C3 Colloquium 2018 - Algal phenomics

The 2018 C3 Research Colloquium aims to bring together an exciting mix of researchers with interests and expertise in algal phenomics.  Algae are a taxonomically highly diverse group of organisms that include some of the oldest forms of eukaryotic life and combine functional traits of bacteria, higher plants as well as animals. They are of major ecologic and economical importance, e.g. as key players in the global carbon cycle and producers of high-value bio-products.

Recent advances in high-throughput phenotyping rapidly increase the amount of available trait data in higher plants as well as algal models, closing the gap between phenomics and other high-throughput omics technologies. As phenomic techniques become more widely used, it increases the need for novel approaches and sensors for phenotypic trait measurements as well as defined standards, phenomic software, data analytics and integration with other omics data types to guarantee reproducibility and high quality science. 

The goal of this colloquium is to discuss new developments and novel approaches in algal phenomics to overcome the challenges of high-throughput phenotyping and to identify opportunities in this fast emerging field.

Topics

• High-throughput phenotyping: Sensors and robotic automation
• Functional phenomics: Integration of molecular and phenomics data
• Challenges of high-throughput algal strain analysis
• Phenomics and synthetic biology
• Pheno-Informatics: data storage, processing and analytics  
• Industrial Applications and algal phenomics
• Phenotyping in the field 

Speakers

David Kramer 

Michigan State University

David M. Kramer is the Hannah Distinguished Professor of Bioenergetics and Photosynthesis in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department and the MSU-Department of Energy Plant Research Lab at Michigan State University. His research seeks to understand how plants work, and use this knowledge to improve their efficiency and robustness. He focuses mainly on how photosynthesis functions at both molecular and physiological levels, how it is regulated and controlled in response to fluctuating environmental conditions, how it defines the energy budget of plants and the ecosystem and how they might be improved to increase the efficiency and sustainability of agriculture. This work has led his research team to develop a series of novel plant phenotyping platforms for probing photosynthetic and other reactions both in vitro and in vivo, in the lab and in the field. To disseminate these tools, he founded the and the MSU Center for Advanced Algal and Plant Phenotyping, Phenometrics, Inc. (www.phenometricsinc.com), PhotosynQ.org (www.photosynq.org), which aims to bring sophisticated plant phenotyping tools and analytics to researchers around the world.

Xavier Sirault 

CSIRO

Dr. Sirault was first trained as an Agricultural Engineer with a specialisation in “Breeding and Plant Improvement” (Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering, AgroSup Dijon, France) in 2000. After completing a second Master’s Degree in Quantitative Genetics in France (University Paris-Orsay), Dr Sirault moved to Australia where in 2007 he graduated from the Australian National University with a PhD in Plant Sciences. His PhD work aimed at investigating the role of leaf rolling in wheat as a potential trait for increasing grain productivity under water-limited environments. Dr Sirault was recruited in 2007 as a Research Engineer at the High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre (CSIRO Ag & Food, Canberra, Australia) to research and develop end-to-end solutions for the phenotyping of crops across multiple spatial and temporal scales (lab and field).
In 2014, Dr Sirault was appointed director of the HRPPC where he is responsible for its operational management, budgeting, business planning, scientific strategy, staff training and development, compliance and human resources. Since 2015, he has also been actively leading the facility’s international engagement and the transfer of its technology to industries.

In parallel to his director’s role, Dr Sirault works as a Senior Research Scientist in CSIRO Agriculture and Food. His research aims at understanding the factors that regulate and limit photosynthesis in crop plants, in particular how these factors influence plant growth and performance.

In 2015, Dr Sirault was elected Vice Chair of the International Plant Phenotyping Network where he hopes to spearhead the development of solutions for maximising data inter-operability and data re-use at global level.

Dr. Bettina Berger

Scientific Director
The Plant Accelerator, Australian Plant Phenomics Facility
University of Adelaide

With a background in biotechnology and a PhD in molecular plant biology, Dr Bettina Berger used a two-year fellowship at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics to focus on the then emerging field of plant phenomics. Since 2010, Dr Berger has work at the Adelaide node of the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility and in 2015 became Scientific Director. She enjoys the diversity of working in a national research facility, with a whole range of different users, research questions and challenges on a daily basis. Dr Berger has focused on establishing protocols and methods for high-throughput screening of various plant species in controlled environments using imaging technology to help the research community take advantage of the benefits that modern phenotyping techniques have to offer. 

Prof. Sindhuja Sankaran

Washington State University  

Sindhuja Sankaran is an assistant professor at Washington State University, working towards advanced sensing techniques for high-throughput crop phenotyping applications and developing machine learning approaches for phenomic big data management. She currently is leading phenomics aspect as a part of couple ongoing United States Department of Agriculture- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA)- Agriculture and Food Research Initiative projects, where her focus is on developing high-throughput phenotyping tools for field and postharvest crop trait evaluation in cereal, legume, and specialty crops. 

Ben Hankamer

Director, Centre for Solar Biotechnology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience
The University of Queensland

Prof. Ben Hankamer is the founding director of the Solar Biofuels Consortium (2007) and Centre for Solar Biotechnology (2016) which is focused on developing next generation microalgae systems. These systems are designed to tap into the huge energy resource of the sun (>2300x global energy demand) and capture CO2 to produce a wide-range of products. These include solar fuels (e.g. H2 from water, oil, methane and ethanol), foods (e.g. health foods) and high value products (e.g. vaccines produced in algae). Microalgae systems also support important eco-services such as water purification and CO2 sequestration. The Centre is being launched in 2016/2017 and includes approximately 30 teams with skills ranging from genome sequencing through to demonstration systems optimisation and accompanying techno-economic and life cycle analysis. The Centre teams have worked extensively with industry.

Abstract Submission

Interested in presenting in the 2018 C3 Colloquium? Email us for more information and abstract submission. Please send information, as “I am interested in presenting”. Abstract submissions close 8 October 2018.