Plant & Food Research seafood scientist Dr Maren Wellenreuther has been recognised for her high calibre of molecular biology
research in New Zealand at the Queenstown Research Week, where she was given the 2020 Thermo Fisher Scientific™ Award
for Excellence in Molecular Biology.
Dr Wellenreuther is an evolutionary biologist and a Science Group Leader – Seafood Production at Plant & Food Research. Her expertise is using genomic techniques to address evolutionary and ecological questions. Her work
focuses on aquatic species, particularly native taonga species, and is notable for its blend of fundamental and applied
research questions.
“I feel honoured that I was chosen for this award, but this sort of work is not done by individuals but rather by
groups, and I would like to thank all the excellent people at Plant & Food Research for their hard work and support, and in particular the Seafood Production group, for their commitment to
bring excellent science and innovative thinking to the fields of aquaculture and fisheries” says Dr Wellenreuther.
As the award recipient, she gave a presentation on harnessing the power of genomics to secure a sustainable blue future
at the virtual 30th Annual Queenstown Molecular Biology Meeting on September 1.
Dr. Wellenreuther has published more than 60 papers, including a number of influential works in high impact journals,
many of which she has led. She is the winner of the 2018 Royal Society Te Apārangi Hamilton Award and the 2017 Science
New Zealand Plant & Food Research Early Career Researcher Award. She has a strong track record of attracting research funding, and has
taken on a number of leadership roles.