Caterina Selva

Caterina Selva

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I'm an enthusiastic Developmental Biologist with extensive experience in biotechnology and in the genetic regulation of flower development in Arabidopsis and cereal crops. I have briefly delved into glycobiology to better characterize the cell wall of the fungal pathogen Rhizopus oryzae. Currently, I am applying my skills in molecular biology and microscopy to explore cell biology, development, and flowering in duckweed, the smallest flowering plants on Earth!

 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2024 - ongoing Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide
    2022 - 2024 Postdoctoral Researcher Flinders University
    2021 - 2022 Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide
    2019 - 2020 Research Assistant University of Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2025 Award Travel award American Society of Plant Biologists United States 930
    2023 Award Progetto Donna Award - STEM category Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Com.It.Es SA Australia -
    2020 Award Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2016 Scholarship Australian Government Research Training PhD Scholarship The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2016 Scholarship ACPFG Supplementary Scholarship Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics Australia -
    2015 Scholarship Scholarship for Young Promising Students Università degli Studi di Milano Italy -

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    French Can read and understand spoken
    Italian Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    Spanish; Castilian Can read and understand spoken

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2016 - 2020 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD - Plant Genetics
    2012 - 2014 Università degli Studi di Milano Italy Master's Degree - Molecular Cell Biology
    2009 - 2012 Università degli Studi di Milano Italy Bachelor Degree - Biology

  • Postgraduate Training
    Date Title Institution Country
    2023 Flinders Foundations of University Teaching Program Flinders University Australia

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    2024 Approved Arrangement Accreditation for AA Accredited Persons Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia

  • Research Interests
    Agricultural Biotechnology Biotechnology Genetics Microscopy Plant Cell and Molecular Biology Plant Developmental and Reproductive Biology

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2025 Cao, X., Selva, C., Campbell, J. A., Bulone, V., Luo, X., Praveen, A. M., . . . Raston, C. L. (2025). Vortex Fluidic Device-Driven Production of Palmester Fatty Acids for Organic Cosmetic Ingredients. Article submitted to RCS Sustainability.
    2025 Praveen, A. M., Yu, L., Selva, C., & Bulone, V. (2025). Optimization of ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction for the recovery of bioactive compounds from the brown alga Ecklonia radiata. Article submitted to Food Research International.
    2025 Selva, C., Yu, L., Schwerdt, J., Kennedy, W., & Bulone, V. (2025). Unravelling cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis in pathogenic Rhizopus arrhizus. Manuscript in preparation.
    2023 Selva, C., Yang, X., Shirley, N. J., Whitford, R., Baumann, U., & Tucker, M. R. (2023). HvSL1 and HvMADS16 promote stamen identity to restrict multiple ovary formation in barley. Journal of Experimental Botany, 74(17), 5039-5056.
    DOI Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC5
    2022 Selva, C., Shirley, N., Houston, K., Whitford, R., Baumann, U., Li, G., & Tucker, M. R. (2022). HvLEAFY controls the early stages of floral organ specification and inhibits the formation of multiple ovaries in barley. The Plant Journal, 108(2), 509-527.
    DOI Scopus20 WoS20 Europe PMC16
    2020 Selva, C., Riboni, M., Baumann, U., Wurschum, T., Whitford, R., & Tucker, M. R. (2020). Hybrid breeding in wheat: how shaping the floral biology can offer new perspectives. Functional Plant Biology, 47(8), 47-8.
    DOI Scopus22 WoS23 Europe PMC11
    2019 Jia, Y., Selva, C., Zhang, Y., Li, B., McFawn, L. A., Broughton, S., . . . Li, C. (2019). Uncovering the evolutionary origin of blue anthocyanins in cereal grains.. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 101(5), 1057-1074.
    DOI Scopus35 WoS36 Europe PMC23
    2014 Mantegazza, O., Gregis, V., Chiara, M., Selva, C., Leo, G., Horner, D. S., & Kater, M. M. (2014). Gene coexpression patterns during early development of the native Arabidopsis reproductive meristem: Novel candidate developmental regulators and patterns of functional redundancy. Plant Journal, 79(5), 861-877.
    DOI Scopus27 Europe PMC18

