The Integrated Pest Management Omics (IPM Omics) Initiative is pleased to announce that the 2025 Request for Partnership is now open!
REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP GUIDELINES
IPM OMICS INITIATIVE – BACKGROUND
Invertebrates play a crucial role in Australia’s agriculture, forestry, horticulture industries, and native ecosystems. They can be both beneficial and invasive pests. Despite their immense diversity and importance in food systems and ecosystem health, many important species remain unidentified or lack effective management strategies
The Integrated Pest Management Omics (IPM Omics) Initiative aims to accelerate the identification and management of Australia’s native beneficial and pest invertebrates by generating open access genomic data. These foundational genomic data will enable the identification and monitoring of native insect groups, support understanding pesticide resistance, and facilitate the use of native predators and pollinators through integrated management strategies.
The IPM Omics Initiative is now calling for project proposals to collaboratively develop critical genomics resources for Australia’s pest and beneficial invertebrate species.
The call includes activities to generate the following genomic data:
• Whole genome sequencing (long-read and short-read)
In our last call in July 2024, the initiative supported nine projects, including research on parasitoid wasps, native bees and pest grasshoppers.
REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP
Projects are encouraged to target an applied theme and will be assessed based on the following criteria
• Project team: collaborators with relevant expertise (e.g. genomic material extraction, bioinformatics analysis, end-use application, etc) and collaboration with industry and collections partners (if appropriate).
• Project rationale: how the project will advance knowledge of Australia’s pests and beneficial invertebrates through genomic data generation.
• Timely sample availability: access to existing samples, or the ability to collect samples within a defined timeline, suitable for extracting the necessary material. Bioplatforms expect genomic material to be sent for sequencing within 12 months of project acceptance.
• Co-contribution: applicants are required to co-contribute through sample collection, data analysis, publication, international repository submission, etc. Bioplatforms will cover sequencing costs at our facilities for the agreed sample numbers.
This is not a competitive grant opportunity. The IPM Omics initiative endeavours to support projects which apply genomics to enhance knowledge of invertebrates relevant to IPM.
Project assessment will be guided by the IPM Omics Initiative Advisory Committee.
NOTES
• The IPM Omics Initiative welcomes proposals from international collaborators on Australian-relevant invertebrates, provided meaningful collaborations with Australian researchers are established.
• Genomic sequencing will be conducted through the Bioplatforms network of facilities, and data will be managed through the Bioplatforms Data Portal in accordance with the Data Use and Communications Policy.
• Researchers who have on-going projects from the 2024 IPM Omics Request for Partnership are not eligible to lead a project for the 2025 IPM Omics Request for Partnership. However, they may be listed as collaborators on a proposal.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING
- Please ensure you have read all information on this page before completing the Request for Partnership (RFP) form.
- Complete and submit one form per species of interest
- Address all criteria and questions listed in the form. Please note you can edit the form after submitting it, until the deadline.
Deadline: COB Monday, 14th April 2025
Please email any questions or additional documentation to Aude Touffu, atouffu@bioplatforms.com with the subject: IPM Omics – [Species of interest]
Contact information
Aude Touffu, Project Manager, atouffu@bioplatforms.com
Kelly Scarlett, Partnerships and Engagement Lead, kscarlett@bioplatforms.com