics, Functional Plant Biology. Vol.39(3): 222-235. (Corresponding Author).
• Khoo KHP, Able AJ & Able JA (2012), Poor homologous synapsis 1 (PHS1) interacts with chromatin but does not co-localise with ASYnapsis 1 (ASY1) during early meiosis in bread wheat, International Journal of Plant Genomics. doi:10.1155/2012/514398. (Corresponding Author).
• Crismani W, Kapoor S & Able JA (2011), Comparative transcriptomics reveals 129 transcripts that are temporally regulated during anther development and meiotic progression in both bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa), International Journal of Plant Genomics. doi:10.1155/2011/931898. (Corresponding Author).
• Deveshwar P, Bovill WD, Sharma R, Able JA & Kapoor S (2011), Analysis of anther transcriptomes to identify genes contributing to meiosis and male gametophyte development in rice, BMC Plant Biology. Vol. 11: 78, http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/11/78. (Highly Accessed).
• Able JA, Crismani W & Boden SA (2009), Understanding meiosis and the implications for crop improvement, Functional Plant Biology. Vol. 36(7): 575-588. (Front Cover & Corresponding Author).
• Boden SA, Langridge P, Spangenberg G & Able JA (2009), TaASY1 promotes homologous chromosome interactions and is affected by deletion of Ph1, The Plant Journal. Vol. 57 (3): 487-497. (Corresponding Author).
• Bovill WD, Deveshwar P, Kapoor S & Able JA (2009), Whole genome approaches to identify early meiotic gene candidates in cereals, Functional & Integrative Genomics. Vol. 9 (2): 219-229. (Corresponding Author).
• Khoo KHP, Jolly HR & Able JA (2008), The RAD51 gene family in bread wheat is highly conserved across eukaryotes, with RAD51A upregulated during early meiosis, Functional Plant Biology. Vol. 35 (12): 1267-1277. (Front Cover & Corresponding Author).
• Walker KR, Able JA, Mather DE & Able AJ (2008), Black point formation in barley: quantitative trait loci and environmental influences, Australian Journal of Agricultural Research. Vol. 59 (11): 1021-1029.
• March TJ, Able JA, Willsmore K, Schultz CJ & Able AJ (2008), Comparative mapping of a QTL controlling black point formation in barley, Functional Plant Biology. Vol. 35: 427-437.
• Lloyd AH, Milligan AS, Langridge P & Able JA (2007), TaMSH7: A cereal mismatch repair gene that affects fertility in transgenic barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), BMC Plant Biology. Vol. 7: 67, http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/7/67. (Corresponding Author).
• Boden SA, Shadiac N, Tucker EJ, Langridge P & Able JA (2007), Expression and functional analysis of TaASY1 during meiosis of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), BMC Molecular Biology. Vol. 8: 65, http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2199/8/65. (Corresponding Author).
• March TJ, Able JA, Schultz CJ & Able AJ (2007), A novel late embryogenesis abundant protein and peroxidase associated with black point in barley grains, Proteomics. Vol. 7: 3800-3808.
• Able JA, Langridge P & Milligan AS (2007), Capturing diversity in the cereals: Many options but little promiscuity, Trends in Plant Science. Vol. 12 (2): 71-79. (Corresponding Author).
• Whitford R, Baumann U, Sutton T, Gumaelius L, Wolters P, Tingey S, Able JA & Langridge P (2007), Structural characteristics of Triticum tauschii DNA from 3DS and the identification of transposons, retroelements, and a gene family predominantly expressed in floral tissues, Functional & Integrative Genomics. Vol. 7: 37-52. (Corresponding Author).
• Crismani W, Baumann U, Sutton T, Shirley N, Webster T, Spangenberg G, Langridge P & Able JA (2006), Microarray expression analysis of meiosis and microsporogenesis in hexaploid wheat, BMC Genomics. Vol. 7: 267, http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/7/267. (Corresponding Author; Highly Accessed).
• Able JA & Langridge P (2006), Wild sex in the grasses, Trends in Plant Science. Vol. 11 (6): 261-263. (Front Cover & Corresponding Author).

Book Chapters  

• Able JA, Carroll BJ, Rathus C & Godwin ID (2004), Enhancing transgene expression in sorghum: current status and future goals, In: N Seetharama and ID Godwin (Eds.) Sorghum Tissue Culture & Transformation, Science Publishers, Inc., pp. 85-96.
• Rathus C, Nguyen TV, Able JA, Gray S & Godwin ID (2004), Optimising sorghum transformation technology via somatic embryogenesis, In: N Seetharama and ID Godwin (Eds.) Sorghum Tissue Culture & Transformation, Science Publishers, Inc., pp. 25-34.
• Able JA & Godwin ID (2000), Enhancing transgene expression in plants: a role for matrix attachment regions (MARs), Current Topics in Plant Biology, Vol. 2: 117-124. Research Trends. (Corresponding Author).

Selected Short papers, letters, notes  

• Able JA (2005) Digging for DNA Diamonds. Australasian Science, Vol. 26 (7): 20-21.

Community Engagement

Jason is actively engaged in communicating to, and educating the public on the benefits associated with genetically modified foods (as well as plant breeding and genetics more generally). Jason is a member of the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee (GTTAC) within the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing. Annually, he also conducts a number of communication activities that are affiliated with the University of Adelaide. These activities include newsletter and magazine articles, and radio interviews. Jason has been a panel member for many science forums that have been held in rural/regional South Australia since 2002.

Jason has presented invited seminars nationally at several institutions including the University of Adelaide; the University of Queensland; the University of Southern Queensland; and La Trobe University. He has also presented keynote seminars internationally in America, Europe, the United Kingdom and India.

Expertise for Media Contact

Categories	Agriculture and farming, Science and technology
Expertise	Plant genetics; Plant breeding; Genetic engineering; Genetically modified food; Plant biotechnology; Meiosis; Genetics
Notes	The Peter Goldacre Medal (2008); UQ SLAFS Annual Research Award (2003); The University Medal (1997); The Faculty of Sciences Medal (1997); Member of the Australian Society Plant Scientists; Recipient of numerous travelling awards including a Farrer Memorial Fellowship and GRDC Fellowship.
After hours	08 8391 2918

Entry last updated: Sunday, 20 May 2012