+61401 555 567
Jessica Lye
Team Lead - Extension
Bachelor of Science (Zoology/Genetics), PhD Molecular Genetics
+61401 555 567
Jessica is a strong believer in the translation of science and practical research outcomes. After completing her PhD investigating zinc ion transport in the tiny vinegar fly, Jessica began her career in extension and communications, and now contributes to building the bridge between scientific research and on-ground application. Since leaving the lab bench, she has acquired extensive experience in science communication, adult education, engagement, and project management, and expertise in Australian biosecurity policy and exotic pest responses.
Prior to joining Cesar, Jessica was the National Manager – Science and Extension at AUSVEG. There she sat on the executive team and managed industry levy funded projects encompassing agrochemical needs and priorities, sustainable farming, exotic plant pest management, plant pest surveillance, and farm biosecurity. She has been an industry representative on the Consultative Committee for Emergency Plant Pests and has been a member of multiple advisory committees.
At AUSVEG, Jessica contributed to management of industry challenges relating to biosecurity, agrochemical usage, trade, and food safety.
Jessica has since become a vocal proponent of investing in biosecurity preparedness activities by agricultural industries at national, state, and regional levels. She has played a key role in launching large-scale industry-wide preparedness projects, focusing on pest surveillance, farm biosecurity training, and management planning for key exotics.
In 2016, Jessica received the AgriFutures Australia Rural Women’s Award (Victoria), an award that identifies and supports emerging leaders who have the desire, commitment and leadership potential to make a greater contribution to primary industries and rural communities. She is also a member of the Rural Women’s Award Alumni, Australian Science Communicators, and the Australian Society for Horticultural Science.
While Jessica descends from the coal miners and steel workers of South Wales she now lives and breathes all things ‘ag’ and can’t think of any other field that she would rather be in.
Lye JC (2017) Knowledge brokering in biosecurity: How international linkages and learnings can help us build a better system, AgriFutures.com.au.
Dechen K, Richards CD, Lye JC, Hwang J, Burke R (2015) Compartmentalized zinc deficiency and toxicities caused by ZnT and Zip gene over expression result in specific phenotypes in Drosophila. The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology 60, 23-33.
Lye JC, Richards CD, Dechen K, Warr CG, Burke R (2013) In vivo zinc toxicity phenotypes provide a sensitized background that suggests zinc transport activities for most of the Drosophila Zip and ZnT genes. Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry 18, 323-332.
Lye JC, Richards CD, Dechen K, Paterson D, de Jonge M, Howard D, Warr CG, Burke R (2012) Systematic functional characterization of putative zinc transport genes and identification of zinc toxicosis phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster, Journal of Experimental Biology 215, 3254-3265.
Lye JC, Hwang J, Paterson D, de Jonge M, Howard D, and Burke R (2011) Detection of genetically altered copper levels in Drosophila tissues by synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy, PLoS ONE 6, e26867.
Binks T, Lye JC, Camakaris J, Burke R (2010) Tissue-specific interplay between copper uptake and efflux in Drosophila. European Journal of Biochemistry 15, 621-628.
DeBoer K, Lye JC, Aitken, C, Su AK, Hamill JD (2009) The A622 gene in Nicotiana glauca (tree tobacco): evidence for a functional role in pyridine alkaloid synthesis. Plant Molecular Biology 69, 299-312.