Dr Pauline Okemo
Dr

Pauline Okemo

Email: 

Background

Pauline has extensive knowledge and research experience in Molecular biology, Plant tissue culture, transformation and gene modification using CRIPSR/Cas9. Pauline has worked on both cereals and legumes. Her interests are in understanding and underpinning molecular mechanisms used by extremophiles to survive harsh conditions.

Pauline is currently working on understanding rice domestication by using gene editing techniques to modify agronomically important traits in both wild and cultivated rice species. Her ultimate goal is to see high end laboratory research transition to benefit the consumer/breeders/ farmers.

Availability

Dr Pauline Okemo is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology

Research interests

  • Gene editing (CRISPR/Cas9)

  • Plant tissue culture

  • Abiotic stress responses in plants

  • Plant evolution and stress tolerance strategies

Search Professor Pauline Okemo’s works on UQ eSpace

13 works between 2016 and 2025
All (13) Journal Article (11) Book Chapter (1) Other Outputs (1)

1 - 13 of 13 works

2025

Journal Article

The genomes of the most diverse AA genome rice species provide a resource for rice improvement and studies of rice evolution and domestication

Abdullah, Muhammad, Furtado, Agnelo, Kharabian Masouleh, Ardashir, Okemo, Pauline and Henry, Robert (2025). The genomes of the most diverse AA genome rice species provide a resource for rice improvement and studies of rice evolution and domestication. BMC Genomics, 26 (1) 54, 1-15. doi: 10.1186/s12864-025-11246-0

The genomes of the most diverse AA genome rice species provide a resource for rice improvement and studies of rice evolution and domestication

2024

Journal Article

Crop domestication in the Asia Pacific region: a review

Okemo, Pauline, Wijesundra, Upendra, Nakandala, Upuli, Dillon, Natalie, Chandora, Rahul, Campbell, Bradley, Smith, Millicent, Hardner, Craig, Cadorna, Charles A., Martin, Guillaume, Yahiaoui, Nabila, Garsmeur, Olivier, Pompidor, Nicolas, D’Hont, Angelique and Henry, Robert J. (2024). Crop domestication in the Asia Pacific region: a review. Agriculture Communications, 2 (1) 100032, 100032. doi: 10.1016/j.agrcom.2024.100032

Crop domestication in the Asia Pacific region: a review

2024

Journal Article

An improved haplotype resolved genome reveals more rice genes

Abdullah, Muhammad, Furtado, Agnelo, Masouleh, Ardashir Kharabian, Okemo, Pauline and Henry, Robert (2024). An improved haplotype resolved genome reveals more rice genes. Tropical Plants, 3 (1) e009. doi: 10.48130/tp-0024-0007

An improved haplotype resolved genome reveals more rice genes

2023

Journal Article

Tripogon loliiformis tolerates rapid desiccation after metabolic and transcriptional priming during initial drying

Okemo, Pauline A., Njaci, Isaac, Kim, Young-Mo, McClure, Ryan S., Peterson, Matthew J., Beliaev, Alexander S., Hixson, Kim K., Mundree, Sagadevan and Williams, Brett (2023). Tripogon loliiformis tolerates rapid desiccation after metabolic and transcriptional priming during initial drying. Scientific Reports, 13 (1) 20613, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-47456-3

Tripogon loliiformis tolerates rapid desiccation after metabolic and transcriptional priming during initial drying

2022

Journal Article

Potential of genome editing to capture diversity from Australian wild rice relatives

Abdullah, Muhammad, Okemo, Pauline, Furtado, Agnelo and Henry, Robert (2022). Potential of genome editing to capture diversity from Australian wild rice relatives. Frontiers in Genome Editing, 4 875243. doi: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.875243

Potential of genome editing to capture diversity from Australian wild rice relatives

2022

Book Chapter

The use of genome sequencing to improve crops for tropical agriculture

Okemo, Pauline, Wijesundra, Upendra, Nakandala, Upuli, Ananda, Galaihalage K.S., Vanambathina, Prameela, Hasan, Sharmin, Abdulla, Muhammad, Sharma, Priyanka, Manatunga, Sachini, Pazhany, Adhini, Kharabian Masouleh, Ardy, Nath, Onkar, Mitter, Neena, Furtado, Agnelo and Henry, Robert J. (2022). The use of genome sequencing to improve crops for tropical agriculture. Next-generation sequencing and agriculture. (pp. 59-91) edited by Philipp E. Bayer and David Edwards. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: CAB International. doi: 10.1079/9781789247848.0004

