
Overview
Background
I graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering and Science in 2000 from The University of Queensland, after which I joined Proteome Systems, an Australian biotechnology company. In 2004 I moved to the ETH Zurich in Switzerland for my doctoral studies. I joined the School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences as a University of Queensland Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2008 and NHMRC Career Development Fellow in 2012. I am now Associate Professor in Biochemistry.
Availability
- Professor Benjamin Schulz is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Engineering - Chemical, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich
Research interests
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Viral Glycobiology
Glycosylation shields viruses from the immune response and is critical for many of the functions of viral proteins. This is especially important for the respiratory pathogens Influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2. We aim to understand the mechanisms controlling these processes using cell based infection systems, protein structural and biochemical analyses, mass spectrometry glycoproteomics, and bioinformatics to determine their impact on viral biology and vaccine design.
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Mass Spectrometry Glycoproteomics
Most proteins are modified with complex sugar groups that affect their function. We develop new mass spectrometry approaches to systematically and globally identify and quantify proteins and their sugar modifications in fundamental biology and disease.
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Beer
Beer brewing is perhaps the most ancient biotechnology. We use modern analytical techniques to investigate and improve this complex and important process.
Research impacts
My research focuses on the mechanisms, biological roles and applications in biotechnology of glycosylation, the most abundant and complex post-translational modification of proteins. Glycosylation is important in biological processes such as human development, cancer and microbial infection. This is because glycosylation is essential in biological activities as diverse as protein folding, fine-tuning protein enzymatic activity and determining protein-protein interactions. Half of all proteins are glycosylated, and a single protein can be modified by hundreds of different sugar moieties. The diversity of glycoproteins therefore requires that we take a systems biology approach in our research. All of our projects use a core set of methods in molecular biology, genetic manipulation, protein biochemistry, glycoprotein analysis and mass spectrometry. I aim to understand the mechanisms controlling glycosylation in these various systems to develop diagnostics, therapies, vaccines and applications in biotechnology.
Works
Search Professor Benjamin Schulz’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Book Chapter
Grass to glass: better beer through proteomics
Kerr, Edward D., Fox, Glen P. and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2021). Grass to glass: better beer through proteomics. Comprehensive Foodomics. (pp. 407-416) Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-08-100596-5.22869-2
2021
Journal Article
Perfusion culture of Chinese Hamster Ovary cells for bioprocessing applications
MacDonald, Michael A., Nöbel, Matthias, Roche Recinos, Dinora, Martínez, Verónica S., Schulz, Benjamin L., Howard, Christopher B., Baker, Kym, Shave, Evan, Lee, Yih Yean, Marcellin, Esteban, Mahler, Stephen, Nielsen, Lars Keld and Munro, Trent (2021). Perfusion culture of Chinese Hamster Ovary cells for bioprocessing applications. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 42 (7), 1-17. doi: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1998821
2020
Journal Article
Prophage exotoxins enhance colonization fitness in epidemic scarlet fever-causing Streptococcus pyogenes
Brouwer, Stephan, Barnett, Timothy C., Ly, Diane, Kasper, Katherine J., De Oliveira, David M. P., Rivera-Hernandez, Tania, Cork, Amanda J., McIntyre, Liam, Jespersen, Magnus G., Richter, Johanna, Schulz, Benjamin L., Dougan, Gordon, Nizet, Victor, Yuen, Kwok-Yung, You, Yuanhai, McCormick, John K., Sanderson-Smith, Martina L., Davies, Mark R. and Walker, Mark J. (2020). Prophage exotoxins enhance colonization fitness in epidemic scarlet fever-causing Streptococcus pyogenes. Nature Communications, 11 (1) 5018, 5018. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-18700-5
2020
Journal Article
Starch granular protein of high-amylose wheat gives innate resistance to amylolysis
Li, Hai-Teng, Sartika, Rakhmi S., Kerr, Edward D., Schulz, Benjamin L., Gidley, Michael J. and Dhital, Sushil (2020). Starch granular protein of high-amylose wheat gives innate resistance to amylolysis. Food Chemistry, 330 127328, 127328. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127328
2020
Journal Article
A unique relative of Rotifer birnavirus Isolated from Australian mosquitoes
