Plant fungal pathogens manipulate host cellular processes through secreted proteins and membrane-associated interactions that remain poorly characterised at the molecular level. This project will apply mass spectrometry, such as XL-MS, to directly capture and identify protein–protein interactions occurring at the host–pathogen interface during crop infection. Using established Arabidopsis–Sclerotinia and cereal pathosystems, including wheat/barley infected with Parastagonospora nodorum and Pyrenophora species, the project will investigate apoplastic, plasma membrane, and extracellular vesicle-associated proteomes across early and necrotrophic infection stages. The work combines advanced molecular skills, including proteomics, subcellular fractionation, and computational analysis, to resolve transient effector–target and receptor–ligand interactions that underpin disease susceptibility and immunity. Outcomes will provide novel mechanistic insights into fungal pathogenicity and host defence signalling while generating molecular targets relevant to resistance breeding and crop protection.
Aim
Identify and characterise protein interaction networks at the host–pathogen interface in cereal crop diseases using standard mass spectrometry, adjacent mass spectrometry techniques, and compartment-specific proteomics, to decipher pathogenicity mechanisms.
Objectives
- Apply in vivo and in vitro mass spectrometry (MS) and cross-linkage MS (XL-MS) approaches to capture host–pathogen protein complexes during infection.
- Identify effector–target interactions, receptor–ligand associations, and extracellular signalling networks involved in disease progression.
- Integrate proteomics data with existing genomic and transcriptomic resources to map resistance and susceptibility pathways.
- Validate key protein interactions associated with necrotrophic fungal pathogenicity and host defence responses.
- Untangle conserved structural properties driving pathogen proteome interactions
- Apply bioinformatics pipelines to XL-MS and tailor the existing methods to crop-pathogen interactions
Significance
This project addresses a major knowledge gap in crop pathology by moving beyond genomic prediction to direct experimental identification of molecular interactions occurring during fungal infection. While transcriptomics and comparative genomics have identified candidate effectors and resistance loci, the physical interaction landscape between pathogen and host proteins remains largely unresolved. By applying XL-MS to crop pathosystems, this project will generate one of the first interaction-resolved maps of the wheat/barley–necrotrophic fungal interface. The findings will improve understanding of extracellular immune signalling, susceptibility mechanisms, and effector delivery pathways, including protein secretome biology. The project also establishes advanced structural proteomics capability for plant pathology research in Australia and provides translational outcomes relevant to resistance breeding, biomarker discovery, and novel fungicide target development. The interdisciplinary integration of proteomics, molecular plant pathology, protein structural approaches and bioinformatics positions the work at the forefront of functional crop genomics and disease systems biology.
Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a self-motivated PhD candidate with a degree in Molecular biology, proteomics, plant pathology, biochemistry, or a related discipline. Experience with protein analysis, mass spectrometry data processing, computational biology, or omics data integration is desirable. Understanding of structural biology, protein biochemistry and molecular cell biology is beneficial. Additionally, the applicants should meet the eligibility criteria for entry into a PhD program at Curtin University.
This project is open to International and Domestic applicants.
Scholarship
If you are identified as the preferred candidate for this project, you may be considered for an RTP scholarship.
Enquires and How to Apply
For enquires about this opportunity contact Dr Callum Verdonk at Callum.Verdonk@curtin.edu.au
To formally apply submit an Expression of Interest to Dr Callum Verdonk during the Central Scholarship round (July 1st – July 31st 2026)