Internationally renowned plant scientist Professor Ros Gleadow elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
Distinguished plant scientist Professor Ros Gleadow has been elected as a Fellow of the prestigious Academy of Science in Australia. The recognition highlights Professor Gleadow’s outstanding contributions to the field of plant science, particularly on how plants respond to environmental change and leadership in the international plant science community.
Professor Gleadow has become a trailblazer in her field, pioneering research that addresses critical challenges facing global agriculture and food security.
At Monash University her group studies the impact of climate change on the chemical composition of tropical crops. Her research focuses on two crops that release toxic cyanide: forage sorghum and cassava. Other projects include the response of taro to sea level rise, the use of cycads by first peoples and cyanogenic eucalypts.
Professor Gleadow’s ground-breaking work on plant defence has reshaped our understanding of plant biology and the impact of climate change on plant nutritional value.
Initially thought to be only for defence against herbivores, Professor Gleadow showed that the production of cyanide-releasing chemicals is critical for how the plants manage the uptake and use of nitrogenous fertilisers. This challenges the view that production of “defence” chemicals is costly, whereas they confer benefits for growth and managing stress. Professor Gleadow also leads a major initiative to sequence the wild relatives of sorghum that are native to Australia, shedding new light on the evolutionary mechanisms.
Her research has led to a series of projects that aim to reduce the amount of cyanide in human and animal diets, with several industry-sponsored and collaborative projects with health and agricultural scientists from Africa and the Pacific Islands. Her latest initiative is to establish the International Working Group for Safe Cassava, seeking new ways to make this important staple crop safer for human consumption.
As a Fellow of the Academy of Science, Professor Gleadow joins an elite group of leading scientists who have demonstrated exceptional achievements and leadership in their respective disciplines. Her election highlights her significant impact on advancing scientific knowledge and her dedication to mentoring future generations of researchers.
Professor Ros Gleadow’s induction as a Fellow of the Academy of Science reaffirms her status as a leading figure in plant science and underscores her prominent role in international science, including time as President of the Global Plant Council.
Twenty-four researchers have elected as Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science. Other Monash University researchers to be elected Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science include rheumatologist and clinical epidemiologist Professor Rachelle Buchbinder AO FAA FAHMS from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
You can watch Professor Gleadow discuss her academic journey here.
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