Mark Alfred Tester (born 6 March 1963 in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

) is an Australian

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

and professor of plant science at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, where he is also associate director of the Center for Desert Agriculture. Prior to joining King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in February 2013, he was a professor of

plant physiology Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology (structure of plants), plant ecology (interactions with the environment), phytochemistry (bi ...

at the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...

and the

Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) is a research organisation focusing on improving the resistance of wheat and barley to hostile environmental conditions, using functional genomics technologies. Scientists at the ACPFG ...

from 2009 to 2013.

Education

Tester received his BSc with honours in plant sciences from the University of Adelaide in 1984, and his PhD from the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

in 1988, also in plant sciences. For his PhD, he worked with

Enid MacRobbie Enid Anne Campbell MacRobbie, (born 5 December 1931) is a Scottish plant scientist who is Emeritus Professor of Plant Biophysics at the University of Cambridge and a Life Fellow of Girton College.https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/people/professor-en ...

to study potassium ion channels.

Research

Tester's research aims to understand the molecular processes that allow plants to survive in suboptimal conditions. In 2017, he and his colleagues sequenced the entire genome of

quinoa Quinoa (''Chenopodium quinoa''; , from Quechua ' or ') is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and ...

, which he originally started studying to determine how it can tolerate high levels of salt. He has also researched ways to develop genetically modified plants, and he and his colleagues have developed a plant that can tolerate high levels of salt.

Views on genetically modified crops

Tester supports the use of

genetically modified crop Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of ''Agrobacterium'' for the delivery of s ...

s to reduce poverty. In 2002, he worked as a scientific advisor for a

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

drama about GM crops. He subsequently criticised the drama's directors, Alan Rusbridger and

Ronan Bennett Ronan Bennett (born 14 January 1956) is an Irish novelist and screenwriter. Background Bennett, the son of William H. and Geraldine Bennett, was born in England, but was raised in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, in a devout Roman Catholic Churc ...

, stating that they had ignored his criticisms of the piece and produced a documentary "to inflame uninformed anti-GM hysteria". Rusbridger replied by claiming that Tester had changed his mind since he had been shown a copy of the piece's script the previous July, when, according to Rusbridger, his view of the piece was much less critical.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tester, Mark Alfred 20th-century Australian botanists Living people 1963 births People from Tasmania Academic staff of the University of Adelaide University of Adelaide alumni Alumni of the University of Cambridge Academic staff of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology 21st-century Australian botanists