Overview
Background
Chris O'Brien is a research fellow at QAAFI leading the avocado tissue culture, gene editing and cryopreservation program. He is a global expert in optimising tissue culture and in vitro technologies for recalcitrant crops. His pioneering work on propagation and cryopreservation of avocado has contributed to global licensees for technology uptake. Chris is passionate to deliver world-first technology platforms for horticultural crop improvement. This innovative tech-development will address critical challenges of traditional breeding, enabling rapid development of future-smart cultivars.
Availability
- Dr Chris O'Brien is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Applied Science, The University of Queensland
- Masters (Coursework), Griffith University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Plant tissue culture
My research interests focus on plant tissue culture, in vitro propagation, cryopreservation, and germplasm conservation to improve the resilience and sustainability of horticultural industries. With extensive experience in avocado and papaya biotechnology, I aim to develop innovative clonal propagation and in vitro breeding systems for crop improvement and genetic resource preservation. My work integrates tissue culture and cryo-storage technologies to support sustainable horticulture, biodiversity conservation, and industry-driven research outcomes.
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Plant cryopreservation
My research interests focus on plant cryopreservation and germplasm conservation to support the resilience and sustainability of horticultural industries and ecosystems. I am particularly interested in developing innovative cryo-storage technologies and in vitro systems for the long-term preservation of valuable plant genetic resources, especially in crops such as avocado and papaya. My work integrates plant tissue culture and cryobiology to enhance crop improvement, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agricultural production.
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Plant Genetic Improvement
My research interests focus on plant gene editing and tissue culture technologies for sustainable horticultural crop improvement. I am particularly interested in advancing avocado biotechnology through gene discovery, transient transformation, and in vitro systems. My work has contributed to major breakthroughs including optimization of the avocado ‘Ashdot’ cultivar, identification of dwarfing genes, and the first transient transformation of avocado meristems and protoplasts, overcoming longstanding global research challenges in avocado biotechnology.
Works
Search Professor Chris O'Brien’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Conference Publication
Cryopreservation of an endangered Australian native plant species Gossia fragrantissima
Bao, Jingyin, O'Brien, Chris, Sommerville, Karen, Mitter, Neena and Hayward, Alice (2022). Cryopreservation of an endangered Australian native plant species Gossia fragrantissima. QAAFI student Symposium, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 30 September 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Tissue culture tools for selenium hyperaccumulator Neptunia amplexicaulis for development in phytoextraction
O'Donohue, Billy, Hiti-Bandaralage, Jayeni, Gleeson, Madeleine, O'Brien, Chris, Harvey, Maggie-Anne, van der Ent, Antony, Pinto Irish, Katherine, Mitter, Neena and Hayward, Alice (2022). Tissue culture tools for selenium hyperaccumulator Neptunia amplexicaulis for development in phytoextraction. Natural Products and Bioprospecting, 12 (1) 28, 1-9. doi: 10.1007/s13659-022-00351-2
2022
Conference Publication
Cold pretreatment for cryopreservation of an endangered Australian native plant species Gossia fragrantissima
Bao, Jingyin, O'Brien, Chris, Sommerville, Karen, Mitter, Neena and Hayward, Alice (2022). Cold pretreatment for cryopreservation of an endangered Australian native plant species Gossia fragrantissima. The 59th Annual Meeting of the Society for Cryobiology, Dublin, Ireland, 19 - 22 July 2022.