The use of genome sequencing to improve crops for tropical agriculture

2021

Journal Article

Stachyose triggers apoptotic like cell death in drought sensitive but not resilient plants

Okemo, Pauline, Long, Hao, Cheng, Yen, Mundree, Sagadevan and Williams, Brett (2021). Stachyose triggers apoptotic like cell death in drought sensitive but not resilient plants. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 7099. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-86559-7

Stachyose triggers apoptotic like cell death in drought sensitive but not resilient plants

2020

Other Outputs

Regulation of plant programmed cell death by energy metabolism in the Australian resurrection grass Tripogon loliiformis

Okemo, Pauline Asami (2020). Regulation of plant programmed cell death by energy metabolism in the Australian resurrection grass Tripogon loliiformis. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology. doi: 10.5204/thesis.eprints.205617

Regulation of plant programmed cell death by energy metabolism in the Australian resurrection grass Tripogon loliiformis

2019

Journal Article

Roots of the resurrection plant Tripogon loliiformis survive desiccation without the activation of autophagy pathways by maintaining energy reserves

Asami, Pauline, Rupasinghe, Thusitha, Moghaddam, Lalehvash, Njaci, Isaac, Roessner, Ute, Mundree, Sagadevan and Williams, Brett (2019). Roots of the resurrection plant Tripogon loliiformis survive desiccation without the activation of autophagy pathways by maintaining energy reserves. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10 459. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00459

Roots of the resurrection plant Tripogon loliiformis survive desiccation without the activation of autophagy pathways by maintaining energy reserves

2018

Journal Article

Saving for a rainy day: Control of energy needs in resurrection plants

Asami, Pauline, Mundree, Sagadevan and Williams, Brett (2018). Saving for a rainy day: Control of energy needs in resurrection plants. Plant Science, 271, 62-66. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.03.009

Saving for a rainy day: Control of energy needs in resurrection plants

2018

Journal Article

Callus induction and plant regeneration from immature embryos of sweet sorghum (sorghum bicolor Moench)

Omer, Rasha Adam, Asami, Pauline and Birungi, Josephine (2018). Callus induction and plant regeneration from immature embryos of sweet sorghum (sorghum bicolor Moench). Biotechnology, 17 (1), 12-18. doi: 10.3923/biotech.2018.12.18

Callus induction and plant regeneration from immature embryos of sweet sorghum (sorghum bicolor Moench)

2016

Journal Article

In planta seed transformation of Kenyan cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) with P5CS gene via Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Rachel, Okeyo Ikawa, Nelson, Onzere Amugune, Norman, Chege Njoroge, Pauline, Asami and Timothy, Holton (2016). In planta seed transformation of Kenyan cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) with P5CS gene via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Journal of Agricultural Biotechnology and Sustainable Development, 8 (5), 32-45. doi: 10.5897/jabsd2016.0257

In planta seed transformation of Kenyan cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) with P5CS gene via Agrobacterium tumefaciens

2016

Journal Article

Genotypic variation for low striga germination stimulation in Sorghum "Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench" landraces from Eritrea

Yohannes, Tadesse, Ngugi, Kahiu, Ariga, Emanuel, Abraha, Tesfamichael, Yao, Nasser, Asami, Pauline and Ahonsi, Monday (2016). Genotypic variation for low striga germination stimulation in Sorghum "Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench" landraces from Eritrea. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 07 (17), 2470-2482. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2016.717215

Genotypic variation for low striga germination stimulation in Sorghum "Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench" landraces from Eritrea

Availability

Dr Pauline Okemo is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Domestication of new crops

    Crope wild relatives are a treasure trove of diverse genes that could be useful in generating crops of the future. There are gaps in understanding crop evolution and domestication. This project will utilize modern breeding technologies to provide insight on domestication of these crops, and their potential as new sources of food.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Enquiries

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communications@uq.edu.au