AMS Research Grant 2026
🎉 Congratulations to our 2026 AMS Research Grant awardees! 🎉
Angela Li
University of New South Wales
Exploring the biodiversity and role of fungal symbionts in Australian habitat forming seaweeds
Studies of fungal diversity have largely revolved around terrestrial habitats, overlooking other ecosystems such as marine environments. In comparison to their terrestrial counterparts, marine fungi have been sparsely described with only 142 species recorded in Australia. Marine fungi are known to exist freely in the environment or form symbiotic relationships with other organisms including seaweeds. In seaweed, fungi can induce morphological development, recycle organic material, and cause disease. For example, in the native Australian macroalga Phyllospora comosa (Crayweed), a novel fungus causes stipe rot disease, resulting in increased mortality. Although it is known that fungi and seaweed can form meaningful interactions, most seaweed-associated fungi are still uncharacterised. Funding from the AMS grant will support a culture and sequencing based investigation into the diversity and potential functional role of fungi associated with the seaweeds Phyllospora comosa, Ecklonia radiata and Hormosira banksii.
Angela is a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales, Sydney supervised by Prof. Suhelen Egan. Her broad research interests include environmental microbiology, phycology and ecology. She completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) with the same research group, investigating the role of bacteria in seaweed early development. She discovered her interest in mycology after growing "accidental fungi" one too many times in the lab.
Leela Maya Rizal
CSIRO Agriculture and Food
Culturomics reveals functionally important degraders and antagonists in conserved wheat stubble
Growing up in Bhutan, an endemic Himalayan region for Ophiocordyceps sinensis where traditional medicine shapes everyday life, Leela developed a deep fascination with insect fungi as both biological mysteries and valuable therapeutic resources. This curiosity underpinned her PhD research, where she integrated genomics, morphology, and crossing assays to establish accurate identification frameworks for entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). Her work revealed sexual potential in Australian Beauveria bassiana, challenging long-held assumptions of strict asexuality and connecting these findings to her native Himalayan fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis.
At CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Leela develops microbiome-based solutions for sustainable grain crop residue management and pathogen suppression. In conservation agriculture, retained wheat stubble supports soil health, however, slow decomposition creates conditions conducive to stubble-borne diseases, limiting crop establishment, yield, and grain quality. Current practices such as crop rotation and chemical inputs provide only short-term mitigation. Her research leverages the complementary roles of bacteria and fungi in lignocellulose degradation, where cross-kingdom interactions enhance substrate accessibility and functional efficiency. She investigates whether stubble degradation and suppression of Fusarium pseudograminearum (the causal agent of Fusarium crown rot) are driven by individual microbes, generalist degraders, specialist degraders, or synthetic microbial communities (SynComs).
Through the AMS Research Grant, Leela will integrate whole-genome sequencing of 16 isolates with phenotypic analyses to identify key functional genes, including cellulases, xylanases, laccases, antagonistic traits, and heat tolerance, linking genotype to performance. This work will enable the development of high-performing SynComs as sustainable biocontrol solutions for agriculture.
Applications for the 2026 AMS Research Grant are now closed.
The Australasian Mycological Society (AMS) aims to promote the understanding of fungi by supporting research activities by Australasian mycologists early in their career. This year, up to two grants, each with a maximum value of $2000 AUD, will be awarded to junior AMS members (PhD students or recent PhD graduates). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members are strongly encouraged to apply.
The project must be carried out within Australasia and the applicant must be associated with an Australasian research organisation. Successful applicants are asked to present the outcomes of their research at an AMS virtual seminar within 2 years of receiving the award. Successful applicants will also acknowledge the AMS in any forthcoming publication or communication presenting results from this award.
The grant may be used exclusively for expenses directly related to research activities and must commence no later than 1 September 2026. Requests for contributions to large capital items or conference travel will not be considered, nor will applications targeting a training opportunity. Applications will be judged primarily based on (i) scientific merit, (ii) feasibility of the project according to the timeframe and the budget, and (iii) the extent to which the award will enhance output(s) of the awardee’s research and career.
Requirements:
Please click button below to see the information flyer for more details.
Submit your application or any enquiries to the AMS secretary: ausmycsoc@gmail.com
Important dates:
Grant applications opening: 1 April 2026
Application deadline: 30 April 2026 at 5 pm AEDT (7 pm NZST)
Successful applicants notice: 1 June 2026
Research starts no later than: 1 September 2026
We acknowledge the generous contributions of our members and the financial supporters of the AMS which have made this grant possible.
Recipients of AMS Research Grants
2026
Angela Li (University of New South Wales)
Leela Maya Rizal (CSIRO Agriculture and Food)
2025
Ellie Fajer (University of Auckland)
Adam Taranto (University of Melbourne)
2024
Eric Kumi Asare (Edith Cowan University)
Ramalka Heshani Kasige (Western Sydney University)
2023
Kylie A. Agnew-Francis (The University of Queensland)
Nicholas Chong (The University of Melbourne)
2022
Aaron Brace (Edith Cowan University)
Allison Mertin (University of Melbourne)
2020
Elaine Davison (Curtin University)
Leanne Greenwood (Charles Sturt University)
Rebecca Jane Webb (James Cook University)
2017
Amelia-Grace Boxshall (University of Melbourne)
2016
Cecilia Li (Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at Westmead Institute for Medical Research)
2015
Sarah Sapsford (Murdoch University)
2014
Susan Nuske (James Cook University)