2021
Other Outputs
Cryopreservation of avocado shoot tips for the conservation of Persea germplasm
O'Brien, Christopher Michael (2021). Cryopreservation of avocado shoot tips for the conservation of Persea germplasm. PhD Thesis, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/7b83f15
2021
Journal Article
Cryopreservation of woody crops: The avocado case
O’Brien, Chris, Hiti-Bandaralage, Jayeni, Folgado, Raquel, Hayward, Alice, Lahmeyer, Sean, Folsom, Jim and Mitter, Neena (2021). Cryopreservation of woody crops: The avocado case. Plants, 10 (5) 934, 934. doi: 10.3390/plants10050934
2020
Journal Article
First report on cryopreservation of mature shoot tips of two avocado (Persea americana Mill.) rootstocks
O'Brien, C., Hiti-Bandaralage, J. C. A., Folgado, R., Lahmeyer, S., Hayward, A., Folsom, J. and Mitter, N. (2020). First report on cryopreservation of mature shoot tips of two avocado (Persea americana Mill.) rootstocks. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 144 (1), 103-113. doi: 10.1007/s11240-020-01861-y
2020
Journal Article
A method to increase regrowth of vitrified shoot tips of avocado (Persea americana Mill.): First critical step in developing a cryopreservation protocol
O’Brien, C., Hiti-Bandaralage, J., Folgado, R., Lahmeyer, S., Hayward, A., Folsom, J. and Mitter, N. (2020). A method to increase regrowth of vitrified shoot tips of avocado (Persea americana Mill.): First critical step in developing a cryopreservation protocol. Scientia Horticulturae, 266 109305, 109305. doi: 10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109305
2020
Journal Article
Phase change related microRNA profiles in the plant regeneration process of avocado through shoot-tip culture
Hiti-Bandaralage, Jayeni, Hayward, Alice, O’Brien, Chris, Ahsan, Umair, Gleeson, Madeline, Xue, Yuxin and Mitter, Neena (2020). Phase change related microRNA profiles in the plant regeneration process of avocado through shoot-tip culture. Annals of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, 4 (2). doi: 10.22606/as.2020.42001
2020
Conference Publication
Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea americana Mill.) apical shoot tips using different antioxidants
O’Brien, C., Hiti-Bandaralage, J.C.A., Folgado, R., Lahmeyer, S., Hayward, A. and Mitter, N. (2020). Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea americana Mill.) apical shoot tips using different antioxidants. International Horticultural Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-16 August 2018. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/actahortic.2020.1285.3
2020
Book Chapter
Advances in avocado propagation for the sustainable supply of planting materials
Hiti-Bandaralage, Jayeni, Hayward, Alice, O’Brien, Chris, Gleeson, Madeleine, Nak, William and Mitter, Neena (2020). Advances in avocado propagation for the sustainable supply of planting materials. Achieving sustainable cultivation of tropical fruits. (pp. 215-237) Cambridge, United Kingdom: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing. doi: 10.19103/as.2019.0054.19
2019
Conference Publication
The Use Of Sucrose Pre-Culture For Cryopreservation Of Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) Cultivar ‘Velvick’
O'Brien, Chris, Bandaralage, Jayeni Hiti, Folgado, Raquel, Lahmeyer, Sean, Hayward, Alice and Mitter, Neena (2019). The Use Of Sucrose Pre-Culture For Cryopreservation Of Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) Cultivar ‘Velvick’. 56th Annual Meeting of the Society for Cryobiology CRYO 2019, San Diego, CA United States, 22-25 July 2019. Maryland Heights, MO United States: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2019.10.056
2019
Conference Publication
Avocado micropropagation: growth in leaps and bounds for a clonal rootstock propagation solution
Hiti Bandaralage, J. C. A., Hayward, A., O'Brien, C., Beveridge, C. and Mitter, N. (2019). Avocado micropropagation: growth in leaps and bounds for a clonal rootstock propagation solution. Fifth International Conference of the IUFRO Working Party Unit 2.09.02 “Somatic embryogenesis and other vegetative propagation technologies”, Coimbra, Portugal, 10 - 15 September 2018. Coimbra, Rua Bernardino: João Duarte, Unipessoal.