O’Brien, Caitlin A., Pegg, Cassandra L., Nouwens, Amanda S., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Huang, Bixing, Warrilow, David, Harrison, Jessica J., Haniotis, John, Schulz, Benjamin L., Paramitha, Devina, Colmant, Agathe M. G., Newton, Natalee D., Doggett, Stephen L., Watterson, Daniel, Hobson-Peters, Jody and Hall, Roy A. (2020). A unique relative of Rotifer birnavirus Isolated from Australian mosquitoes. Viruses, 12 (9) 1056, 1056. doi: 10.3390/v12091056
2020
Journal Article
GlypNirO: An automated workflow for quantitative N- and O-linked glycoproteomic data analysis
Phung, Toan K, Pegg, Cassandra L and Schulz, Benjamin L (2020). GlypNirO: An automated workflow for quantitative N- and O-linked glycoproteomic data analysis. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry, 16 (1), 2127-2135. doi: 10.3762/bjoc.16.180
2020
Other Outputs
Prophage exotoxins enhance colonization fitness in epidemic scarlet fever-causing Streptococcus pyogenes
Brouwer, Stephan, Barnett, Timothy C., Ly, Diane, Kasper, Katherine J., De Oliveira, David M.P., Rivera-Hernandez, Tania, Cork, Amanda J., McIntyre, Liam, Jespersen, Magnus G., Richter, Johanna, Schulz, Benjamin L., Dougan, Gordon, Nizet, Victor, Yuen, Kwok-Yung, You, Yuanhai, McCormick, John K., Sanderson-Smith, Martina L., Davies, Mark R. and Walker, Mark J. (2020). Prophage exotoxins enhance colonization fitness in epidemic scarlet fever-causing Streptococcus pyogenes. doi: 10.1101/2020.05.17.095000
2020
Journal Article
Glycopeptide variable window SWATH for improved data independent acquisition glycoprotein analysis
Zhou, Chun and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2020). Glycopeptide variable window SWATH for improved data independent acquisition glycoprotein analysis. Analytical Biochemistry, 597 113667, 113667. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113667
2020
Journal Article
Identification of novel glycosylation events on human serum-derived factor IX
Pegg, Cassandra L., Zacchi, Lucia F., Recinos, Dinora Roche, Howard, Christopher B. and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2020). Identification of novel glycosylation events on human serum-derived factor IX. Glycoconjugate Journal, 37 (4), 471-483. doi: 10.1007/s10719-020-09922-2
2020
Journal Article
Development of a rapid method to assess beer foamability based on relative protein content using RoboBEER and machine learning modeling
Gonzalez Viejo, Claudia, Caboche, Christopher H., Kerr, Edward D., Pegg, Cassandra L., Schulz, Benjamin L., Howell, Kate and Fuentes, Sigfredo (2020). Development of a rapid method to assess beer foamability based on relative protein content using RoboBEER and machine learning modeling. Beverages, 6 (2) 28, 28-11. doi: 10.3390/beverages6020028
2020
Journal Article
Glycoproteomic measurement of site-specific polysialylation
Pelingon, Ruby, Pegg, Cassandra L., Zacchi, Lucia F., Phung, Toan K., Howard, Christopher B., Xu, Ping, Hardy, Matthew P., Owczarek, Catherine M. and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2020). Glycoproteomic measurement of site-specific polysialylation. Analytical Biochemistry, 596 113625, 113625. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113625
2020
Journal Article
Adaptation of a continuous, calorimetric kinetic assay to study the agmatinase-catalyzed hydrolytic reaction
Wilson, Liam A., Garcia, David, Pedroso, Marcelo Monteiro, Schulz, Benjamin L., Guddat, Luke W. and Schenk, Gerhard (2020). Adaptation of a continuous, calorimetric kinetic assay to study the agmatinase-catalyzed hydrolytic reaction. Analytical Biochemistry, 595 113618, 113618. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113618
2020
Journal Article
Evolution for improved secretion and fitness may be the selective pressures leading to the emergence of two NDM alleles
Zalucki, Yaramah M., Jen, Freda E.-C., Pegg, Cassandra L., Nouwens, Amanda S., Schulz, Benjamin L. and Jennings, Michael P. (2020). Evolution for improved secretion and fitness may be the selective pressures leading to the emergence of two NDM alleles. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 524 (3), 555-560. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.01.135
2020
Journal Article
S-trap eliminates cell culture media polymeric surfactants for effective proteomic analysis of mammalian cell bioreactor supernatants
Zacchi, Lucia F., Roche Recinos, Dinora, Otte, Ellen, Aitken, Campbell, Hunt, Tony, Sandford, Vanessa, Lee, Yih Yean, Schulz, Benjamin L. and Howard, Christopher B. (2020). S-trap eliminates cell culture media polymeric surfactants for effective proteomic analysis of mammalian cell bioreactor supernatants. Journal of Proteome Research, 19 (5), 2149-2158. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00106
2020
Journal Article
DIALib: an automated ion library generator for data independent acquisition mass spectrometry analysis of peptides and glycopeptides
Phung, Toan K., Zacchi, Lucia F. and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2020). DIALib: an automated ion library generator for data independent acquisition mass spectrometry analysis of peptides and glycopeptides. Molecular Omics, 16 (2), 100-112. doi: 10.1039/c9mo00125e
