Anna Koltunow

Professor Anna Koltunow’s research focusses on molecular and genetic mechanisms that regulate seed and fruit formation and translating that information to benefit the agricultural sector. Examples include means to induce seedless fruit formation and the induction of asexual seed formation to rapidly fix beneficial traits. She is leading a multinational project funded, in part, by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to develop high yielding sorghum and cowpea hybrids that can be saved and sown by smallholder sub-Saharan farmers following induction of asexual seed formation (Hy-Gain.org).

Her research partnerships have involved colleagues in Australian, USA, British, European, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican and Brazilian Universities and research organizations, departments of agriculture, and multinational seed companies. She has been directly involved in organization of nine international plant research conferences. She held senior leadership roles as Program leader and Deputy Chief when at CSIRO. She has served on the Premier's science council in South Australia, the ARC College of Experts, and as President and Past President of the International Association of Plant Reproduction Research. She has been a scientific advisor for a CRC, and two prior Centres of Excellence and a board member of two New Zealand Crown Research Institutes. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.