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Dr Melissa de Oliveira Santos Garcia

Melissa de Oliveira Santos Garcia
Research Fellow
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Faculty of Sciences

I'm a plant geneticist interested in plant breeding and the use of new genetic diversity. After completing my BSc in Biological Sciences, I did a MSc on Genetics and Plant Breeding where I looked at the genetic diversity in a genus of Brazilian orchids. During my PhD, I continued to work on genetic diversity and its use in plant breeding by studying a legume forage. This project was a collaboration between the University of Campinas and the Brazilian Agricultural Corporation (Embrapa) to assist their breeding programs. Following my PhD, I got a postdoc position to study sugarcane as part of a large program aiming at improving sugarcane for ethanol production.
In 2011, I moved to Australia to work at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG). At ACPFG, I was involved in several projects such as the introgression of yield QTL into different backgrounds, the development and use of new molecular markers and marker technologies, QTL mapping and genome wide association studies. I was also involved in a collaboration with DuPont Pioneer to study hybrid wheat.
Since 2015, I have been working on the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for genetic diversity and molecular breeding for wheat in a hot and dry climate (IH130200027) where I lead a program that looks at germplasm development for genetic diversity, mostly through the use of a nested association mapping population.

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External Profiles

Dr Melissa de Oliveira Santos Garcia

I'm a plant geneticist interested in plant breeding and the use of new genetic diversity. After completing my BSc in Biological Sciences, I did a MSc on Genetics and Plant Breeding where I looked at the genetic diversity in a genus of Brazilian orchids. During my PhD, I continued to work on genetic diversity and its use in plant breeding by studying a legume forage. This project was a collaboration between the University of Campinas and the Brazilian Agricultural Corporation (Embrapa) to assist their breeding programs. Following my PhD, I got a postdoc position to study sugarcane as part of a large program aiming at improving sugarcane for ethanol production.
In 2011, I moved to Australia to work at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG). At ACPFG, I was involved in several projects such as the introgression of yield QTL into different backgrounds, the development and use of new molecular markers and marker technologies, QTL mapping and genome wide association studies. I was also involved in a collaboration with DuPont Pioneer to study hybrid wheat.
Since 2015, I have been working on the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for genetic diversity and molecular breeding for wheat in a hot and dry climate (IH130200027) where I lead a program that looks at germplasm development for genetic diversity, mostly through the use of a nested association mapping population.

✓ Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD — email supervisor to discuss availability.

Appointments

Date Position Institution name
2014 - 2011 Postdoctoral Fellow University of Campinas
2011 Research Fellow University of Adelaide

Language Competencies

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
Portuguese Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Education

Date Institution name Country Title
2005 - 2009 The University of Campinas Brazil PhD
2002 - 2004 The University of Londrina Brazil MSc