  • Conference Items
    Year Citation
    2024 Selva, C. (2024). Duckweed: tiny plants for cosmic discoveries. Poster session presented at the meeting of Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space Conference. Adelaide, Australia.
    2023 Selva, C., Yang, X., Whitford, R., Baumann, U., & Tucker, M. (2023). Establishing a genetic blueprint for floral organ development in barley. Poster session presented at the meeting of International Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG). Perth, Australia.
    2023 Selva, C., Yang, X., Whitford, R., Baumann, U., & Tucker, M. (2023). Establishing a genetic blueprint for floral organ development in barley. Poster session presented at the meeting of International Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG). Perth, Australia.
    2022 Khatun, A., Selva, C., Schwerdt, J., Betts, N., Yu, L., & Bulone, V. (2022). The plant defensin NaD1 inhibits growth of Phytophthora species by interfering with cell wall structure and calcium transport. Poster session presented at the meeting of 21st Annual Meeting of the Oomycete Molecular Genetics Network. Brno, Czech Republic.
    2022 Khatun, A., Selva, C., Schwerdt, J., Betts, N., Yu, L., & Bulone, V. (2022). The plant defensin NaD1 inhibits growth of Phytophthora species by interfering with cell wall structure and calcium transport. Poster session presented at the meeting of 21st Annual Meeting of the Oomycete Molecular Genetics Network. Brno, Czech Republic.
    2021 Selva, C. (2021). Let's Fight Food Waste. Poster session presented at the meeting of Presented as part of the Australian session in Food for Earth 2021 (FAO & Future Food Institute).
    2020 Selva, C. (2020). Understanding flower development in barley (Hordeum vulgare) through characterisation of mov1 multiovary mutant. Poster session presented at the meeting of Symposium Down Under: Mechanisms controlling plant reproduction. Adelaide, Australia.
    2018 Selva, C., Tucker, M. R., Baumann, U., & Whitford, R. (2018). Floral development in barley: characterization of multiovary mutants. Poster session presented at the meeting of International Congress on Sexual Plant Reproduction. Japan.
    2017 Selva, C., Tucker, M. R., Baumann, U., & Whitford, R. (2017). The benefits of sterility: characterizing multiovary mutants for hybrid seed production. Poster session presented at the meeting of Combined biosciences - ComBio. Australia.

  • Theses
    Year Citation
    2020 Selva, C. (2020). Understanding flower development in barley (Hordeum vulgare) through characterization of multiovary (mov) mutants and their potential use in hybrid breeding. (PhD Thesis).

2025 - Principal investigator in the Charlick Endowment Fund funded by The University of Adelaide (AUD $ 12,830).

2023 - Project lead in the Australian Functional Fungi Initiative funded by Bioplatforms Australia (Project Code: FFIRFP1-1, AUD $ 2,200).

2023 - Guest lecturerer at the Glycobiology course at Ocean University (China).

2017 - Mentored the Small Group Discovery Experience in the Foundations in Plant Science course.

 

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Targeting Cell Wall Formation in the Oomycete Phytophthora cinnamomi for Disease Control Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Amena Khatun

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2025 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Investigating the genetic regulation of meristems and the floral transition in duckweed The University of Adelaide - Honours - Jorja Lily Hooper
    2024 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Characterisation of cell wall biosynthetic enzymes in the human fungal pathogen Rhizopus delemar Flinders University - Doctorate - Winona Kennedy
    2023 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Cloning heterologous proteins for the in vitro biochemical characterization of enzymes involved in the synthesis of cell wall polysaccharides Flinders University - Master - Allison Obinna
    2023 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Green technologies for the processing of health promoting bioactives from Australian seaweeds Flinders University - Doctorate - Ajanth Praveen Mookkandi
    2023 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Microbial existence under chemical persistence: analysing the PFAS impact Flinders University - Doctorate - Michelle Sims

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2025 - 2026 Representative Executive Management Committee ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space Australia
    2021 - 2022 Secretary Association of Italian Researchers in Australasia (ARIA) n.a. Australia
    2018 - 2019 Vice-President Postgraduate Association for Waite Students (PAWS) The University of Adelaide Australia

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2024 - ongoing Member Australian Society of Plant Scientists (ASPS) Australia
    2024 - ongoing Member American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) Australia
    2021 - 2022 Member Genetics Society of AustralAsia (GSA) Australia
    2020 - ongoing Member Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) Australia

  • Presentation
    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing Let's Fight Food Waste Presented as part of the Australian session in Food for Earth 2021 (FAO & Future Food Institute) University of Adelaide Australia
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