DNA of Sustainability

Dr. Vanika Garg is a Senior Research Fellow in Genomics and Bioinformatics at the Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Australia. She earned her PhD in 2019 from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India, where she investigated stress responses in legumes using multi-omics approaches. With over a decade of experience in high-throughput genomic data analysis, Dr. Garg has developed impactful genomic resources, including reference genomes, pangenomes, genetic markers, superior haplotypes, and candidate genes, contributing significantly to both fundamental research and applied crop improvement. She has published more than 65 research papers in leading journals such as Nature, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Genetics, PNAS, Trends in Plant Science, and Plant Biotechnology Journal. Dr. Garg’s work has garnered over 5,000 citations, with an h-index of 33, and she continues to play a pivotal role in integrating genomics with crop improvement programs, fostering innovations that enhance agricultural sustainability and global food security.

Professor Robert Henry is currently working as a professor at Innovation in Agriculture, The University of Queensland, Australia. Prof. Henry's research area is focused on the study of agricultural crops using molecular tools. His current research targets plant genome sequencing for the capture of novel genetic resources for the diversification of food crops to deliver improved food products. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. He is a highly cited scientist (ISI) in agriculture.

Professor Rajeev K Varshney FRS is an agricultural scientist specialising in genomics, genetics, molecular breeding, and capacity building in developing countries. As the Director of the Centre for Crop & Food Innovation, the Director of the WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, and the International Chair of Agriculture and Food Security at the Food Futures Institute (FFI) at Murdoch University, Australia, Prof Varshney is at the forefront of pioneering agricultural research, delivering translational scientific outcomes aimed at solving the most significant challenges facing global food production. Throughout his illustrious +20-year career, Prof. Varshney has made outstanding contributions to improving food and nutrition security, and has popularised genomics in crop breeding programs at research institutes across the globe. He has been honoured with elected and honorary fellowships from a dozen academies/societies around the world – including the Royal Society – and received over 20 prestigious awards for his research.