Darren Wong

Darren Wong

Waite Research Institute

Division of Research and Innovation

Darren is an upcoming Future Making Fellow at Adelaide University. His research focuses on the chemical and genetic basis of specialized metabolism involved in plant-biotic and plant-abiotic interactions. His research leverages cutting-edge genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and integrative approaches to address the molecular mechanisms of floral color and scent changes underpinning pollination strategy shifts in Australian terrestrial orchids through to the transcriptional regulatory networks of plant biotic and abiotic stress responses in major horticultural crops. His work also extends to emerging ethnobotanicals, where his research has explored the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites for applications in fragrances, flavors, dyes/pigments, medicine, and biofuels.
 
Google Scholar profile:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rg8bEosAAAAJ&hl=en
Research Portal+:
https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/darren-wong

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2025 - ongoing Future Making Fellow University of Adelaide
    2025 - ongoing Visiting fellow Australian National University
    2023 - 2025 Research fellow (level B) Australian National University
    2019 - 2023 DECRA fellow Australian National University
    2016 - 2018 Research fellow (level A) Australian National University
    2014 - 2016 Postdoctoral fellow University of British Columbia

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2025 Award Best EMCR Presentation Award TERPNET2025 Australia -
    2024 Teaching Award RSB Director's Prize in Honours Australian National University Australia -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    University of Adelaide Australia B. Sc Hons (Plant Science)
    University of Adelaide Australia B. Sc (Genetics)

