Professor Ian Godwin
Professor

Ian Godwin

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 32681

Background

Professor Ian Godwin has over 30 years’ experience in plant biotechnology research, first undertaking sugar beet genetic engineering at Birmingham University in the UK in the 1980s. He joined UQ in 1990, holding an academic position in plant molecular genetics. In 2019 he joined QAAFI as Director of the Centre for Crop Science.

He leads research in the use of biotechnological tools for crop improvement, with emphasis on the sustainable production of grain crops. Major focus is on the improvement of crops for food, feed and bio-industrial end-uses. He has pioneered the use of GM and gene edited techniques in sorghum. Research projects include international collaborations with a focus on food security and plant genetic resource conservation with collaborators in Germany, Denmark, the United States, China, Ethiopia and Pacific Island countries. He is passionate about the public communication of science, and has spoken at many public events on genetics, GM plants and food, animal cloning, and the future of agriculture in a changing climate. In 2003 he was an ABC Science Media Fellow, and has appeared on ABC and BBC radio on numerous occasions.

His popular science book Good Enough to Eat?: Next Generation GM Crops was published by the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2019.

Availability

Professor Ian Godwin is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Agricultural biotechnology Crop and pasture production Plant biology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Agricultural Science, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

Genetic improvement of plants using molecular and genomics tools. Cereals and grain crops.

Search Professor Ian Godwin’s works on UQ eSpace

261 works between 1951 and 2024
All (261) Journal Article (153) Book Chapter (25) Conference Publication (80) Book (1) Other Outputs (2)

21 - 40 of 261 works

2021

Journal Article

Sorghum as a novel biomass for the sustainable production of cellulose nanofibers

Pennells, Jordan, Cruickshank, Alan, Chaléat, Céline, Godwin, Ian D. and Martin, Darren J. (2021). Sorghum as a novel biomass for the sustainable production of cellulose nanofibers. Industrial Crops and Products, 171 113917, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113917

Sorghum as a novel biomass for the sustainable production of cellulose nanofibers

2021

Journal Article

Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum

Tao, Yongfu, Trusov, Yuri, Zhao, Xianrong, Wang, Xuemin, Cruickshank, Alan W., Hunt, Colleen, van Oosterom, Erik J., Hathorn, Adrian, Liu, Guoquan, Ian, Godwin D., Botella, Jose R., Mace, Emma S. and Jordan, David R. (2021). Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum. The Plant Journal, 108 (1) tpj.15437, 1-13. doi: 10.1111/tpj.15437

Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum

2021

Conference Publication

Discovering the genetic blueprint for designing drought-adapted crops

Wong, Albert Chern Sun, Godwin, Ian D., van Oosterom, Erik J. and Borrell, Andrew K. (2021). Discovering the genetic blueprint for designing drought-adapted crops. Plant Biology Worldwide Summit 2021, Virtual, 19 - 23 July 2021. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7277031

Discovering the genetic blueprint for designing drought-adapted crops

2021

Journal Article

Genetic characterization of adult-plant resistance to tan spot (syn, yellow spot) in wheat

Dinglasan, Eric G., Peressini, Tamaya, Marathamuthu, Kalai A., See, Pao Theen, Snyman, Lisle, Platz, Greg, Godwin, Ian, Voss-Fels, Kai P., Moffat, Caroline S. and Hickey, Lee T. (2021). Genetic characterization of adult-plant resistance to tan spot (syn, yellow spot) in wheat. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 134 (9), 2823-2839. doi: 10.1007/s00122-021-03861-8

Genetic characterization of adult-plant resistance to tan spot (syn, yellow spot) in wheat

2021

Journal Article

Current status and prospects of plant genome editing in Australia

Zhang, Yan, Restall, Jemma, Crisp, Peter, Godwin, Ian and Liu, Guoquan (2021). Current status and prospects of plant genome editing in Australia. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant, 57 (4), 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s11627-021-10188-y

Current status and prospects of plant genome editing in Australia

2021

Journal Article

Stem vacuole-targetted sucrose isomerase enhances sugar content in sorghum

Liu, Guoquan, Zhang, Yan, Gong, Hao, Li, Shan, Pan, Yunrong, Davis, Christopher, Jing, Hai-Chun, Wu, Luguang and Godwin, Ian D. (2021). Stem vacuole-targetted sucrose isomerase enhances sugar content in sorghum. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 14 (1) 53, 1-14. doi: 10.1186/s13068-021-01907-z

