RAID Committee Member Spotlight – Kamalpreet Kaur
We are thrilled to present our member spotlight on the most recent addition to the RAID Central Committee – Kamalpreet Kaur.
Kamalpreet is currently working across the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and Melbourne Water, where she operates at the frontline of pathogen diagnostics, helping protect Australia’s agricultural industries, and environments more broadly from emerging threats. From grapevine viruses to fungi and bacteria diagnostics, Kamalpreet Kaur’s journey into plant pathology hasn’t been straightforward, and she wouldn’t have it any other way!
Kamalpreet’s journey into International Ag starting during her PhD. Interestingly, though, this wasn’t a lifelong plan. As she explains, it was a sliding doors moment:
“It wasn’t a lifelong plan, it was more serendipitous…during my Master’s project, I was introduced to a government laboratory where I was exposed to pests, pathogens, and diagnostic work for the first time. I quickly realised how much I enjoyed this intersection of molecular biology, agriculture, and biosecurity.”
This curiosity led her to her to pursue her PhD:
“My PhD research focused on grapevine viruses in Australia and their implications for plant biosecurity,”
“I investigated exotic and emerging viruses, their pathways of entry, and their potential impact on the viticulture industry.”
Her work combined high-throughput sequencing, RNA interference experiments and large-scale data analysis to better understand how viruses spread, and how to stop them!! Through her work, Kamalpreet has grown to see international agriculture and development as critical to maintaining wellbeing around the globe – this is what keeps her motivated!
“Agriculture underpins food security, livelihoods, and economic stability worldwide…..emerging pests and pathogens can have devastating impacts on crops, trade, and ecosystems, and proactive management and research are essential to prevent outbreaks….I’m inspired by the tangible impact that my work has on agriculture……..knowing that my work contributes to protecting industries, ecosystems, and communities motivates me to keep learning and improving.”
Though, at times Kamalpreet admits it’s been a steep learning curve! Working with pathogens is no small responsibility. Each organism comes with its own protocols, risks and technical demands.
“One of the biggest challenges has been navigating the steep learning curve of working with high-stakes pathogens in different settings…..each pathogen type, like viruses, fungi, bacteria, requires a unique set of skills, protocols, and precautions.”
Kamalpreet explains that being resilient and knowing when to lean on others or ask for help are critical in growing as an early career researcher.
“There were moments of uncertainty, especially when I was scaling up my PhD experiments or troubleshooting novel diagnostic methods. However, persistence, meticulous planning, and seeking guidance from experienced colleagues helped me overcome these hurdles.”
We asked her, what her advice would be for early career researchers:
“Be open to unexpected opportunities and experiences, they often shape your career more than a predefined path. Practical experience is invaluable. Build your technical skills, but also invest in teamwork, adaptability and communication. And embrace lifelong learning, agriculture and biosecurity are constantly evolving.”
Outside of the lab, Kamalpreet loves to be creative.
“I love creating art, drawing and painting, because it’s a way to express creativity and take a mental break from analytical work…attention to detail, patience, and observation are essential both in the lab and on the canvas. Both require focus, precision, and a bit of experimentation.”
She is also a big foodie (we love to hear it!!). She loves the bold flavours of Indian, and Mexican.
“I think food, like science, is about experimentation and layering flavours to get the best result!”
We are stoked to have Kamalpreet onboard, and grateful that she has shared her story with us!
Til next time, stay engaged and keep up the good work RAID members! Together, we are growing a better future – one idea at a time!