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2025 Zhou, F., Zhao, Y. N., Perkins, J., Xu, H., Pichersky, E., Peakall, R., & Wong, D. C. J. (2025). Fine-tuned terpene synthase gene expression, functional promiscuity, and subcellular localization: Implications for the evolution of complex floral volatile bouquet in Caladenia orchids. Plant and Cell Physiology, 66(4), 627-644.
    DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC1
    2025 O’Donnell, R. P., Wong, D. C. J., Phillips, R. D., Peakall, R., & Linde, C. C. (2025). Discordance Down Under: Combining Phylogenomics and Fungal Symbioses to Detangle Difficult Nodes in a Diverse Tribe of Australian Terrestrial Orchids. Systematic Biology, 74(3), 434-452.
    DOI Scopus2 Europe PMC2
    2025 Wong, D. C. J., Wang, Z., Perkins, J., Jin, X., Marsh, G. E., John, E. G., & Peakall, R. (2025). The road less taken: Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase inactivation and delphinidin anthocyanin loss underpins a natural intraspecific flower colour variation. Molecular Ecology, 34(15), e17334.
    DOI Scopus5 Europe PMC6
    2024 Hou, Y., Wong, D. C. J., Sun, X., Li, Q., Zhou, H., Meng, L., . . . Xin, H. (2024). VvbHLH036, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor regulates the cold tolerance of grapevine. Plant Physiology, 196(4), 2871-2889.
    DOI Scopus9 Europe PMC8
    2024 Wang, Z., Wang, Y., & Wong, D. C. J. (2024). Editorial: Surviving and thriving: how crops perceive and respond to temperature stress. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 4 pages.
    DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC3
    2023 Wong, D. C. J., Pichersky, E., & Peakall, R. (2023). Many different flowers make a bouquet: Lessons from specialized metabolite diversity in plant–pollinator interactions. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 73, 102332.
    DOI Scopus12 Europe PMC11
    2023 Orduña, L., Santiago, A., Navarro-Payá, D., Zhang, C., Wong, D. C. J., & Matus, J. T. (2023). Aggregated gene co-expression networks predict transcription factor regulatory landscapes in grapevine. Journal of Experimental Botany, 74(21), 6522-6540.
    DOI Scopus5 Europe PMC9
    2023 Cardona-Medina, E., Santos, M., Nodari, R., Hornero-Méndez, D., Peris, A., Wong, D. C. J., . . . Rodríguez-Concepción, M. (2023). Accumulation of azafrin in the root apoplast of the medicinal plant Escobedia grandiflora might play a role in parasitism. Plants People Planet, 5(3), 354-367.
    DOI
    2023 Jin, X., Wang, Z., Li, X., Ai, Q., Wong, D. C. J., Zhang, F., . . . Si, H. (2023). Current perspectives of lncRNAs in abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14.
    DOI Scopus20
    2023 Zhang, C., Dai, Z., Ferrier, T., Orduña, L., Santiago, A., Peris, A., . . . Matus, J. T. (2023). MYB24 orchestrates terpene and flavonol metabolism as light responses to anthocyanin depletion in variegated grape berries. Plant Cell, 35(12), 4238-4265.
    DOI Scopus34 Europe PMC21
    2023 Hou, Y., Wong, D. C. J., Li, Q., Zhou, H., Zhu, Z., Gong, L., . . . Xin, H. (2023). Dissecting the effect of ethylene in the transcriptional regulation of chilling treatment in grapevine leaves. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 196, 1084-1097.
    DOI Scopus14 Europe PMC10
    2022 Orduña, L., Li, M., Navarro-Payá, D., Zhang, C., Santiago, A., Romero, P., . . . Matus, J. T. (2022). Direct regulation of shikimate, early phenylpropanoid, and stilbenoid pathways by Subgroup 2 R2R3-MYBs in grapevine. Plant Journal, 110(2), 529-547.
    DOI Scopus39 Europe PMC34
    2022 Sweetman, C., Waterman, C. D., Wong, D. C. J., Day, D. A., Jenkins, C. L. D., & Soole, K. L. (2022). Altering the balance between AOX1A and NDB2 expression affects a common set of transcripts in Arabidopsis. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
    DOI Scopus6
    2022 Wong, D. C. J., Perkins, J., & Peakall, R. (2022). Anthocyanin and Flavonol Glycoside Metabolic Pathways Underpin Floral Color Mimicry and Contrast in a Sexually Deceptive Orchid. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
    DOI Scopus17
    2022 Wong, D. C. J., Perkins, J., & Peakall, R. (2022). Conserved pigment pathways underpin the dark insectiform floral structures of sexually deceptive Chiloglottis (Orchidaceae). Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
    DOI Scopus8
    2022 Wang, Z., Wong, D. C. J., Chen, Z., Bai, W., Si, H., & Jin, X. (2022). Emerging Roles of Plant DNA-Binding With One Finger Transcription Factors in Various Hormone and Stress Signaling Pathways. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
    DOI Scopus25
    2022 Wong, D. C. J., & Peakall, R. (2022). Orchid Phylotranscriptomics: The Prospects of Repurposing Multi-Tissue Transcriptomes for Phylogenetic Analysis and Beyond. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
    DOI Scopus19
    2021 Burbidge, C. A., Ford, C. M., Melino, V. J., Wong, D. C. J., Jia, Y., Jenkins, C. L. D., . . . Sweetman, C. (2021). Biosynthesis and Cellular Functions of Tartaric Acid in Grapevines.. Front Plant Sci, 12, 1-22.
    DOI Scopus62 WoS58 Europe PMC36
    2021 Peakall, R., Wong, D. C. J., Phillips, R. D., Ruibal, M., Eyles, R., Rodriguez-Delgado, C., & Linde, C. C. (2021). A multitiered sequence capture strategy spanning broad evolutionary scales: Application for phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies of orchids. Molecular Ecology Resources, 21(4), 1118-1140.
