Principle Investigator
David Edwards
dave.edwards@uwa.edu.auProfessor David Edwards is a leading bioinformatician specializing in plant genomics.
He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2000) and a BSc (Hons) from the University of Nottingham (1989). Since 2015, he has served as a Winthrop Professor at the University of Western Australia (UWA), where he leads the Centre for Applied Bioinformatics.
His research focuses on the application of bioinformatics in crop genomics, including genome sequencing, pangenomics, trait association and the use of machine learning in plant biology. Professor Edwards has held positions in industry, government and academia, and has contributed to diverse research projects and …
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Felipe Albornoz
felipe.albornoz@uwa.edu.…I am a Research Associate in the Applied Bioinformatics Group, where I joined in early 2026. I completed my PhD at The University of Western Australia in 2016, focusing on plant-microbe ecophysiology. My previous research has explored the role of both mutualistic and pathogenic microbes in structuring native plant communities. My current research now focuses on building crop pangenomes to integrate large-scale genomic data and uncover variation underlying key agronomic traits.
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Thomas Bergmann
thomas.bergmann@uwa.edu.…I studied agricultural sciences with a focus on crop science and hold a doctoral degree in molecular phytopathology and biotechnology from the University of Kiel, Germany. After my graduation, I worked for 2.5 years as molecular breeding scientist for a canola breeding company where my main tasks included trait discovery and introgression into elite canola breeding material. I joined the Edwards Lab in August 2024 to continue my research about plant genetics and genomics to develop innovative solutions for crop improvements and protection. I have profound experience in bioinformatics, molecular plant-parasite interactions, as well as plant genetics and genomics. …
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Mitchell Bestry
mitchell.bestry@uwa.edu.…I am a Research Associate in the Applied Bioinformatics Group, where I am currently working on various projects since commencing the role in mid-2024. I previously completed my PhD in clinical epigenetics at the Telethon Kids Institute (now The Kids Institute), while enrolled at The University of Western Australia. Prior to that, I completed a Master of Biotechnology and a Bachelor of Science majoring in Genetics at The University of Western Australia.
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Teng Li
teng.li@uwa.edu.auI am a Research Fellow in the Applied Bioinformatics Group, where I joined in 2025. I completed my PhD at Nankai University, China. My previous research has spanned evolutionary genomics, phylogenetics, biodiversity, and microbiome, using a wide range of sequencing and computational approaches. My current research focuses on applied bioinformatics, particularly crop pangenomics.
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Jack Bruton
jack.bruton@uwa.edu.auI moved from the UK to Perth in late 2024 and joined the group in April 2025. I recieved my Masters degree in Biomedical sciences in 2020 and have since held multiple positions as a bioinformatician in academia and the public sector. Some of my past projects have involved analysis of RNA-seq data relating to Drosophila cancer models and developing scientific software for global measles virus surveillance, in collabration with the World Health Organisation. Currently, I am am building pangenomes for island-species alongside developing Large language model RAG pipelines for crop genomics.
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Tessa MacNish
tessa.macnish@research.u…I completed my dissertation project for UWA’s Master of Bioinformatics with the applied bioinformatics group in 2023. My project aimed to construct and visualise a multi-species Brassica graph pangenome.
I started my PhD within the group in 2024. My PhD project is focused on improving trait prediction and trait association methods through the use of haplotypes and machine learning. As part of my PhD I have developed an R package called HaploVar, which is designed to be used as part of a GWAS or genomic selection pipelines.
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Shameela Mohamedikbal
shameela.mohamedikbal@re…I joined the group in 2023 for my Master's dissertation and completed a project on identifying genetic variation associated with flowering time in soybean.
Since starting my PhD in 2024, I have been studying disease resistance in legumes using cross-population haplotype studies and computational simulations. I plan to integrate machine learning approaches in my next projects.
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Nimesha Ranawaka
24138343@student.uwa.edu…I joined the group in 2024 for my master’s dissertation project, which focused on a comparative analysis of COG1 gene in Brassica napus and its diploid progenitors. In 2026 I started my PhD, where I plan to focus on the genetic basis underlying drought tolerance in legumes
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Shriprabha Upadhyaya
shriprabha.upadhyaya@res…I joined the Applied Bioinformatics Group in 2020 as part of my master’s dissertation. My project aimed to improve gene annotations by classifying potential low confidence gene models using machine learning. I started my PhD with the group in 2022, and my thesis focuses on improving trait association and prediction approaches using machine learning.
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