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Dr Hooman Mirzaee

Dr Hooman Mirzaee

Research Associate

PhD (University of Queensland) 

Science
School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Egan's lab working on marine microorganisms with a PhD in Plant Science and Microbiology and a Master’s in Agricultural Biotechnology. During my study, I have established a novel screening method and curated a collection of over 600 soil rhizosphere bacterial isolates. I have identified 68 biocontrol bacteria active against bacterial plant and food pathogens, along with 16 strains effective against fungal and oomycete pathogens. My work has led to the discovery of 15 potential new bacterial antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and 14 novel antimicrobial metabolites (AMMs). Additionally, I have identified 10 new biopesticides and developed biopesticide assays for tomato, cabbage, and chickpea.

Beyond microbiology, I have contributed to applied biotechnology by engineering plants to express bacteriocins for enhanced disease resistance and genetically modifying Artemisia annua to increase artemisinin production.

Currently, my research focuses on manipulation of marine microorganisms. My research aims to bridge the gap between fundamental microbiology and applied biological sciences to develop sustainable solutions for environmental and agricultural challenges.
E-mail
h.mirzaee@unsw.edu.au
Location
Level 5, Biological Science Building D26
  • Book Chapters | 2017
    Liu H; Mirzaee H; Rincon-Florez V; Moyle R; Spohn M; Carvalhais LC; Schenk PM, 2017, 'Emerging Culture-Independent Tools to Enhance Our Understanding of Soil Microbial Ecology', in Microbial Biomass, WORLD SCIENTIFIC (EUROPE), pp. 207 - 225, http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/9781786341310_0008
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Arkhipov A; Shao Z; Muirhead SR; Harry MS; Batool M; Mirzaee H; Carvalhais LC; Schenk PM, 2024, 'Microbe-Friendly Plants Enable Beneficial Interactions with Soil Rhizosphere Bacteria by Lowering Their Defense Responses', Plants, 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants13213065
    Journal articles | 2024
    Schenk PM; Batool M; Mirzaee H; Abbott A, 2024, 'Customized Plant Growth Promotion with Soil- and Cultivar-Compatible Microbial Biofertilizers', Agronomy, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14091915
    Journal articles | 2023
    Shao Z; Arkhipov A; Batool M; Muirhead SR; Harry MS; Ji X; Mirzaee H; Carvalhais LC; Schenk PM, 2023, 'Rhizosphere Bacteria Biofertiliser Formulations Improve Lettuce Growth and Yield under Nursery and Field Conditions', Agriculture, 13, pp. 1911 - 1911, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13101911
    Journal articles | 2022
    Booth J; Schenk PM; Mirzaee H, 2022, 'Microbial Biopesticides against Bacterial, Fungal and Oomycete Pathogens of Tomato, Cabbage and Chickpea', Applied Microbiology, 2, pp. 288 - 301, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol2010021
    Journal articles | 2021
    Mirzaee H; Ariens E; Blaskovich MAT; Clark RJ; Schenk PM, 2021, 'Biostimulation of Bacteria in Liquid Culture for Identification of New Antimicrobial Compounds.', Pharmaceuticals (Basel), 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ph14121232
    Journal articles | 2021
    Mirzaee H; Neira Peralta NL; Carvalhais LC; Dennis PG; Schenk PM, 2021, 'Plant-produced bacteriocins inhibit plant pathogens and confer disease resistance in tomato', New Biotechnology, 63, pp. 54 - 61, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nbt.2021.03.003
    Journal articles | 2016
    Mirzaee H; Sharafi A; Hashemi Sohi H, 2016, 'In vitro regeneration and transient expression of recombinant sesquiterpene cyclase (SQC) in Artemisia annua L.', South African Journal of Botany, 104, pp. 225 - 231, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2015.10.005
    Journal articles | 2014
    Sharafi A; Sohi HH; Mirzaee H; Azadi P, 2014, 'In vitro regeneration and Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation of Artemisia aucheri Boiss.', Physiol Mol Biol Plants, 20, pp. 487 - 494, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12298-014-0248-0
  • Other | 2015
    Mirzaee H; Shuey L; Schenk PM, 2015, Transcriptomics of Plants Interacting with Pathogens and Beneficial Microbes, Wiley, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118930458.ch41

The University of Queensland International Scholarship

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability Travel Award

International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC) Young Investigator Travel Award

 

 

I am a molecular biologist, synthetic biologist, plant biologist, and microbiologist with a strong focus on microbial pathogenesis and symbiotic interactions. My research primarily involves using molecular tools to elucidate microbial mechanisms and their roles in host interactions.

Additionally, I have experience in antimicrobial bioactive discovery across diverse environmental microbiomes, identifying novel compounds with potential applications in medicine and agriculture.

I also have expertise in plant molecular biology and biotechnology, including gene transfer across a wide range of plant species to enhance traits such as disease resistance and bioactive compound production.