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EDITION 6 | OCTOBER 2023
ADW 2024 - EOIs extended to 23 October, 2023
The EOI to register your interest to attend (virtually or in-person) or to submit an abstract for the Annual Diagnosticians Workshop (ADW) 2024 has been extended and will now close on Monday 23 October 2023 – register your interest via the button below.
ADW 2024 will be held over two days during the week of 18 March 2024 (location to be confirmed). NPBDN will cover flights to the workshop and one night accommodation for attending members.
The theme of ADW 2024 is "The challenges of unculturables and their vectors", which includes but is not limited to topics surrounding:
- plant pathogens for which obtaining axenic cultures is difficult or yet to be made possible, such as viruses, viroids, fastidious and unculturable bacteria (e.g., liberibacters, phytoplasmas, Xylella spp.), obligate fungi (rusts, powdery mildew, etc.), and oomycetes (downy mildews, Phytophthora spp. etc.)
- the pest organisms that transmit these pathogens (fungi, nematodes, arthropods, etc.)
- the physical mechanisms that spread these pests and pathogens, including grafting, tissue culture, and crop management practices
- the relevant and innovative methods developed to detect and identify these pathogens, e.g., end point and quantitative PCR, sequencing, HTS, eDNA.
This annual event continues to serve as an important opportunity for NPBDN members to learn, exchange tips and techniques, and to network with colleagues in the field. These workshops serve to build capacity and capability for plant biosecurity diagnostics in Australasia.
Not a NPBDN member? Register here.
Virtual ADSW 2023 - Implementation through connections
Over 130 NPBDN and/or Plant Surveillance Network Australasia-Pacific (PSNAP) members attended the Virtual ADSW 2023 event held on 6 October.
A total of 11 presenters from the NPBDN or PSNAP networks presented their incredible work at the two-and-a-half-hour event, showcasing how these members are contributing to the plant diagnostic and surveillance biosecurity systems of Australasia-Pacific.
We thank all the members for volunteering their time to present and the audience for their participation in Virtual ADSW 2023. We would also like to thank the Networks Implementation Network Working Group (NIWG) and Plant Surveillance Network Working Group (PSNWG) members and the PHA communications team for all their hard work organising this event.
The event video and all presentations are now available on the NPBDN website to members. If you were unable to attend on the day, you can access the high-quality presentations via the button below (please log into the portal to view).
Have you visited the refreshed NPBDN website?
The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostics Network (NPBDN) website was refreshed in September 2023 to deliver a more visually appealing and easy-to-navigate digital experience.
The refreshed website was delivered by Plant Health Australia (PHA) with input from the Subcommittee on Plant Health Diagnostics (SPHD), the Networks Implementation Network Working Group (NIWG), and user feedback.
Visit the improved website to access the latest information on:
International Congress of Entomology (ICE) 2024
Early bird registration and a call for abstracts for the International Congress of Entomology (ICE) 2024 are open until 15 December 2023 (regular registrations open until August 2024 TBA).
Several of the accepted symposia will cover topics that may be of interest to NPBDN members, including but not limited to:
- the Alien Insects symposium, which includes the sessions Biology, ecology, and management of invasive forest insects invasive forest insects, and Alien Pest Invasions: Strategies for Managing New Pest Introductions Driven by Trade, Travel, and Climate Change.
- pest management symposium
- several sessions dedicated to fruit fly research, including Advancing Fruit Fly Biosecurity Research: Applying New Tools in Microbial Ecology, Genomics and Chemical Ecology, Novel approaches in the management of invasive fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and Fruit fly management technologies.
Click here to view the list of accepted symposia. Visit the ICE 2024 website via the button below for more information on how to register and to submit your abstract.
Career Opportunities
PhD scholarship opportunities
Since the last NPBDN newsletter, two additional PhD opportunities at AgriBio, La Trobe University, were advertised, with applications closing once a suitable candidate is found. These two PhD projects will form part of the co-funded AgVIC-Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) initiative. The two PhD projects include:
- Developing new laboratory and data analysis approaches that leverage cutting-edge advancements in High Throughput Sequencing, genomics, image analysis, and machine learning.
- Developing and applying genomics resources to enable diagnostics and biosurveillance capabilities for Botrytis spp.
Job opportunities
Applications close Thursday 26 October 2023 for a Principal Scientist (Epidemiology and Data Analysis) position with the Plant Biosecurity and Product Integrity team at The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Career Profile
This month we shine the light on Gavin Hunter, Team leader and Research Scientist at the CSIRO in Canberra. Gavin has been working in plant pathology and diagnostics for approximately 18-20 years, with his work and studies taking him to the United Kingdom, Darwin, Sydney and now Canberra.
About the Network
The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Professional Development and Protocols Projects are coordinated and delivered by Plant Health Australia and are funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The objectives of the Projects are to enhance and strengthen Australia’s diagnostic and surveillance capacity and capability to identify priority plant pests that impact on plant industries, environment and the community.
