Primary research interest

Developmental genetics, genomics, epigenetics and epigenomics, chromatin regulation, gene regulatory networks

About me

I obtained my PhD in Genetics from Purdue University (USA) in 2004, followed by postdoctoral training in genomics and epigenomics at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York (2004 - 2011). Since 2012 I have been an academic at UQ, running a research group and teaching into Genetics and Plant Science majors.

Research focus and collaborations

My research interests are at the intersection of plant developmental genetics, functional genomics, and molecular and systems biology. The research effort in my group is focused on harnessing transformative genomics technology to understand the genetics of plant development, and to discover regulatory mechanisms coordinating plant growth and development. We utilize a variety of plant species in our research, from the model plant organism Arabidopsis to grain and horticultural crops like wheat, mango, avocado and macadamia. We employ a range of techniques based on high throughout DNA sequencing to explore gene expression, chromatin modifications and accessibility from single cell to whole plant levels, combined with bioinformatics and computational biology tools to infer genetic components of gene regulatory networks, and test their functions using gene editing technology.

We continuously work on translating our basic research findings and genome profiling technologies to improve and intensify crop production in collaborative research with government and industry partners.

Funded projects

  • Hort Innovation Australia: Genetics for Next Generation Orchards (2024-2029)
  • Genome Innovation Hub: Single cell profiling of plant cells (2020)
  • Hort Innovation Australia National Tree Genomics Program-Genotype Predictions (2018-2023)
  • ARC Discovery The role of sugar demand in apical dominance: Branching in a new direction (2015-2017)
  • Horticulture Australia: Horticultural Transformational Fund (2014-2016) Transforming subtropical/ tropical tree crop productivity

Teaching interests

Genetics, Genomics, Developmental Biology, Plant Biology

Achievements and awards

  • Genetics Society of Australasia Excellence in Education Award (2022)

Featured publications

Humphreys, Jazmine L., Beveridge, Christine A., and Tanurdžić, Miloš (2024). Strigolactone induces D14‐dependent large‐scale changes in gene expression requiring SWI/SNF chromatin remodellers. The Plant Journal 119 (3) 1526-1542. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.16873

Hellens, Alicia M., Humphreys, Jazmine L., Fichtner, Franziska, Tanurdžić, Miloš, Beveridge, Christine A., and Barbier, François F. (2023). Genome-wide identification of accessible chromatin regions by ATAC-seq upon induction of the transcription factor bZIP11 in Arabidopsis. Scientific Data 10 (1) 490 490. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02395-6

Kerr, Stephanie C., Shehnaz, Saiyara, Paudel, Lucky, Manivannan, Mekaladevi S., Shaw, Lindsay M., Johnson, Amanda, Velasquez, Jose Teodoro J., Tanurdžić, Miloš, Cazzonelli, Christopher I., Varkonyi-Gasic, Erika, and Prentis, Peter J. (2024). Advancing tree genomics to future proof next generation orchard production. Frontiers in Plant Science 14 1321555 1-23. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1321555

Zhang, Yan, Andrews, Haylie, Eglitis-Sexton, Judith, Godwin, Ian, Tanurdžić, Miloš, and Crisp, Peter A. (2022). Epigenome guided crop improvement: current progress and future opportunities. Emerging Topics in Life Sciences 6 (2) 141-151. https://doi.org/10.1042/etls20210258

Tanurdžić, Miloš (2021). Profiling the endosperm, one nucleus at a time. Nature Plants 7 (6) 710-711. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-021-00945-7

Borges, Filipe, Donoghue, Mark T.A., LeBlanc, Chantal, Wear, Emily E., Tanurdžić, Milos, Berube, Benjamin, Brooks, Ashley, Thompson, William F., Hanley-Bowdoin, Linda, and Martienssen, Robert A. (2021). Loss of small-RNA-directed DNA methylation in the plant cell cycle promotes germline reprogramming and somaclonal variation. Current Biology 31 (3) 591-600.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.098

Researcher biography

My research interests are at the intersection of plant developmental genetics, functional genomics, and molecular and systems biology, following my doctoral and postdoctoral training in the USA. The research effort in my group is focused on harnessing transformative genomics technology to understand the genetics of plant development, and to discover regulatory mechanisms coordinating plant growth and development. We utilize a variety of plant species in our research, from the model plant organism Arabidopsis to grain and horticultural crops like wheat, mango, avocado and macadamia. We employ a range of techniques based on high throughout DNA sequencing to explore gene expression, chromatin accessibility and modifications from single cell to whole plant levels, bioinformatics and computational biology tools to infer genetic components of gene regulatory networks, as well as gene editing technology to evaluate phenotipic consequences of perturbations in gene regulatory networks.