2020
Journal Article
Neisseria meningitidis induces pathology-associated cellular and molecular changes in trigeminal Schwann cells
Delbaz, Ali, Chen, Mo, Jen, Freda E-C, Schulz, Benjamin L., Gorse, Alain-Dominique, Jennings, Michael P., St John, James A. and Ekberg, Jenny A K (2020). Neisseria meningitidis induces pathology-associated cellular and molecular changes in trigeminal Schwann cells. Infection and Immunity, 88 (4) e00955-19. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00955-19
2020
Journal Article
Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops
Feder, Daniel, McGeary, Ross P., Mitić, Natasa, Lonhienne, Thierry, Furtado, Agnelo, Schulz, Benjamin L., Henry, Robert J., Schmidt, Susanne, Guddat, Luke W. and Schenk, Gerhard (2020). Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops. Plant Science, 294 110445, 110445. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110445
2020
Journal Article
Intramembrane protease RHBDL4 cleaves oligosaccharyltransferase subunits to target them for ER-associated degradation
Knopf, Julia D., Landscheidt, Nina, Pegg, Cassandra L., Schulz, Benjamin L., Kühnle, Nathalie, Chao, Chao-Wei, Huck, Simon and Lemberg, Marius K. (2020). Intramembrane protease RHBDL4 cleaves oligosaccharyltransferase subunits to target them for ER-associated degradation. Journal of Cell Science, 133 (6) jcs243790, 1-16. doi: 10.1242/jcs.243790
2020
Journal Article
The conserved C-terminus of Sss1p is required to maintain the endoplasmic reticulum permeability barrier
Witham, Christopher M., Dassanayake, Hasindu G., Paxman, Aleshanee L., Stevens, Kofi L.P., Baklous, Lamprini, White, Paris F., Black, Amy L., Steuart, Robert F.L., Stirling, Colin J., Schulz, Benjamin L. and Mousley, Carl J. (2020). The conserved C-terminus of Sss1p is required to maintain the endoplasmic reticulum permeability barrier. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 295 (7), 2125-2134. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.010378
2019
Journal Article
Phase-variable glycosylation in nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae
Elango, Danila and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2019). Phase-variable glycosylation in nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Journal of Proteome Research, 19 (1) acs.jproteome.9b00657, 464-476. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00657
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Benjamin Schulz is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Metabolic and enzymatic diversity of native Australian yeasts
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk
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Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of short peptides encoded by short open reading frames in eukaryotes
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
The dynamic subcellular glycoproteome during influenza virus infection
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kirsty Short
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Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of short peptides encoded by short open reading frames in eukaryotes
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Systems biology-guided cell line engineering for production of therapeutic proteins with complex post-translational modifications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin
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Doctor Philosophy
Structures and functions of secreted yeast glycoproteins in wine and beer quality
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Genetic determinants of the dynamic subcellular glycoproteome in influenza infection
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kirsty Short
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Doctor Philosophy
Systems biology-guided cell line engineering for production of therapeutic proteins with complex post-translational modifications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin
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Doctor Philosophy
The Cryptococcus neoformans SAGA: Investigating the SAGA associated Histone acetyltransferase and Deubiquitinase modules opposing influence on virulence
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Fraser
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Doctor Philosophy
Genotypic Responses to Heat Stress Events in Grain Yield, Malt Quality, and Proteome of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Vijaya Singh
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Doctor Philosophy
The Characterisation of Immune Cells in Response To RAGE Antagonism Therapy in Mouse Models of Type 1 Diabetes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amelia Fotheringham, Honorary Professor Josephine Forbes, Dr Irina Buckle
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Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of cellular receptors and membrane binding mechanisms utilized by YenTc
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Landsberg
