I am a Plant Scientist and Senior Lecturer in Viticulture at Lincoln University, specialising in clonal plant propagation, pathogen eradication (viruses and viroids), and plant genetic resources conservation. My research focuses on the preservation and management of plant genetic resources, with a particular emphasis on cryobiotechnology, germplasm conservation, and pathogen elimination in horticultural crops. The primary goal of my work is to safeguard horticultural biodiversity against biosecurity threats, delivering high-health plant material and sustainable solutions for the sector. Beyond research and teaching, I serve as an Associate Editor for international scientific journals, including Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture and The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, while actively contributing to cryopreservation training and technology transfer from proof-of-concept to practical implementation.

Over the past decade, my work has focused on translating biotechnological innovation into practical outcomes for the conservation of plant genetic resources and the production of high-health plant material.

I contributed to the development of cryotherapy and cryopreservation protocols that successfully transitioned from proof-of-concept into routine quarantine and genebank workflows. These methods enabled the establishment of the first cryopreserved Vitis genebank collections at the USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP), in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. They have also been adopted by the USDA-APHIS Plant Quarantine lab, the ARS apple rootstock breeding program, and Plant and Food Research to accelerate pathogen eradication.

To date, I have authored/co-authored over 55 refereed journal articles (including 37 as first author), 2 books, 9 book/e-book chapters, and 21 conference proceedings and technical publications. My research directly supports global efforts in plant genetic resource conservation, disease eradication, and safe international germplasm exchange.

I currently serve as an Associate Editor for Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) and The Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology, alongside regularly reviewing for leading journals in plant biotechnology.

I am committed to open-science educational initiatives and capacity building. Through a joint project between Colorado State University and the USDA, I joined an initiative to develop open-access training resources to make advanced conservation technologies globally accessible. Recently, serving as the Asia-Pacific consultant representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), I co-authored the "Practical Guide to Conservation through Cryopreservation".