Professor Elizabeth Aitken
Teaching and Development
- BIOL2203 Plant Biology
- BIOL3201 Fungi and Plant Diseases
- BIOL3011 Plant Microbe and Insect Interactions
- BIOL3200 Advanced Plant Science
- BOTN6017 Introduction to Plant Pathology
- BIOL6011 Molecular diagnostics in Plant Protection
Researcher biography
Professor Elizabeth Aitken (Liz) obtained her BSc Hons in Agricultural Science (Crop Science) from Edinburgh University where she specialised in Plant Pathology. She then went on to undertake her PhD studies at Aberdeen University in conjunction with the UK Forestry Commission on a study of dieback on Scots pine trees. This was followed with postdoctoral studies at Birmingham University and the Sainsbury Lab, aiming to identify a rust resistance gene by transposon tagging. In 1993 she moved to Australia and joined UQ as an academic staff member.
Much of Liz's research at UQ has focused on diseases of tropical crops in particular banana, ginger, cotton and sunflower. Research topics have included the genetics of plant-pathogen interactions, molecular aspects of pathogenicity and disease diagnostics. This research has been undertaken with strong collaborations with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and with CSIRO. Research topics have included the genetics of plant-pathogen interactions, molecular aspects of pathogenicity and disease diagnostics. This work has assisted in the identification of disease incursions in particular in banana and of cryptic plant pathogen species of Pythium in ginger and Phomopsis in sunflower. One current research focus includes identification of resistance to Fusarium wilt in diploid banana lines for potential deployment against TR4 in commercial banana cultivars; this has received funding from BMGF in collaboration with the International Institute of Topical Agriculture in Africa as well as from Hort Innovation Australia. Other studies include analysis of putative pathogenicity genes including Six genes in Fusarium oxysporum affecting banana, strawberry and ginger and in collaboration with colleagues at CSIRO studies on Fusarium spp on wheat particularly with regard to influence of environmental factors related to climate change.
Since commencing at UQ in 1993, Liz has supervised numerous postgraduate and honours students and participated in undergraduate teaching at all levels in plant science and in particular in plant pathology and fungal biology. She has also taken on various roles and committee membership in postgraduate student mentoring, research integrity and biosafety.