    DOI Scopus17 Europe PMC13
    2021 Degu, A., Wong, D. C. J., Ciman, G. M., Lonardi, F., Mattivi, F., & Fait, A. (2021). Not just shrivelling: time-series profiling of the biochemical changes in Corvina (Vitis vinifera L.) berries subjected to post-harvest withering. Oeno One, 55(2), 115-129.
    DOI Scopus6
    2021 Wang, Z., Wong, D. C. J., Wang, Y., Xu, G., Ren, C., Liu, Y., . . . Liang, Z. (2021). GRAS-domain transcription factor PAT1 regulates jasmonic acid biosynthesis in grape cold stress response. Plant Physiology, 186(3), 1660-1678.
    DOI Scopus106 Europe PMC77
    2020 Perkins, M. L., Schuetz, M., Unda, F., Smith, R. A., Sibout, R., Hoffmann, N. J., . . . Samuels, L. (2020). Dwarfism of high-monolignol Arabidopsis plants is rescued by ectopic LACCASE overexpression. Plant Direct, 4(9).
    DOI Scopus21
    2020 Dimopoulos, N., Tindjau, R., Wong, D. C. J., Matzat, T., Haslam, T., Song, C., . . . Castellarin, S. D. (2020). Drought stress modulates cuticular wax composition of the grape berry. Journal of Experimental Botany, 71(10), 3126-3141.
    DOI Scopus73
    2020 Livingston, S. J., Quilichini, T. D., Booth, J. K., Wong, D. C. J., Rensing, K. H., Laflamme-Yonkman, J., . . . Samuels, A. L. (2020). Cannabis glandular trichomes alter morphology and metabolite content during flower maturation. Plant Journal, 101(1), 37-56.
    DOI Scopus220 Europe PMC140
    2020 Wong, D. C. J. (2020). Network aggregation improves gene function prediction of grapevine gene co-expression networks. Plant Molecular Biology, 103(4-5), 425-441.
    DOI Scopus20 Europe PMC19
    2020 Kreynes, A. E., Yong, Z., Liu, X. M., Wong, D. C. J., Castellarin, S. D., & Ellis, B. E. (2020). Biological impacts of phosphomimic AtMYB75. Planta, 251(3), 60.
    DOI Scopus11 Europe PMC7
    2020 Azaman, S. N. A., Wong, D. C. J., Tan, S. W., Yusoff, F. M., Nagao, N., & Yeap, S. K. (2020). De novo transcriptome analysis of Chlorella sorokiniana: effect of glucose assimilation, and moderate light intensity. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 17331.
    DOI Scopus27 Europe PMC11
    2019 Wong, D. C. J., Amarasinghe, R., Falara, V., Pichersky, E., & Peakall, R. (2019). Duplication and selection in β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase gene lineages in the sexually deceptive Chiloglottis (Orchidaceace). Annals of Botany, 123(6), 1053-1066.
    DOI Scopus9 Europe PMC8
    2019 Wong, D. C. J. (2019). Harnessing Integrated Omics Approaches for Plant Specialized Metabolism Research: New Insights into Shikonin Biosynthesis. Plant and Cell Physiology, 60(1), 4-6.
    DOI Scopus12 Europe PMC8
    2019 Sun, X., Zhang, L., Wong, D. C. J., Wang, Y., Zhu, Z., Xu, G., . . . Xin, H. (2019). The ethylene response factor VaERF092 from Amur grape regulates the transcription factor VaWRKY33, improving cold tolerance. Plant Journal, 99(5), 988-1002.
    DOI Scopus124 Europe PMC75
    2019 Degu, A., Hochberg, U., Wong, D. C. J., Alberti, G., Lazarovitch, N., Peterlunger, E., . . . Fait, A. (2019). Swift metabolite changes and leaf shedding are milestones in the acclimation process of grapevine under prolonged water stress. BMC Plant Biology, 19(1), 69.
    DOI Scopus42 Europe PMC17
    2018 Sun, X., Matus, J. T., Wong, D. C. J., Wang, Z., Chai, F., Zhang, L., . . . Xin, H. (2018). The GARP/MYB-related grape transcription factor AQUILO improves cold tolerance and promotes the accumulation of raffinose family oligosaccharides. Journal of Experimental Botany, 69(7), 1749-1764.
    DOI Scopus85 Europe PMC56
    2018 Vannozzi, A., Wong, D. C. J., Höll, J., Hmmam, I., Matus, J. T., Bogs, J., . . . Lucchin, M. (2018). Combinatorial Regulation of Stilbene Synthase Genes by WRKY and MYB Transcription Factors in Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). Plant and Cell Physiology, 59(5), 1043-1059.
    DOI Scopus123 Europe PMC78
    2018 Wong, D. C. J., Amarasinghe, R., Pichersky, E., & Peakall, R. (2018). Evidence for the involvement of fatty acid biosynthesis and degradation in the formation of insect sex pheromone-mimicking chiloglottones in sexually deceptive chiloglottis orchids. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9.
    DOI Scopus9
    2018 Chen, Y., Grimplet, J., David, K., Castellarin, S. D., Terol, J., Wong, D. C. J., . . . Chervin, C. (2018). Ethylene receptors and related proteins in climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. Plant Science, 276, 63-72.
    DOI Scopus119 Europe PMC53
    2018 Vandelle, E., Vannozzi, A., Wong, D., Danzi, D., Digby, A. M., Dal Santo, S., & Astegno, A. (2018). Identification, characterization, and expression analysis of calmodulin and calmodulin-like genes in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) reveal likely roles in stress responses. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 129, 221-237.
    DOI Scopus59 Europe PMC34
    2018 Wong, D. C. J., Zhang, L., Merlin, I., Castellarin, S. D., & Gambetta, G. A. (2018). Structure and transcriptional regulation of the major intrinsic protein gene family in grapevine. BMC Genomics, 19(1), 248.
    DOI Scopus27 Europe PMC16
    2018 Wong, D. C. J., Ariani, P., Castellarin, S., Polverari, A., & Vandelle, E. (2018). Co-expression network analysis and cis-regulatory element enrichment determine putative functions and regulatory mechanisms of grapevine ATL E3 ubiquitin ligases. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 3151.
