Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen
Dr

Deirdre Mikkelsen

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 69642

Background

United Nations (UN) member states in 2015 agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen's postition as a Teacihng and Research Acacemic contributes towards the following UN SDGs:

GOAL 2 - ZERO HUNGER

GOAL 3 - GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

GOAL 4 - QUALITY EDUCATION

GOAL 12 - RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

GOAL 13 - CLIMATE ACTION

GOAL 15 - LIFE ON LAND

Deirdre is a Microbiologist with experience in molecular microbial ecology techniques, bioinformatics and fermentation microbiology.

Deirdre has a B.Sc with First Class Honours in Microbiology (1999) and PhD in Microbiology (2005) from The University of Queensland (UQ, Australia). She worked at the Advanced Wastewater Management Centre (UQ; 2005), until moving to the Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences (CNAFS) in 2006. She worked as Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and Research Fellow in CNAFS, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, UQ. Deirdre joined the School of Agriculture and Food Susstainability in 2019 as a Teaching and Research Academic, and is presently a Senior Lecturer in Food Science. She course coordinates and lectures FOOD2000 Food Science, FOOD3017 Food Safety & Quality Management and the work integrated learning course FOOD7021 Professional Experience. Deirdre's research is molecular microbial ecology and biopolymer science-based, aiming to provide a mechanistic understanding of how foods, diets and nutrients influence the host gut microbiota. Deirdre has 75 peer-review publications with an h-index of 26 and 2746 citations.

Deirdre is a Member of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) and sits on the Queensland Branch Committee. She is also a Member of the Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM). Deirdre is part of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFOST) Food Safety Working Committee, in an education-focused role.

Availability

Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Food sciences Microbiology Resources engineering and extractive metallurgy

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Microbiology, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

Deirdre is a passionate microbiologist, with a strong research background in molecular microbial ecology and biopolymer science (construction and fermentation of “model” dietary fibres). Her research predominantly focuses on how food components are broken down by the host’s gut microbiota, be it in human and/or monogastric animal models, and understanding their role in promoting/maintaining host health.

Specifically, hes has worked on:

i) modelling plant cell walls of cereals and grasses;

ii) investigating the fermentability of cell wall components as potential prebiotics;

iii) developing molecular microbiology techniques to investigate gut microbe-dietary fibre interactions; and

iv) investigating how do plant cell walls/dietary fibres alter the gut microbiota in terms of diversity and relative verses absolute abundances.

Over 80% of Deirdre's publicatons are in the top 25% of journals (Q1 journals) in that subject category.To date, she has 75 peer-review publications, and an h-index of 26, with 2746 citations. Her most exciting achievement was a Nature Communications publication in 2020 with CNAFS and KTH Sweden colleagues.

Search Professor Deirdre Mikkelsen’s works on UQ eSpace

126 works between 2002 and 2025
All (126) Journal Article (85) Book Chapter (3) Conference Publication (37) Other Outputs (1)

121 - 126 of 126 works

2006

Conference Publication

Biodeuteration and small angle neutron scattering as tools to understand the roles of cellulose and hemicelluloses as load bearing polymers in plant cell walls

Garvey, J., Mikkelsen, D., Dykes, G. A. and Gidley, M. (2006). Biodeuteration and small angle neutron scattering as tools to understand the roles of cellulose and hemicelluloses as load bearing polymers in plant cell walls. ANSE/ANBUG Neutron Scattering Symposium, Lucas Heights, 11-13 December 2006. Lucas Heights, Australia: AINSE.

Biodeuteration and small angle neutron scattering as tools to understand the roles of cellulose and hemicelluloses as load bearing polymers in plant cell walls

2006

Conference Publication

Biodeuteration as a tool to study cellulose and hemicellulose interactions in plant cell walls with contrast variation SANS

Mikkelsen, D., Garvey, C. J., Dykes, G. A. and Gidley, M. J. (2006). Biodeuteration as a tool to study cellulose and hemicellulose interactions in plant cell walls with contrast variation SANS. AANSS 2006: 5th AINSE/ANBUG Neutron Scattering Symposium, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia, 11-13 December 2006. Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia: Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE); (Australian Neutron Beam Users Group (ANBUG).

Biodeuteration as a tool to study cellulose and hemicellulose interactions in plant cell walls with contrast variation SANS

2004

Conference Publication

Investigation of pyrite bioleaching by thermophilic microorganisms

Mikkelsen, D., Webb, R. I. and Rasch, R. (2004). Investigation of pyrite bioleaching by thermophilic microorganisms. Australian Microbeam Analysis Society 8th Biennial Conference (AMAS 8), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, February 2005.

Investigation of pyrite bioleaching by thermophilic microorganisms

2004

Conference Publication

Development of molecular methods for monitoring thermophilic chalcopyrite bioleaching cultures

Mikkelsen, D., Kappler, U., McEwan, A. and Sly, L. (2004). Development of molecular methods for monitoring thermophilic chalcopyrite bioleaching cultures. Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM) Annual Scientific Meeting & Exhibition, Sydney, Australia, 26th Sep – 1st Oct 2004.

Development of molecular methods for monitoring thermophilic chalcopyrite bioleaching cultures

2004

Other Outputs

The development and use of molecular phylogenetic and microscopy methods to study thermophilic bioleaching cultures

Mikkelsen, D. (2004). The development and use of molecular phylogenetic and microscopy methods to study thermophilic bioleaching cultures. PhD Thesis, School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/107280

The development and use of molecular phylogenetic and microscopy methods to study thermophilic bioleaching cultures

2002

Journal Article

Oral disease in animals: The Australian perspective. Isolation and characterisation of black-pigmented bacteria from the oral cavity of marsupials

Bird, Philip S., Huynh, Sharnan C., Davis, Deirdre, Love, Daria N., Blackall, Linda L. and Seymour, Gregory J. (2002). Oral disease in animals: The Australian perspective. Isolation and characterisation of black-pigmented bacteria from the oral cavity of marsupials. Anaerobe, 8 (2), 79-87. doi: 10.1006/anae.2002.0412

Oral disease in animals: The Australian perspective. Isolation and characterisation of black-pigmented bacteria from the oral cavity of marsupials

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Comprehensive use of whole body computed tomography, microbiome and metabolomics analysis to measure the effects of dietary and exercise interventions on body fat content in dogs
    Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    Sustainable Precision Feeding in Broiler Chickens in Australia
    AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program Nutrition, Gut Health and Environment Research Program
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Point-of-care microbiome therapy in koalas during antimicrobial treatment for Chlamydia
    Morris Animal Foundation
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Evaluation of bioprotective bacteria to reduce Campylobacter on raw chicken meat at the end of primary processing (Agrifutures funded project led by QLD DAF)
    Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2024
    Optimising and industrialising black soldier fly (BSF) production: redirecting food waste to livestock feed production using insects
    Fight Food Waste CRC
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Dopamine as a new diagnostic tool for horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction and its effect on the equine intestinal microbiota
    Australian Companion Animal Health Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Nasal microbiota in shelter dogs and carriage of Staphylococcus spp.
    Canine Research Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Automated in vitro fermentation gas measurement
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2017
    Use of plant derived compounds to condition piglet intake at weaning and reduce post-weaning use of therapeutics
    CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    ResTeach 2010 0.2 FTE School of Land,Crop and Food Sciences
    UQ ResTeach
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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