2018
Conference Publication
Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea americana Mill.) apical shoot tips using different antioxidants
O'Brien, Chris, Bandaralage, Jayeni, Folgado, Raquel, Hayward, Alice, Lahmeyer, Sean and Mitter, Neena (2018). Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea americana Mill.) apical shoot tips using different antioxidants. XXX International Horticultural Congress: IHC2018, Istanbul, Turkey, 12 - 16 August 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Acclimatization of micropropagated mature avocado
Hiti Bandaralage, J. C. A., Hayward, A., O’Brien, C., Beveridge, C. and Mitter, N. (2018). Acclimatization of micropropagated mature avocado. VII International Symposium on Production and Establishment of Micropropagated Plants, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 24-28 April 2017. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1224.3
2018
Conference Publication
Temporal profile of juvenility-associated microRNAs during tissue culture of avocado
Hiti Bandaralage, J. C.A., Hayward, A., O’Brien, C. and Mitter, N. (2018). Temporal profile of juvenility-associated microRNAs during tissue culture of avocado. International Symposia on Tropical and Temperate Horticulture - ISTTH2016, Cairns, QLD, Australia, 20-25 November 2016. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1205.97
2018
Conference Publication
Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) shoot tips
O’Brien, Chris, Hiti Bandaralage, Jayeni C. A., Folgado, Raquel, Lahmeyer, Sean, Hayward, Alice and Mitter, Neena (2018). Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) shoot tips. CRYO2018, Madrid, Spain, 10-13 July 2018. Maryland Heights, MO United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2018.10.199
2017
Conference Publication
Micropropagation: The Future of Clonal Propagation of Avocado
Hiti Bandalarage, Jayeni , Hayward, Alice , O'Brien, Christopher and Mitter, Neena (2017). Micropropagation: The Future of Clonal Propagation of Avocado. International Tropical Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 20-22 November 2017. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: TropAg.
2016
Journal Article
Cryopreservation of somatic embryos for avocado germplasm conservation
O'Brien, C., Constantin, M., Walia, A., Yiing, J. L. Y. and Mitter, N. (2016). Cryopreservation of somatic embryos for avocado germplasm conservation. Scientia Horticulturae, 211, 328-335. doi: 10.1016/j.scienta.2016.09.008
2016
Conference Publication
Cryopreservation of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) using somatic embryos
O'Brien, C., Parisi, A., Yuan, J. Lim Yiing, Constantin, M. and Mitter, N. (2016). Cryopreservation of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) using somatic embryos. XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): International Symposium on Micropropagation and In Vitro Techniques, Brisbane, QLD., Australia, 17-22 August 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1113.39
2015
Journal Article
Effects of the SOLVE Strategy on the Mathematical Problem Solving Skills of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities
Freeman-Green, Shaqwana M., O'Brien, Chris, Wood, Charles L. and Hitt, Sara Beth (2015). Effects of the SOLVE Strategy on the Mathematical Problem Solving Skills of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 30 (2), 76-90. doi: 10.1111/ldrp.12054
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Chris O'Brien is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Establishment of avocado genome editing: Dwarfing avocado
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alice Hayward, Dr Thi Thao Ninh
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Doctor Philosophy
Novel Propagation Technology for Australian Macadamia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alice Hayward, Dr Albert Wong
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Doctor Philosophy
Optimising production of vanilla using novel propagation techniques
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alice Hayward, Dr Thi Thao Ninh
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Doctor Philosophy
Human-Centred Foundations for Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Media Optimisation in Plant Tissue Culture
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alice Hayward, Dr Eveline Kong, Dr Liqi Han
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Doctor Philosophy
Cryopreservation technology for the conservation of the Australian Macadamia species
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alice Hayward
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing cryopreservation for endangered Myrtaceae
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Eveline Kong, Dr Lily Whelehan, Dr Alice Hayward
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Doctor Philosophy
Impacts of Nursery Practices on Root-Crown Disorders in Blueberries
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alison Kelly, Dr Eveline Kong, Dr Alice Hayward
Completed supervision
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
Cryopreservation for Conservation of Endangered Gossia Species
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alice Hayward
Media
Enquiries
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