PhD Students

My research focuses on the biological control and integrated management of insect pests.

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Understanding the ecological and biological relationship between fungal pathogens and insects is fundamental to effective biocontrol and is center to my research.

Currently I am working with the diversity and ecology of entomopathogenic fungi in Queensland. To search for the host specific indigenous fungal isolate for the biocontrol of the insecticide resistant diamond back moth, Plutella xylostella in Lepidoptera, the major pest on cruciferous crops in Australia and worldwide.

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My future research will focus on understanding the fungal interactions with the resistant pests based on ecological and molecular bases to explore possibilities for manipulating these processes to control diamond back moth and other insecticide resistant pests in the future.

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