Background
Melinda is an early career biotechnologist examining the secondary metabolites and protective mechanisms of moss species that live in temperate and Antarctic regions; in particular, how they cope in various stressful situations such as high levels of UV radiation, water stress and high light levels. After completing her PhD in 2015, Melinda continues to analyse the potential of bryophytes as proxies for past climate change in remote locations and what mechanisms plants use in extreme environments.