Bronwyn Barkla

Biography

Prof. Bronwyn Barkla is currently Associate Dean of Research for the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Prior to this appointment she Director of Southern Cross Plant Science. She received her Master's (1989) and Ph.D.(1994) in the Department of Botany at the University of Toronto and carried out Post-doctoral research in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford (1994–1995). She then worked at the Instituto de Biotecnologia, UNAM in Mexico from 1995 to 2014. Bronwyn was the Vice President of the Mexican Proteomics Society from 2010 to 2012 and was on the Executive Board of the Society from 2008 to 2010.

Research

Prof. Barkla has been applying proteomics technologies to advance our knowledge in plant abiotic stress tolerance using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in parallel with the salt-tolerant model plants Mesembryanthemum crystallinum and Thellungiella salsuginea, and the heavy metal tolerant plant Arabidopsis halleri. Recent work has focused on understanding the role and regulation of membrane proteins and lipids in plant salt and heavy metal tolerance. Additionally, research using "omics" approaches has been undertaken to gain further insight into the role of the specialized trichomes called epidermal bladder cells which are found on the leaves and stems of the ice plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Research strengths include the fractionation of proteins to reduce sample complexity using non-traditional approaches including Free Flow Electrophoresis.

Teaching

Prof. Barkla currently is Unit Assessor for Plant Biology

Other

ARC College of Experts - 2016 to 2018

Editorial Board Member - Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Special Issue Guest Editor - Journal of Proteomics

Educational Committee - International Plant Proteomics Organization

Peer Review Board Member - JoVE - Journal of Video Experiments