Professor Jacqueline Batley’s research focuses on crop genetics and genomics to strengthen and improve food security and sustainability, helping develop more disease resistant plants – a field in which the work of her and her team has yielded real advances.

Internationally recognised for her research, in 2022 she was named one of the world’s most highly cited researchers in her field and was recently awarded an Australian Laureate Fellowship.

In the latest episode of Research on the Record, released on PodBean today, Professor Batley talks about the constant fight to stay a step ahead of ever adapting and evolving crop diseases that threaten our food security.

She talks about staying the course in her pursuit of scientific discovery, dedicating almost 15 years of research to achieve a breakthrough in identifying disease resistant plant genes – which her current work is further advancing.

The leading scientist also reflects on the challenges of a career which has seen her balance leading a lab, supervising and mentoring PhD students, and maintaining research projects, with the demands of representing women in science on committees devoted to gender equity – all while raising four children.