Tony B. Pleasants DipSci, MAgrSci

• NRCGD Site Leader (AgResearch)

• Senior Scientist, AgResearch

NRCGD Project: Click here for details

Biography

Tony Pleasants was educated at Kings College Auckland, completed a Bachelor of Agriculture Science at Massey University and then undertook nutrition research while managing the beef breeding research herd at Massey. Following a stint in Africa with the FAO and NZ bilateral aid programme he returned to this country and established a kiwi fruit orchard while completing extra mural postgraduate degrees in mathematics and statistics. Tony joined AgResearch in 1991 to develop decision support modelling for the company. His interests are in developing and applying advanced modelling such as probability and dynamical approaches to complex biological systems. He sees mammalian growth as the outcome of a complex system operating at the level of the organism, cell and subcellular compartments with energy flows being the major driver. Genes in such systems represent non-linear interactive objects. Tony’s interests are in applying integrative systems modelling to biological processes such as growth, research that is not just theoretical but has the potential to inform the design of empirical investigative work by identifying key questions. Tony’s broader interests lie in farming; he has an ten thousand stock unit farm in the Central North Island and he is a practising second Dan black belt in karate.

Contact details

AgResearch

Ruakura Research Centre

Private Bag 3123

Hamilton 3240, New Zealand

Email ; Phone +64 7 8385118