Winner. Scientist of the Year 2017. Natural Sciences

Kai Xun Chan

Academic title, degree: Ph.D.
Fields of science: Biological Sciences
Research interest: Plant Cell and Molecular Biology (Cell Metabolism, Proteomics And Intermolecular Interactions (Excl. Medical Proteomics))
Institution: Australian National University
Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate
Country: Australia

Dr. Kai Xun Chan completed his Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology with First Class Honours and a University Medal in Biology in 2010 at the Australian National University (ANU). In December 2015 he completed his PhD in Plant Sciences in Professor Barry Pogson's laboratory at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, ANU, elucidating the structural regulation of the chloroplast signaling protein SAL1.

Throughout his short academic career so far, Kai has won numerous awards including the 2017 ACT Young Tall Poppy Award, and an ANU JG Crawford Medal, the ANU's premier award for graduate excellence. He is the recipient of several competitive fellowships including an FWO Research Fellowship. He is also funded by two industry grants from ANU-UC Connect Ventures.

Kai is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, ANU. He has published in various international peer-reviewed journals including PNAS, eLife, Annual Review of Plant Biology, and Trends in Plant Science (see full list below). He also serves as a reviewer for specialist plant research journals including The Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, The Plant Journal and Journal of Experimental Botany.

Significant contribution in research looks at the effect of drought conditions on plants, and the ability of some plants to sense drought stress.

Researcher's projects:

• Redox regulation of organelle signaling

• Biochemistry and structural biology of stress perception

• Intersection between cell signaling and metabolic regulation

• Novel strategies to increase stress tolerance in plants