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of the cotranscriptional activator complex SAGA in virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Fraser
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Doctor Philosophy
Structure and Function of ScCAD, the first step of Pyrimidine Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bostjan Kobe, Associate Professor Michael Landsberg
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Doctor Philosophy
Environmental and genetic mechanisms that control seed germination of Australian native Eremophila (Emu Bush)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Robyn Cave
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of short peptides encoded by short open reading frames in eukaryotes
Principal Advisor
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Systems biology-guided cell line engineering for production of therapeutic proteins with complex post-translational modifications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin, Dr Lucia Zacchi
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic, Genetic, and Mass Spectrometry Glycoproteomic Investigations of the Roles of Oligosaccharyltransferase Subunits in N-Glycosylation in Yeast
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Landsberg, Associate Professor Cheong Xin Chan
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2023
Master Philosophy
The Diversity and Analysis of Glycoproteomes: from Respiratory Viruses to Sparkling Wines
Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Towards Improved Barley, Beer and Wine Production Using Expanded Proteomic Analysis
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bostjan Kobe
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Engineering and production of recombinant proteins with appropriate glycostructures for early in vivo studies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Christopher Howard, Dr Lucia Zacchi
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Systems biology of beer: a genomic and proteomic approach to brewing and yeast biochemistry
Principal Advisor
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Physiological regulation of protein N-linked glycosylation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Landsberg
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Glycogenin functional characterization in mammals and yeast
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bob Gilbert
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the effects of AUD on the human brain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk, Associate Professor Marina Fortes
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Messaging with magnesium: Function of yeast Ost3 proteins in glycosylation and magnesium
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lucia Zacchi
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular mechanisms regulating N-glycosylation site selection by yeast oligosaccharyltransferase: Role of Ost3p and Ost6p
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bostjan Kobe
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Structure and Function of ScCAD, the first step of Pyrimidine Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bostjan Kobe, Associate Professor Michael Landsberg
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Genotypic Responses to Heat Stress Events in Grain Yield, Malt Quality, and Proteome of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Vijaya Singh
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Purine metabolism as an antifungal target
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bostjan Kobe, Professor James Fraser
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of the impact of the upstream bioprocess parameters on the proteomic profile of recombinant factor IX
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Christopher Howard
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising murine red blood cell phenotypes: the impact of genetic variants in Klf1 and Casd1
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Stephen Mahler
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
The Identification and Characterisation of Short Open Reading Frame-Encoded Polypeptides in Cryptococcus neoformans
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Fraser
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Novel role of AGE-R1/OST48 in the metabolome and proteome promoting ER stress in the kidney and liver
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Josephine Forbes
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Salivary Glycoprotein Biomarkers for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas: Unravelling the sweetness of saliva
Associate Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Epigenetic regulation of virulence in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Fraser
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Benjamin Schulz directly for media enquiries about:
- beer
- fermentation
- glycosylation
- yeast
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