Career Summary
I was born in Ukraine in 1962 and obtained my PhD in Plant Physiology in 1989 from the Institute of Experimental Botany (Minsk, Byelorussia). Since 1995 I live and work in Australia. Over the last 10 years, I had attracted over $1,300,000 competitive research funds, published over 60 papers in international journals with high impact factor and successfully supervised a large number of RHD students. I was a recipient of the Outstanding Research Award by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (1994-1995), the Alf Anderson Award by the Plant Nutrition Trust (Australia) for research in the area of plant nutrition (1999) and Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology Research Excellence Award from University of Tasmania (2006). Over the last six years, I have been a member of International Review Boards in 23 international journals, reviewing > 100 papers in total.
Employment History:
2007 – present
Associate Professor in Crop Physiology and Plant Nutrition, School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania
2004-2006
Senior Lecturer, School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania
1998 - 2003
Associate Lecturer/Lecturer, School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania
1995 - 1998
Research Fellow in Biophysics, Department of Physics, University of Tasmania
1992 – 1995
Senior Research Fellow in Ecophysiology, Ecological Monitoring Laboratory,
Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Odessa, Ukraine
1991 – 1992
Research Fellow in Plant Physiology, Institute of Ecological Genetics, Kishinev, Moldova
1984 - 1991
Senior / Leading Engineer in Biophysics Research Group, Institute of Ecological Genetics, Kishinev, Moldova
Research Interests
I am leading Stress Physiology research group within SAS. The group's research focus is on plant adaptive responses to environment (salinity, extreme temperatures, soil acidity, drought, waterlogging, nutritional disorders, biotic stresses). The "cornerstone" of all projects is the crucial role of cell membranes (and, therefore, membrane-transport processes) in plant-environment interaction. Research projects range from molecular (patch-clamp studies of membrane transport proteins) to the whole plant level. Most of projects use the MIFE technique, a non-invasive microelectrode technique for measurements on net ion fluxes from plant cells and tissues (http://www.phys.utas.edu.au/PHYSICS/biophys/mifecom/MIFEHome/Home.htm). During the last decade, the MIFE technique has become a powerful tool for in vivo studies of membrane-transport processes in living organisms. Pioneered at the University of Tasmania, this unique technology has been adapted by many leading laboratories across the world. Initially developed for plant physiology research, the MIFE technique is now used in other areas of life science such as microbiology, marine biology, medical biophysics etc. In the era of genomic research, the MIFE technique provides a unique possibility to link genetic / genomic data to cellular physiological behaviour thus providing a valuable contribution to functional genome/phenome research. In this context, we consider ourselves as being a "bridging element" between molecular biologists and whole plant physiologists and/or agronomists. As a result of that, there are several ongoing projects in the lab focusing on various aspects of plant-environment interaction.
In general, all research activity in the lab falls into one of major categories:
• Stress physiology and adaptation in plants
• Membrane transport and electrophysiology
• Microelectrode techniques
• Oscillations and biological clocks
• Light perception and signalling
• Ecophysiology
• Phytomonitoring
Being a member of the Australian Plant Nutriomics Network (http://www.acpfg.com.au/nutriomics), the group maintain strong links with a large number of research groups in Australia. In addition, the group works in a close collaboration with researchers from Centre for Food Safety and Quality at University of Tasmania (http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/scieng/agsci/centres.asp) on a variety of projects related to stress responses in bacteria and fungi. Last but not least, we enjoy a pleasure of maintaining strong research links with a large number of overseas collaborators.
Research Areas:Teaching
I teach three undergraduate courses at University of Tasmania:
- Crop and Plant Physiology (KLA214)
- Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility (KLA318/418)
- Horticultural Science (KLA365/465).
I am acting as a course coordinator for KLA 318/418, as well as a 3rd year coordinator.
I have successfully supervised a large number of Honours students and 10 PhD students. Eight of them have been awarded their degrees, and two are at the final stage of completion of their work.
UnitsSelected Publications:- Shabala S, Demidchik V, Shabala L, Cuin TA, Smith SJ, Miller AJ, Davies JM, Newman IA , 2006, 'Extracellular Ca2+ ameliorates NaCl-induced K+ loss from Arabidopsis root and leaf cells by controlling plasma membrane K+-permeable channels', . Plant Physiology , 141, pgs. 1653-1665
- Shabala SN, Lew RR , 2002, 'Turgor regulation in osmotically stressed Arabidopsis epidermal root cells. Direct support for the role of inorganic ion uptake as revealed by concurrent flux and cell turgor measurements', Plant Physiology , 129, pgs. 290-299
- Babourina O, Newman I, Shabala S , 2002, 'Blue light-induced kinetics of H+ and Ca2+ fluxes in etiolated wild-type and phototropin-mutant Arabidopsis seedlings', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America , 99, pgs. 2433-2438
- Demidchik V, Bowen HC, Maathuis FJM, Shabala SN, Tester MA, White PJ, Davies JM , 2002, 'Arabidopsis thaliana root non-selective cation channels mediate calcium uptake and are involved in growth', Plant Journal , 32, pgs. 799-808
- Shabala SN, Newman IA, Morris J , 1997, 'Oscillations in H+ and Ca2+ ion fluxes around the elongation region of corn roots and effects of external pH', Plant Physiology , 113, pgs. 111-118
- Demidchik V, Shabala SN, Coutts KB, Tester MA, Davies JM , 2003, 'Free oxygen radicals regulate plasma membrane Ca2+ and K+ - permeable channels in plant root cells', J Cell Science , 116, pgs. 81-88
- Shabala S , 2000, 'Ionic and osmotic components of salt stress specifically modulate net ion fluxes from bean leaf mesophyll', Plant Cell Environ , 23, pgs. 825-838
Full Publication List Current and Supervised Project/s:
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