image: Professor Varshney FAA FRS standing in a wheat field
Credit: CCFI, Murdoch University
In an announcement issued earlier today, Australia’s pre-eminent scientific organisation recognised Murdoch University Professor Rajeev Varshney for his ground-breaking and translational contributions to crop productivity and global food security.
Professor Varshney’s election as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science sees him join the ranks of the nation’s most distinguished scientists, with his inclusion marking him as the only West Australian out of the 26 scientists elected in 2025.
Prof Varshney is an internationally renowned expert in genomics, genetics and pre-breeding who serves as Director of the Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Director of the WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, and International Chair – Agriculture and Food Security at Murdoch University. His groundbreaking work in crop genomics is helping to secure food production in the face of climate change
His research breakthroughs include decoding genomes of over a dozen crops, developing the Genomics-Assisted Breeding (GAB) framework, and conceptualising and popularising the super-pangenome approach. These tools and approaches are accelerating crop improvement programmes all over the world. He currently leads multiple research projects designed to boost Australian cereal, legume and horticultural crop productivity, working directly with primary industry across the country and research development corporations, such as GRDC and Hort Innovation.
He has also played a leading role in agricultural projects in Africa and Asia that lifted millions of smallholder farmers out of poverty and transformed national breeding programmes.
Speaking on his election as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Varshney said,
“It is an honour to be recognised by my peers for my contributions to agricultural research in Australia and abroad.
“I have long admired Australia’s rich agricultural heritage, with pioneers such as William Farrer paving the way for our robust and internationally competitive sector. I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to meet and work with transformative scientists, such as Norman Borlaug and MS Swaminathan. Their inspirational efforts to usher in a more sustainable and equitable agricultural sector played a major role in my research focus, which is to deliver innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges facing global food production.
“Leading two of Western Australia’s most dynamic research centres has been an immense privilege. Through the support of our investors, collaborators, my team, and the Research Leaders at Murdoch University, we’re making significant steps towards the development of climate-resilient, highly productive and more nutritious crops.”
Murdoch University Vice Chancellor, Professor Andrew Deeks, congratulated Professor Varshney, stating that his election demonstrates his outstanding and enduring efforts to deliver research with impact.
“Professor Varshney represents Murdoch University’s ethos of delivering translational research and his contributions to the field over his relatively short career have been tremendous.
“As Murdoch University’s only Fellow of the Royal Society and our second elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Varshney has been an outstanding ambassador of research excellence for the University and Western Australia as a whole. I wholeheartedly congratulate him for this well-deserved recognition.”
Learn more about how Murdoch University research is developing innovative and future-proofed solutions for the agricultural sector.
ENDS
Notes to editor:
Founded in 1954, the Australian Academy of Science is an independent organisation established by Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London, with the distinguished physicist Sir Mark Oliphant serving as the founding President. The Fellowship now stands at 638 Fellows, with notable West Australian Fellows including Nobel laureate Professor Barry Marshall AC, Professor Lyn Beazley AO and Professor Elaine Holmes. Further details of the Academy of Science can be found here.
Further details of the Centre for Crop and Food Innovation research activity and focus can be found here.