    DOI Scopus10 Europe PMC4
    2017 Wong, D. C. J., Amarasinghe, R., Rodriguez-Delgado, C., Eyles, R., Pichersky, E., & Peakall, R. (2017). Tissue-specific floral transcriptome analysis of the sexually deceptive orchid Chiloglottis trapeziformis provides insights into the biosynthesis and regulation of its unique UV-B dependent floral volatile, chiloglottone 1. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8.
    DOI Scopus17
    2017 Wong, D. C. J., Lopez Gutierrez, R., Gambetta, G. A., & Castellarin, S. D. (2017). Genome-wide analysis of cis-regulatory element structure and discovery of motif-driven gene co-expression networks in grapevine. DNA Research, 24(3), 311-326.
    DOI Scopus40 Europe PMC29
    2017 Wong, D. C. J., Pichersky, E., & Peakall, R. (2017). The biosynthesis of unusual floral volatiles and blends involved in orchid pollination by deception: Current progress and future prospects. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8.
    DOI Scopus36
    2017 Xu, H., Bohman, B., Wong, D. C. J., Rodriguez-Delgado, C., Scaffidi, A., Flematti, G. R., . . . Peakall, R. (2017). Complex Sexual Deception in an Orchid Is Achieved by Co-opting Two Independent Biosynthetic Pathways for Pollinator Attraction. Current Biology, 27(13), 1867-1877.e5.
    DOI Scopus72 Europe PMC53
    2017 Wong, D. C. J., & Matus, J. T. (2017). Constructing integrated networks for identifying new secondary metabolic pathway regulators in grapevine: Recent applications and future opportunities. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8, 505.
    DOI Scopus56 Europe PMC38
    2017 Ariani, P., Vandelle, E., Wong, D., Giorgetti, A., Porceddu, A., Camiolo, S., & Polverari, A. (2017). Comprehensive workflow for the genome-wide identification and expression meta-analysis of the ATL E3 ubiquitin ligase gene family in grapevine. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2017(130).
    DOI Scopus5 Europe PMC3
    2017 Savoi, S., Wong, D. C. J., Degu, A., Herrera, J. C., Bucchetti, B., Peterlunger, E., . . . Castellarin, S. D. (2017). Multi-omics and integrated network analyses reveal new insights into the systems relationships between metabolites, structural genes, and transcriptional regulators in developing grape berries (Vitis vinifera L.) exposed to water deficit. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8.
    DOI Scopus103
    2016 Wong, D. C. J., Schlechter, R., Vannozzi, A., Höll, J., Hmmam, I., Bogs, J., . . . Matus, J. T. (2016). A systems-oriented analysis of the grapevine R2R3-MYB transcription factor family uncovers new insights into the regulation of stilbene accumulation. DNA Research, 23(5), 451-466.
    DOI Scopus118 Europe PMC85
    2016 Ariani, P., Regaiolo, A., Lovato, A., Giorgetti, A., Porceddu, A., Camiolo, S., . . . Polverari, A. (2016). Genome-wide characterisation and expression profile of the grapevine ATL ubiquitin ligase family reveal biotic and abiotic stress-responsive and development-related members. Scientific Reports, 6(1), 38260.
    DOI Scopus31 Europe PMC24
    2016 Loyola, R., Herrera, D., Mas, A., Wong, D. C. J., Höll, J., Cavallini, E., . . . Arce-Johnson, P. (2016). The photomorphogenic factors UV-B RECEPTOR 1, ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5, and HY5 HOMOLOGUE are part of the UV-B signalling pathway in grapevine and mediate flavonol accumulation in response to the environment. Journal of Experimental Botany, 67(18), 5429-5445.
    DOI Scopus111 Europe PMC84
    2016 Savoi, S., Wong, D. C. J., Arapitsas, P., Miculan, M., Bucchetti, B., Peterlunger, E., . . . Castellarin, S. D. (2016). Transcriptome and metabolite profiling reveals that prolonged drought modulates the phenylpropanoid and terpenoid pathway in white grapes (Vitis vinifera L.). BMC Plant Biology, 16(1), 67.
    DOI Scopus284 Europe PMC145
    2016 Wong, D. C. J., Lopez Gutierrez, R., Dimopoulos, N., Gambetta, G. A., & Castellarin, S. D. (2016). Combined physiological, transcriptome, and cis-regulatory element analyses indicate that key aspects of ripening, metabolism, and transcriptional program in grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) are differentially modulated accordingly to fruit size. BMC Genomics, 17(1), 416.
    DOI Scopus59 Europe PMC40
    2015 Jia, Y., Wong, D., Sweetman, C., Bruning, J., & Ford, C. (2015). New insights into the evolutionary history of plant sorbitol dehydrogenase. BMC Plant Biology, 15(1), 101-1-101-23.
    DOI Scopus35 WoS31 Europe PMC21
    2014 Wong, D., Sweetman, C., & Ford, C. (2014). Annotation of gene function in citrus using gene expression information and co-expression networks. BMC Plant Biology, 14(1), 186-1-186-17.
    DOI Scopus42 WoS39 Europe PMC31
    2013 Wong, D., Sweetman, C., Drew, D., & Ford, C. (2013). VTCdb: a gene co-expression database for the crop species Vitis vinifera (grapevine). BMC Genomics, 14(1), 1-17.
    DOI Scopus56 WoS52 Europe PMC48
    2012 Sweetman, C., Wong, D., Ford, C., & Drew, D. (2012). Transcriptome analysis at four developmental stages of grape berry (Vitis vinifera cv. Shiraz) provides insights into regulated and coordinated gene expression. BMC Genomics, 12(691), 1-25.
    DOI Scopus142 WoS131 Europe PMC87
    2012 Wong, D. J. C., Ismail, I. A., Godfrey, D., & Able, A. J. (2012). Death by toxin net blotch disease of barley. Microbiology Australia, 33(1), 34-35.

