Dr Lynne McIntyre: specialising in molecular genetics

Dr Lynne McIntyre specialises in molecular genetics of wheat and sugarcane, with particular emphasis on the application of molecular markers to wheat and sugarcane plant breeding programs.

• 12 April 2006 | Updated 24 November 2011

Overview

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications

Current activities

Dr Lynne McIntyre is Program Leader of the Integrated Crop Physiology and Genetic Improvement group.

Dr McIntyre’s research focuses on understanding the molecular genetic basis of key traits for wheat and sugarcane improvement. She is working to utilise this knowledge to exploit genetic variation for these traits for the development of new wheat and sugarcane cultivars.

Dr McIntyre has played an important role in the development of molecular marker technology for the sugarcane breeding program in Australia.

She is currently investigating the molecular genetic basis of adaptation of wheat to water-limited conditions. This research is focused on the identification of molecular markers linked to genomic regions associated with performance in water-limited conditions, and the use of genomic strategies to identify the genetic basis of such adaptation.

Background

Dr McIntyre studied agricultural science with an emphasis on plant genetics and breeding.

After completing a Doctorate jointly with CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National University (ANU), she moved to the University of Missouri, USA, as an Assistant Professor.

At the University of Missouri, Dr McIntyre continued her research on the use of rapidly evolving DNA as DNA markers in wheat and rice breeding.

Dr McIntyre joined CSIRO in 1990. After leading projects identifying and utilising molecular markers for key traits in sorghum and sugarcane breeding, she now leads a project focusing on the molecular genetics and genomics of adaptation of wheat to water-limited environments of northern Australia.

Academic qualifications

Dr McIntyre has the following qualifications:

• Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons), The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1983 
• Doctor of Philosophy, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 1987.

See a list of scientific papers published by Dr McIntyre on the next page.