Stem vacuole-targetted sucrose isomerase enhances sugar content in sorghum

2021

Journal Article

Tunable crops are just a spray away

Massel, Karen, Godwin, Ian and Hickey, Lee (2021). Tunable crops are just a spray away. Nature Plants, 7 (2), 102-103. doi: 10.1038/s41477-021-00849-6

Tunable crops are just a spray away

2021

Journal Article

Hotter, drier, CRISPR: the latest edit on climate change

Massel, Karen, Lam, Yasmine, Wong, Albert C. S., Hickey, Lee T., Borrell, Andrew K. and Godwin, Ian D. (2021). Hotter, drier, CRISPR: the latest edit on climate change. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 134 (6), 1691-1709. doi: 10.1007/s00122-020-03764-0

Hotter, drier, CRISPR: the latest edit on climate change

2021

Journal Article

Addressing the shortfalls of sorghum as a feed grain for chicken-meat production

Selle, Peter H., Hughes, Robert J, Godwin, Ian D., Khoddami, Ali, Chrystal, Peter V. and Liu, Sonia Yun (2021). Addressing the shortfalls of sorghum as a feed grain for chicken-meat production. World's Poultry Science Journal, 77 (1), 29-41. doi: 10.1080/00439339.2020.1866966

Addressing the shortfalls of sorghum as a feed grain for chicken-meat production

2021

Book Chapter

Sorghum

Borrell, Andrew, van Oosterom, Erik, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Rodriguez, Daniel, Eyre, Joe, Jordan, David J., Mace, Emma, Singh, Vijaya, Vadez, Vincent, Bell, Mike, Godwin, Ian, Cruickshank, Alan, Tao, Yongfu and Hammer, Graeme (2021). Sorghum. Crop physiology: case histories for major crops. (pp. 196-221) edited by Victor O. Sadras and Daniel F. Calderini. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-819194-1.00005-0

Sorghum

2020

Journal Article

Tracking seasonal changes in diversity of pollen allergen exposure: targeted metabarcoding of a subtropical aerobiome

Campbell, B. C., Al Kouba, J., Timbrell, V., Noor, M. J., Massel, K., Gilding, E. K., Angel, N., Kemish, B., Hugenholtz, P., Godwin, I. D. and Davies, J. M. (2020). Tracking seasonal changes in diversity of pollen allergen exposure: targeted metabarcoding of a subtropical aerobiome. Science of the Total Environment, 747 141189, 141189. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141189

Tracking seasonal changes in diversity of pollen allergen exposure: targeted metabarcoding of a subtropical aerobiome

2020

Journal Article

Transgenic expression of flavanone 3‐hydroxylase redirects flavonoid biosynthesis and alleviates anthracnose susceptibility in sorghum

Wang, Lanxiang, Lui, Andy C W, Lam, Pui Ying, Liu, Guoquan, Godwin, Ian D and Lo, Clive (2020). Transgenic expression of flavanone 3‐hydroxylase redirects flavonoid biosynthesis and alleviates anthracnose susceptibility in sorghum. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 18 (11) pbi.13397, 2170-2172. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13397

Transgenic expression of flavanone 3‐hydroxylase redirects flavonoid biosynthesis and alleviates anthracnose susceptibility in sorghum

2020

Conference Publication

How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?

Borrell, Andrew, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Oosterom, Erik van, Hammer, Graeme, Mace, Emma, Godwin, Ian, Liu, Guoquan, Wong, Albert, Matiwos, Temesgen, Bantte, Kassahun, Christopher, Jack, Hickey, Lee, Richard, Cecile, Robinson, Hannah and Jordan, David (2020). How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?. The Third International Tropical Agriculture Conference TropAg 2019 , Brisbane, QLD Australia, 11–13 November 2019. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI. doi: 10.3390/proceedings2019036208

How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?

2020

Journal Article

Large-scale GWAS in sorghum reveals common genetic control of grain size among cereals

Tao, Yongfu, Zhao, Xianrong, Wang, Xuemin, Hathorn, Adrian, Hunt, Colleen, Cruickshank, Alan W., van Oosterom, Erik J., Godwin, Ian D., Mace, Emma S. and Jordan, David R. (2020). Large-scale GWAS in sorghum reveals common genetic control of grain size among cereals. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 18 (4), 1093-1105. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13284

Large-scale GWAS in sorghum reveals common genetic control of grain size among cereals

2020

Journal Article

Genetic variation for leaf carbon isotope discrimination and its association with transpiration efficiency in canola (Brassica napus)