Research Interests

Genetics Quantitative Genetics

Journals

Year Citation
2017 Tucker, E., Baumann, U., Kouidri, A., Suchecki, R., Baes, M., Garcia, M., . . . Whitford, R. (2017). Molecular identification of the wheat male fertility gene Ms1 and its prospects for hybrid breeding. Nature Communications, 8(1), 869-1-869-10.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2015 Jayatilake, D., Tucker, E., Brueggemann, J., Lewis, J., Garcia, M., Dreisigacker, S., . . . Mather, D. (2015). Genetic mapping of the Cre8 locus for resistance against cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera avenae Woll.) in wheat. Molecular Breeding, 35(2), 66-1-66-12.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC1
2015 Hayes, J., Pallotta, M., Garcia, M., Öz, M., Rongala, J., & Sutton, T. (2015). Diversity in boron toxicity tolerance of Australian barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes. BMC Plant Biology, 15(1), 231-1-231-14.
DOI Scopus4 WoS5 Europe PMC2
2014 Garcia, M., & Mather, D. (2014). From genes to markers: Exploiting gene sequence information to develop tools for plant breeding. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1145, 21-36.
DOI Scopus2 Europe PMC2
2013 Whitford, R., Fleury, D., Reif, J., Garcia, M., Okada, T., Korzun, V., & Langridge, P. (2013). Hybrid breeding in wheat: technologies to improve hybrid wheat seed production. Journal of Experimental Botany, 64(18), 5411-5428.
DOI Scopus56 WoS55 Europe PMC34
2013 Garcia, A., Mollinari, M., Marconi, T., Serang, O., Silva, R., Vieira, M., . . . Souza, A. (2013). SNP genotyping allows an in-depth characterisation of the genome of sugarcane and other complex autopolyploids. Scientific Reports, 3(1), 3399-1-3399-10.
DOI Scopus36 WoS30 Europe PMC22
2013 Garcia, M., Vigna, B., Sousa, A., Jungmann, L., Cidade, F., Toledo-Silva, G., . . . Souza, A. (2013). Molecular genetic variability, population structure and mating system in tropical forages. Tropical Grasslands - Forrajes Tropicales, 1(1), 25-30.
DOI Scopus4
2012 Santos-Garcia, M., de Toledo-Silva, G., Sassaki, R., Ferreira, T., Simeão Resende, R., Chiari, L., . . . de Souza, A. (2012). Using genetic diversity information to establish core collections of Stylosanthes capitata and Stylosanthes macrocephala. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 35(4), 847-861.
DOI Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC2
2012 Santos-Garcia, M., Karia, C., Resende, R., Chiari, L., Vieira, M., Zucchi, M., & Souza, A. (2012). Identification of Stylosanthes guianensis varieties using molecular genetic analysis. AoB Plants, 2012(1), pls001-1-pls001-14.
DOI Scopus11 WoS6 Europe PMC3
2011 de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M. (2011). Mating systems in tropical forages: Stylosanthes capitata Vog. and Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.. Euphytica, 178(2), 185-193.
DOI Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC1
2010 Rego Oliveira, L., de Faria, R., de Fatima Ruas, C., Ruas, P., de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., & Carvalho, V. (2010). Genetic analysis of species in the Genus Catasetum (ORCHIDACEAE) using RAPD markers. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology: an international journal, 53(2), 375-387.
DOI
2010 Aurelle, D., & de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M. (2010). Permanent genetic resources added to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 February 2010-31 March 2010. Molecular Ecology Resources, 10(4), 751-754.
DOI WoS19 Europe PMC7
2010 Hotta, C., Lembke, C., Domingues, D., Ochoa, E., Cruz, G., Melotto-Passarin, D., . . . Souza, G. (2010). The biotechnology roadmap for sugarcane improvement. Tropical Plant Biology, 3(2), 75-87.
DOI Scopus39
2009 VARELA, E., GONÇALVES, E., SANTOS, M., SAMPAIO, I., & SCHNEIDER, H. (2009). Isolation and characterization of 11 microsatellite loci in the mangrove crab,
(Ocypodidae: Ucidinae). Molecular Ecology Resources, 9(5), 1395-1397.
DOI WoS2 Europe PMC1
2009 Santos, M., Sassaki, R., Chiari, L., Resende, R., & De Souza, A. (2009). Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in tropical forage Stylosanthes capitata Vogel. Molecular Ecology Resources, 9(1), 192-194.
DOI Scopus8 WoS6 Europe PMC3
2009 de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., Sassaki, R., Ferreira, T., Resende, M., Chiari, L., Karia, C., . . . Souza, A. (2009). Polymorphic microsatellite loci for Stylosanthes macrocephala Ferr. et Costa, a tropical forage legume. Conservation Genetics Resources, 1(1), 481-485.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5
2009 de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., Karia, C., Resende, M., Chiari, L., Jungmann, L., Zucchi, M., & Souza, A. (2009). Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the tropical forage legume Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.. Conservation Genetics Resources, 1(1), 43-46.
DOI Scopus10 WoS7
2009 Ruas, C., Nakayama, T., Ortiz, M., Kuroki, M., Stuessy, T., Ruas, E., . . . Ruas, P. (2009). Isolation and characterization of eight microsatellite loci from the endangered plant species Hypochaeris salzmanniana (Asteraceae). Conservation Genetics, 10(5), 1413-1416.
DOI WoS2 Europe PMC1
2009 Souza, L., Mantello, C., de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., de Souza Goncalves, P., & Souza, A. (2009). Microsatellites from rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) for genetic diversity analysis and cross-amplification in six Hevea wild species. Conservation Genetics Resources, 1(1), 75-79.
DOI Scopus22 WoS18
2008 Pinheiro, F., de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., Palma-Silva, C., Barros, F., Meyer, D., Salatino, A., . . . Cozzolino, S. (2008). Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in Epidendrum puniceoluteum, an endemic orchid from the Atlantic Rainforest. Molecular Ecology Resources, 8(5), 1114-1116.
DOI WoS11 Europe PMC8
2008 Santos, K., Santos, M., Laborda, P., Souza, A., Peroni, N., & Nodari, R. (2008). Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret. Molecular Ecology Resources, 8(6), 1417-1419.
DOI Scopus3
2008 Pinheiro, F., Santos, M., Barros, F., Meyer, D., Salatino, A., Souza, A., & Cozzolino, S. (2008). Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the Brazilian orchid Epidendrum fulgens. Conservation Genetics, 9(6), 1661-1663.
DOI WoS12 Europe PMC6
2007 Ferreirs-Ramos, R., Laborda, P., de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., Mayor, M., Mestriner, M., Souza, A., & Alzate-Marin, A. (2007). Genetic analysis of forest species Eugenia uniflora L. through of newly developed SSR markers. Conservation Genetics, 9(5), 1281-1285.
DOI Europe PMC2
2005 Cardamoni Diniz, L., de Fatima Ruas, C., de Paula Carvalho, V., Torres, F., Ruas, E., de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., . . . Ruas, P. (2005). Genetic diversity among forty coffee varieties assessed by RAPD markers associated with restriction digestion. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 48(4), 511-521.
DOI
2005 de Fatima Ruas, C., Vanzela, A., de Oliveira Santos Garcia, M., Fregonezi, J., Ruas, E., Matzenbacher, N., & de Aguiar-Perecin, M. (2005). Chromosomal organization and phylogenetic relationships in Hypochaeris species (Asteraceae) from Brazil. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 28(1), 129-139.
DOI Scopus28 WoS28

