Welcome to the Johnson Lab in the School of BioSciences at The University of Melbourne

Food security is a complex issue that encompasses availability and access to food as well as nutritional quality of the foods that we consume. Ensuring food security is essential for promoting health, reducing poverty, and fostering economic development. The work conducted in our lab plays a crucial role in addressing food security challenges, particularly in relation to micronutrient deficiencies.

Iron and zinc are essential micronutrients that play key roles in the human body. However, many plant-based foods have low levels of these micronutrients and over two billion people worldwide suffer from serious iron and zinc deficiencies. Cereals and grain legumes provide a significant portion of the world’s dietary energy and protein, and in the case of legumes reduce the need for fertilizer through biological nitrogen fixation, yet their micronutrient content is low. By enhancing the levels of iron and zinc in these crops, a process referred to as biofortification, we can improve the overall nutritional quality of human diets and reduce the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies on a global scale.

The development of more nutritious crops is particularly important in the face of challenges posed by climate change. With climate change leading to unpredictable weather patterns, rising temperatures, and extreme events like droughts and floods, agricultural productivity is at risk. Furthermore, elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide is associated with significant decreases in the concentrations of iron, zinc and protein in many of our most important cereal and grain legume crops. By focusing on breeding crops that are more resilient to the impacts of climate change, we can ensure that people have access to food that not only sustains but also provides essential nutrients for health and well-being.

Feel free to browse our site and recent publications to learn more about our work.