Hossain, Shek M., Masle, Josette, Easton, Andrew, Hunter, Malcolm N., Godwin, Ian D., Farquhar, Graham D. and Lambrides, Christopher J. (2020). Genetic variation for leaf carbon isotope discrimination and its association with transpiration efficiency in canola (Brassica napus). Functional Plant Biology, 47 (4), 355-367. doi: 10.1071/FP19256

Genetic variation for leaf carbon isotope discrimination and its association with transpiration efficiency in canola (Brassica napus)

2020

Conference Publication

Genetic diversity and population structure of field isolates of ganoderma boninense from oil palm plantation in Solomon Islands

Mudge, Agnieszka, Rama, Derick, Pilotti, Carmel and Godwin, Ian (2020). Genetic diversity and population structure of field isolates of ganoderma boninense from oil palm plantation in Solomon Islands. The Third International Tropical Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 11-13 November 2019. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI . doi: 10.3390/proceedings2019036056

Genetic diversity and population structure of field isolates of ganoderma boninense from oil palm plantation in Solomon Islands

2020

Journal Article

Ganoderma infection of oil palm – a persistent problem in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands

Gorea, E. A., Godwin, I. D. and Mudge, A. M. (2020). Ganoderma infection of oil palm – a persistent problem in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Australasian Plant Pathology, 49 (1), 69-77. doi: 10.1007/s13313-019-00673-9

Ganoderma infection of oil palm – a persistent problem in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands

2020

Journal Article

Genomic interventions for sustainable agriculture

Bohra, Abhishek, Chand Jha, Uday, Godwin, Ian D. and Kumar Varshney, Rajeev (2020). Genomic interventions for sustainable agriculture. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 18 (12) pbi.13472, 2388-2405. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13472

Genomic interventions for sustainable agriculture

2020

Book Chapter

Biolistic DNA delivery and its applications in Sorghum bicolor

Liu, Guoquan, Massel, Karen, Tabet, Basam and Godwin, Ian D. (2020). Biolistic DNA delivery and its applications in Sorghum bicolor. Biolistic DNA delivery in plants: methods and protocols. (pp. 197-215) New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0356-7_10

Biolistic DNA delivery and its applications in Sorghum bicolor

2019

Conference Publication

Valorisation of sorghum biomass into sustainable, high-performance cellulose nanomaterials

Pennells, Jordan, Cruickshank, Alan, Amiralian, Nasim, Godwin, Ian D. and Martin, Darren J. (2019). Valorisation of sorghum biomass into sustainable, high-performance cellulose nanomaterials. Appita Fibre Value Chain Conference 2019, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 10 - 12 December 2019. Macleod, VIC Australia: Appita.

Valorisation of sorghum biomass into sustainable, high-performance cellulose nanomaterials

