The University of Queensland

Dr. Wei-An (Vivien) Tsai graduated with a Bachelor of Science in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, as well as a Master of Science from the Institute of Plant Biology at National Taiwan University in Taiwan. In 2023, she completed her doctoral studies at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland. Her research during PhD studies aimed to uncover the involvement of small RNA in plant-capsicum chlorosis virus pathosystem under climate change scenarios of elevated temperatures. Additionally, she explored the potential of using RNA-based techniques for managing CaCV. Before joining QAAFI, Wei-An worked at the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture in Taiwan. During this period, her research interests centred around plant-induced resistance to viruses and the selection and fermentation of antagonistic bacteria. Post-PhD, Wei-An joined the Mitter group as a postdoctoral researcher for the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund project. Her current focus lies in topical applications of dsRNA or other RNA-based techniques for targeting whitefly and whitefly-transmitted viruses including tomato yellow leaf curl virus.

Publications

1. W.-A. Tsai, P.-J. Chiu, and S.-H. Weng (2018) First Report of Plectosporium Blight on Pumpkins Caused by Plectosporium tabacinum in Taiwan. Plant Disease, 102, 440.
2. J.-S. Lin, C.-C. Kuo, I.-C. Yang, W.-A. Tsai, Y.-H. Shen, C.-C. Lin, Y.-C. Liang, Y.-C. Li, Y.-W. Kuo, Y.-C. King, H.-M. Lai, and S.-T. Jeng (2018) MicroRNA160 modulates plant development and heat shock protein gene expression to mediate heat tolerance in Arabidopsis. Front Plant Sci 9, 68.
3. W.-A Tsai, P.-R. Lin, and C.-J. Huang (2019)First report of Dickeya fangzhongdai causing soft rot disease of Welsh onion in Taiwan. Journal of Plant Pathology 101(3), 797-798
4. W.-A. Tsai+, S.-H. Weng+, M.-C. Chen, J.-S. Lin, and W.-S. Tsai (2019) Priming of plant resistance to heat stress and tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus with plant-derived materials. Front Plant Sci 10, 906
5. W.-A. Tsai, J. R. Shafiei-Peters, N. Mitter, and R. G. Dietzgen (2022) Effects of elevated temperature on the susceptibility of capsicum plants to capsicum chlorosis virus infection. Pathogens, 11, 200
6. W.-A. Tsai, C. A. Brosnan, N. Mitter, R. G. Dietzgen (2022) Perspectives on plant virus diseases in a climate change scenario of elevated temperatures. Stress Biology 2, 37
7. W.-A. Tsai, P.-H. Sung, Y.-W. Kuo, M.-C. Chen, S.-T. Jeng, J.-S. Lin (2023) Involvement of microRNA164 in responses to heat stress in Arabidopsis. Plant Sci 329, 111598
8. Kok, Z. Kok, Y.-W. Kou, Z. T. Soh, H.-C. Huang, B.-S. Tseng, H.-C. Hsieh, W.-A. Tsai, S.-T. Jeng; S.-P. Chen, J.-S. Lin (2023) Regulatory roles of microRNA163 in responses to stresses in Arabidopsis. Physiologia Plantarum175, (5), e14053
9. L.-C. Hsieh, Z. T. Soh, W.-A. Tsai, T.-F. Chen, H.-H. Lin, J.-S. Lin (2024) Enhancement of stress response in Chinese cabbage through eugenol and clove essential oil. Current Plant Biology 37, 100324

Conferences

1. W.-A. Tsai, J. Peters, N. Mitter, R. G. Dietzgen (2021) Effects of elevated temperature on hypersensitive resistance of capsicum plants to capsicum chlorosis virus infection. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions e-symposia. Novelty in Disease Control. September 16th
2. W. A. Tsai, J. Peters, C. Brosnan, N. Mitter, R. G. Dietzgen (2022) Effects of elevated temperature on capsicum chlorosis virus-resistant capsicum. Australasian Plant Virology Workshop. December 6th