Filesets

Year Citation
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Xiaoyan-54 WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Alsen WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Excalibur WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Gladius WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). H-45 WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). RAC-875 WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Volcani-DD-1 WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Wyalkatchem WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Yitpi WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Kukri WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Pastor WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Westonia WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Chara,AUS WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Drysdale WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). Baxter WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI
— Watson-Haigh, N., Suchecki, R., Garcia, M. D. O. S., Kalashyan, E., & Baumann, U. (n.d.). AC-Barrie WGS vs IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 Genome Assembly.
DOI

Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2018 Co-Supervisor Nested Association Mapping to Identify Genomic Regions Associated with Wheat Yield under Australian Agronomic Conditions Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Charity Chidzanga
2016 Co-Supervisor Genome Wide Association Study of Drought and Heat Tolerance in Wheat Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Jessica Schmidt

Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2015 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Towards the positional cloning of yield QTL on chromosome 1B for drought tolerance in wheat Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Habtamu Seboka Tura

Committee Memberships

Date Role Committee Institution Country
2017 - ongoing Member Wheat Initiative Expert Working Group on Wheat Breeding Methods and Strategies — —
Position
Research Fellow
Phone
83139809
Email
melissa.garcia@adelaide.edu.au
Campus
Waite
Building
Plant Genomics Centre, floor 2
Room Number
2 17
Org Unit
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

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