Dr Jason Able

Biography/ Background

Born 1972 - Toowoomba, Queensland
Undergradaute - 1993 to 1996
Postgraduate - 1997 to 2001
CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellow - 2001
GRDC Research Fellow - 2002 to 2005
Research Fellow/Lab Head - 2005 to current

Qualifications

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

Teaching Interests

Jason lectures to first, second and third year science undergraduates in the field of plant biotechnology. He covers the plant biotechnology modules for "Introduction to Biotechnology" and "Principles of Biotechnology II". Jason also delivers lectures and tutorials on meiosis in the third year undergraduate course "Plant Molecular Biology".

Research Interests

Jason's lab is based at the Waite Campus. His research interests include understanding the molecular mechanisms that control meiosis in wheat. Specifically the group is interested in the processes of chromosome pairing, synapsis and recombination during the meiotic process. Research outcomes will enable crops to be modified to adapt to our ever-changing environment. Jason currently leads a small and dynamic research team composed of a Post-Doctoral Fellow (Dr Bill Bovill), and 2 PhD Students (Hayley Jolly & Kelvin Khoo). He is an active member of several scientific societies including the Australian Society of Plant Scientists. Funding for this research is primarily from the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science & Research (DIISR) through the Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), and the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC). Jason and his team have developed, and maintain, excellent collaborative linkages with Professor German Spangenberg (DPI Victoria), Professor Graham Moore (John Innes Centre, UK), and Associate Professor Sanjay Kapoor (University of Delhi South Campus, India).

Students and/or researchers wishing to become part of the group should visit the lab website (http://www.sciences.adelaide.edu.au/plant_genetics/genetics/meiosis.html) and contact Jason for further information.

Publications

Selected Journal Articles

• 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).
• Dong C, Thomas S, Becker D, Lorz H, Whitford R, Sutton T, Able JA & Langridge P (2005), WM5: Isolation and characterisation of an early meiosis gene that is also involved in shoot and meristem development, Functional Plant Biology. Vol. 32 (3): 249-258. (Front Cover & Corresponding Author).
• Reddall AA, Ali A, Able JA, Stonor J, Tesoriero L, Wright PR, Rezaian MA & Wilson LJ (2004), Cotton bunchy top: an aphid and graft transmitted cotton disease, Australiasian Plant Pathology. Vol. 33 (2): 197-202.
• Sutton T, Whitford R, Baumann U, Dong C, Able JA & Langridge P (2003), The Ph2 pairing homoeologous locus of wheat (Triticum aestivum): Identification of candidate meiotic genes using a comparative genetics approach, The Plant Journal. Vol. 36: 443-456.
• Able JA, Rathus C & Godwin ID (2001), The investigation of optimal bombardment parameters for transient and stable transgene expression in sorghum, In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology Plant. Vol. 37 (3): 341-348.

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 (and biotechnology more generally). Annually, he conducts a number of communication activities that are affiliated with the University of Adelaide and/or the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC. These activities include newsletter and magazine articles, and radio interviews. Jason has been a panel member for biotechnology forums 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; Genetic engineering; Genetically modified food; Plant biotechnology; Meiosis; Genetics
Notes	Member of the Australian Society Plant Scientists; UQ SLAFS Annual Research Award (2003); The University Medal (1997); The Faculty of Sciences Medal (1997); The Peter Goldacre Award (2008); Recipient of numerous travelling awards including a Farrer Memorial Fellowship and GRDC Fellowship.
After hours	08 8391 2918

Entry last updated: Sunday, 22 Nov 2009