Thesis title: Pasture dieback: Understanding mechanisms of susceptibility and resistance to the pasture mealybug, Heliococcus summervillei Principal Supervisor: A/Prof Caroline Hauxwell Associate Supervisor/s: Dr Brett Williams Expected final thesis submission date: Before 31 December 2026 CAB Research program: Genetics and Molecular Biology
Ynna (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Genetic and Molecular Biology program. She studied Science (BSc, MPhil) at QUT and is currently working as a Research Assistant with the Invertebrate Microbiology Group, led by A/Prof Caroline Hauxwell.
Ynna became interested in the microbiology and ecology of insect/plant systems after working with A/Prof Hauxwell on pasture dieback, a condition characterised by progressive plant death that has caused $2 billion in damage to Queensland agriculture. Through her research, Ynna is uncovering the biology of the pasture mealybug (Heliococcus summervillei), the key causative factor in pasture dieback. Specifically, she is working to understand the mechanism of disease and how the mealybug influences the plant defence response.
Ynna is an outspoken member and advocate of the LGBTIQA+ community and is co-chair of QueerFoS, the QUT Faculty of Science LGBTIQA+ Working Group. In her free time, Ynna enjoys starting new crochet projects but never finishing them, browsing Facebook Marketplace for funky home decor, and hanging out with her cats (Coconut, Noodle and Meatball).