Dr Akshita Jain,  Plant Health Australia’s (PHA) Project Officer, Biosecurity Planning, has recently been awarded her PhD from the School of Applied Systems Biology at La Trobe University in Melbourne.

Her thesis, Integrating classic morphology with novel (meta)genomic approaches to detect and identify cyst nematode species in Australia, was supported through the Boosting Diagnostic Capacity for Plant Industries (RRD4P) project and scholarships from the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC), Agriculture Victoria Research and La Trobe University. The research led to five first-author publications and presentations at national and international conferences.  

Akshita joined PHA in January 2025, bringing specialist expertise in nematology to strengthen industry preparedness through biosecurity planning and stakeholder engagement.  

Cyst nematodes are a major group of plant parasites with significant global economic impact. Several species present in Australia pose serious biosecurity risks. Dr Jain’s research aimed to improve detection and identification methods by integrating traditional morphological techniques with advanced molecular approaches.  

The study involved:  

• assessing cyst nematode species diversity in Australia using morphology and PCR-based sequencing  

• sequencing and annotating six draft nematode genomes, including four species known in Australia and two not yet reported domestically  

• developing genomic and bioinformatic workflows to assemble mitochondrial genomes for diagnostic use.  

These outcomes enhance national diagnostic capabilities and support faster, more accurate detection of cyst nematodes, strengthening Australia’s plant biosecurity system.  

It’s a nematode world—we’re just living in it!  

Illustration by Ishita Jain  

Further reading: 
Jain, A. (2025). Integrating classic morphology with novel (meta)genomic approaches to detect and identify cyst nematode species in Australia. La Trobe University. https://doi.org/10.26181/29938553.v1