She is leading research for the second phase of a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
[3] From 2002 to 2006 Koltunow was president of the International Association of Sexual Plant Reproduction Research.
The Australian Academy of Science described her work as follows:"Her pioneering work in apomixis, developing and using an apomict species where remarkably, female gametes form without meiosis, and seeds develop in the absence of paternal fertilization as a genetic and molecular model has identified similarities and differences in the mechanisms controlling apomixis and sexual seed formation.
[13][14][15] Koltunow held senior leadership roles at CSIRO, including as the Deputy Chief.
She was on the Premier's science council in South Australia, and held a role on the ARC College of Experts.