Cat 1 - Australian Competitive Grants - Commonwealth Funder

Title: Genomic analysis of specificity and nutrient exchange in orchid-fungal interactions
Description: This project tackles a key unexplored aspect of molecular conservation biology of Australian orchids. Here we aim to identify genes that allow orchid mycorrhizal fungi to support orchid germination and growth.
Funding Scheme: Hermon Slade Foundation Grant
Investigators: Linde C, Peakall R, Schwessinger B, Wong DCJ
Total Awarded Amount: AUD 30,000

Title: Molecular systems biology of novel flower colour evolution
Description: This study will reveal how some plants evolve unique floral colour signals during speciation and lineage diversification in Australia.
Funding Scheme: ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)
Investigators: Wong D 
Total Awarded Amount: AUD 392,000

Other Funding:

Title: RSB Small Research Equipment Scheme
Description: Thermo/Dionex Diode Array Detector (DAD) add-on for Thermo Orbitrap QExactive Plus
Funding Scheme: RSB Small Research Equipment Scheme Funding Category (Source of Funds): Other Funder: Australian National University
Investigators: Wong D
Total Awarded Amount: AUD 24,000

Title: Adelaide Graduate Research Award
Funding Scheme: Adelaide Graduate Research Award Funding Category (Source of Funds): Other Funder: University of Adelaide Investigators: Wong D 
Total Awarded Amount: AUD 90,000

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Exploring the genetic mechanisms underpinning floral pigmentation variation in Australian Caladenia orchids Australian National University - Honours Full Time Emma J
    2023 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Exploring the genomic basis underpinning the loss of floral pigmentation in the orchid Glossodia major Australian National University Advanced Studies Course (ASC) Other Part Time Emma J
    2022 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Differentially expressed anthocyanin pathway genes in Caladenia carnea Australian National University Summer Research Internship Other Full Time You J
    2021 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Changes in Flower Colour of Glossodia major Australian National University Summer Research Internship Program Other Full Time Grace M
    2021 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Chemical Ecology and Pollination of the Eastern Australian Underground Orchids (Rhizanthella spp.) Australian National University - Doctorate Full Time James P

  • Mentoring
    Date Topic Location Name
    2025 - ongoing Evolution of Fruit Scent in Madagascar Figs German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Linh N
    2022 - ongoing Understanding Australian Orchids & Their Mycorrhizal Fungi – Macro to Microevolutionary Perspectives Australian National University Ryan P

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2023 - ongoing Associate Editor Frontiers in Plant Science Frontiers Media SA Switzerland

  • Industry Partnerships
    Date Engagement Type Partner Name
    2017 - 2020 Consultant BioCan Technologies Inc.
Connect With Me
External Profiles