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Enhancing drought tolerance and food security in Papua New Guinea: the potential of new taro germplasm
    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    North Queensland cotton-grains-cattle farming systems
    CRC for Developing Northern Australia
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Digging deeper to improve yield stability
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2027
    Reducing lodging risk in sorghum to increase grower confidence and profitability
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Evaluating Salinity Tolerance in Diverse Taro (Colocasia) Wild Relatives to enhance Food Security in the Pacific Islands
    Australia & Pacific Science Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2026
    Hy-Gain for Smallholders (2020-2025)
    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2024
    Cereal blueprints for a water-limited world
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    The impact of climate on sorghum utilisation in poultry diet (AgriFutures project administered by the University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2022
    Traits of importance for aerobic 'DryRice' varieties for the southern Australian rice industry
    Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2024
    Development of sterile Leucaena to enhance red-meat production in new regions of Australia
    Meat & Livestock Australia
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2022
    Better sorghum: larger grain with more protein
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Proving that PIN genes are associated with drought adaptation in sorghum: A targeted research project to enhance commercialisation opportunities
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Molecular characterization of complex biological polymers
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Sweet sorghum for high-value sugars
    Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences (Q-CAS) Collaborative Science Fund
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Beyond genomes, transcriptomes and proteomes: high throughput analysis of gene and protein expression and function
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Towards the Australian Pollen Allergen Partnership for better management of pollen exposure and respiratory health outcomes
    Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2022
    Developing a foundation for the long-term management of basal stem rot of oil palm in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Sorghum with more feed grain energy: bigger grain with higher starch content
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2014
    A preliminary investigation of basal stem rot in oil palm smallholdings in Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea
    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    Breaking the nexus: more biomass in cereal grain
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Accelerated crop development and environmental compliance of agricultural and food systems
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Integrating the genome with the abiotic stress tolerance phenome in sorghum
    Go8 Australia - Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    Smarter fermentations through starter culture genomics
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2018
    Cold tolerant traits and QTLs for improved efficiency of rice breeding program
    Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Analysis of an engineered seed storage protein gene in transgenic sorghum
    UQ - Purdue University Early Career Mobility Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Environmental monitoring of subtropical grass pollen allergens that contribute to hay fever and asthma
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Phosphorus Use Efficiency (PUE) in Sugarcane Genotypes
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2011
    Trait based water efficiency improvement in rice
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    NextGen Sorghum: Genomic approaches to novel renewable bioproducts
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2013
    The control of basal stem rot of oil palm caused by Ganoderma in Solomon Islands
    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2013
    eSorghum as a bio-fuel feedstock for arid environments
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Development of sophisticated genotyping methods
    UQ School/Centre Co-Funding
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Factors controlling higher-level starch structure
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2010
    Graft copolymers from starch and synthetic monomers
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008
    Methods to improve the nutritional value of sorghum for broilers
    Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    Sorghum protein in the manufacture of controlled-release delivery systems for bioactives
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    The wheat phenome atlas and phenome atlas toolbox
    International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2010
    Eco-Turf: Water and nutrient use efficient turfgrasses from Australian biodiversity
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    Identification of the key attributes affecting starch content and availability in sorghum grain
    CRC for an Internationally Competitive Pork Industry
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2009
    Combining Molecular Plant Physiology And Breeding To Improve Canola (Brassica napus) Performance In Dry Environments
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005
    Adoption Study - Overcoming production constraints to sorghum in rain fed environments in India and Australia (CSI/1994/968)
    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
    Open grant
  • 2005
    Nutriomics of Iron (fe) Sink-Source Relationship in Rice During Grain-filling
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2004
    Atrazine residues in Australian subtropical soils
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2008
    Manipulation of protein and starch quality in sorghum
    Grain Foods CRC Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2007
    Manipulation of Protein and Starch Quality in Sorghum
    Grain Foods CRC Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2003
    Travel Grant - DNA Fingerprinting Workshop A/P Ian Godwin, Dr E Mace
    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2004
    Improving moisture stress tolerance of sunflower through enhanced transpiration efficiency
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2003
    Improving the digestibility of sorghum grain: Molecular and protein analysis of transgenic sorghum
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2002
    Travel grant - Staff at UQ to attend the 12th Australiasian Plant Breeding Conference, Perth, September 2002
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2002
    Travel Grant for Ian Godwin to attend 10th International Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology Conference, Florida, USA (23-28 June 2002)
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2001
    Travel Grant - Dr Izquierdo, Ms Gray, Mrs Williams, Mr Laidlaw, Mr Donohoe, Mr Parh, Mr Chigeza to attend the 4th Australian Sorghum Conference, Kooralbyn Valley
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2001 - 2005
    Bioscience Australia Pty Ltd Project - School of Land and Food Science
    Bioscience Australia Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2000
    Travel Grant - Dr Ian Godwin to attend the American Society of Agronomy - Crop Science Society of America Annual Meeting
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2000
    Travel grant- Mr Jason Able to attend the 6th International Congress of Plant Molecular biology - Quebec June 2000
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 1998 - 2003
    Virus indexing and DNA fingerprinting for the international movement and conservation of taro gerplasm
    Queensland University of Technology
    Open grant
  • 1998
    Attendance at the Plant and Animal Genome VI conference in San Diego, USA, January 1998.
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 1998
    Travel Scheme for collaborative research by Dr I D Godwin at Instit of Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
    UQ Travel Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 1997
    Molecular analysis of a chloroplast genome rearrangement conferring dwarfism and cold terance in banana
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant
  • 1996 - 1999
    Genetic engineering of grain sorgham for improved pest resistance
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Ian Godwin is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Ian Godwin directly for media enquiries about:

  • Biofuel
  • Biomass
  • Biomaterials
  • Cereal quality
  • Crops - genetically modified
  • Crops - grain
  • Farming - GM crops
  • Farming - GM food
  • Food - genetically modified
  • Genetic engineering - plants
  • Genetically modified crops
  • Genetically modified food
  • Genetics - plant
  • Genetics - plants
  • GM crops
  • GM foods
  • Grain crops
  • Plant genetics
  • Plant molecular markers
  • Plants - genetic engineering
  • Sorghum
  • Turf grass

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