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Dr. Baldelli joined the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability and the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) in 2024 as a Senior Lecturer. He achieved his PhD from the University of Alberta in Particle Engineering; after that, he obtained a Postdoctoral Fellowship and a Research Fellowship at the Faculty of Food and Land Systems at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Baldelli's research areas of interest are Particle Engineering, Food Technology, Spray Drying, Encapsulation of Bioactive Compounds, Spray Coatings, Food Fortification, Nasal Delivery, and Dry powders.

Career Summary: I obtained my B. Tech., Dairy Technology degree from SMC College of Dairy Science, Gujarat, India in 2003. I graduated with a PhD degree in dairy chemistry from the University College Cork, Ireland in 2007. After gaining experience as a postdoctoral fellow in the California Polytechnic State University for 2 years, I joined UQ as a research officer in 2010 and was appointed as a lecturer in 2011 and promoted to associate professor in 2021.

I am a milk and bioprocessing expert with significant experience in dairy processing including alternative methods, milk protein structure and functionality, milk product drying systems, and rapid quantification assays of milk biomolecules. My research spans from fundamental milk protein chemistry to physiologically important milk enzymes. I am leading a UQ-QUT alliance with the RBWH, on innovative pasteurisation of breastmilk through NHMRC Ideas and Children Hospital Foundation grants. This aims to translate my dairy research expertise into enhancing nutrition of low-birth-weight babies, as well as improving infant gut microbiota. This has expanded to related research, including alternative pasteurisation of camel milk, a high-value product used as bovine milk alternative for human nutrition. Since 2011, I have led the ‘non-thermal processing research program’ at UQ. I was one of six research theme leaders (food quality) as well as management committee member in an ARC Industry Transformation Research Hub (2014-2020) that involved 26 researchers. I am currently one of the four program leads for the Food and Beverage Accelerator Trailblazer grant ($165 M) led by UQ. I am also leading the education and training program and am part of the steering committee for a Strategic University Reform Fund (SURF) ($6.9 M) from Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

Research interests:

• Alternative processing techniques to preserve milk and milk products: I have led the ‘non-thermal processing research program’ at UQ since 2011, studying non-thermal techniques such as carbon dioxide, pulsed electric field (PEF), and high-pressure processing (HPP) for milk pasteurisation to minimise loss of heat-labile biomolecules (incl. vitamins/minerals) while ensuring microbial safety.
• Non-bovine milk systems: Since 2014, my research on preserving microbial integrity of dairy stream products for longer periods has evolved in exploring non-bovine systems such as human and camel milk. I have developed expert knowledge of their composition, enzymology, bioactive molecules and digestibility.
• Protein structure and functionality: I have led many studies analysing fundamental properties of milk proteins and their interaction with hydrocolloids. I have considerable expertise in studying protein structure, interactions and denaturation and their functional properties applicable to dairy systems such as texture, rheology, tribology, foaming, gelling and emulsifying properties and surface hydrophobicity. Most recently, I have led development of highly sensitive, high-throughput methods to analyse immunoprotective enzyme activities in human, bovine, goat and camel milk.

Publications and contribution to field of research: I have published >150 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters, >87% in Q1 journals (JCR Journal Rankings). My h-index is 31 (Scopus) and 38 (Google Scholar) (March, 2023). My research demonstrates international reach, being cited across 103 countries (March 2023). I have been cited by authors from 25 different subject areas, which demonstrates the impact of my research beyond my own subject area of Agricultural and Biological Sciences to fields such as of Medicine, Chemical Engineering, Immunology and Microbiology, Social Science, Nursing, Materials Science and Engineering (Mar 2023). My overall Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) for all subject areas is 1.59 (Mar 2023). I have 4 highly cited papers in the academic field of Agricultural Science (Web of Science, Mar 2023) and 25 publications in the top 10% most cited publications worldwide (field-weighted) (SciVal, Mar 2023). I am ranked as a Top 1% author in the ESI category of Agricultural Sciences. My publications demonstrate impact beyond the scholarly community. Several of my publications have also been cited in patent documents and have outstanding Altmetric scores (top 5%) with numerous social media, news and blog mentions.

Research support: Since joining the UQ, I have been involved in 17 successful funding proposals and has secured significant research funding through competitive grants. I am a CI on grants worth >$183 million. I have been able to attract funding from a variety of sources such as ARC, NHMRC, DESE, Dairy Innovation Australia Limited (DIAL), UniQuest, Children Hospital Foundation, direct commercial sources and the UQ.

Mentoring: Since 2014, I have supervised 27 HDR students (12 as principal advisor) and >60 Coursework Masters/ Honours students. I have has mentored three postdoctoral fellows.

Professional activities: I am a member of Clinical Advisory Board, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Milk since 2020. I am the Director of Teaching and Learning for UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences since 2021. I am an editorial board member of Scientific Reports, Foods, and Journal of Dairy Research.

Dr Andy Barnes obtained his BSc (Hons) in Microbiology from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh and his PhD from the Medical School, University of Edinburgh. Andy worked for the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department and at the Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh before joining a small Canadian biotech company, Aqua Health Ltd, specialising in vaccines for aquaculture in 1993. In 1999, Aqua Health was bought by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis and Andy worked in their animal health division for 4 years before beginning an academic career at The University of Queensland. Currently in the School of Biological Sciences, Andy’s Aquatic Animal Health Lab researches vaccines for the aquaculture industry and investigates health and immunity in aquatic animals ranging from reef-building corals, through prawns and oysters, to barramundi, stingrays and grouper.

Professor of Biometry

Research Interests:

Research at the interface between applied statistics and quantitative genetics with extensive publications on the analysis and interpretation of multi-way data from large-scale plant breeding experiments, particularly those involving genotype by environment interaction. Theory and application of pattern analysis - clustering and ordination procedures - appropriate for data collected from plant breeding experiments and/or stored in germplasm databases. Analysis, interpretation and impact of genotype x environment interaction for primary economic plant attributes (yield and quality) and data management, integration and analysis (bioinformatics).

Other Activities:

Past President of the International Biometric Society (2010-11) and the Statistical Society of Australia Incorporated (2005-07). Life member of the Statistical Society of Australia Incorporated (2010). Australian Medal for Agricultural Science from the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (1998).

Previous Head of the School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences (2001-10).

Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Australian Institute of Company Directors, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology and Institute of Statisticians (which has merged with the Royal Statistical Society).

Member of the Board of Trustees of the International Rice Research Institute (2013-15).

Anne is a Senior Lecturer in Animal Science and Production with a diverse range of research interests spanning parasitology, immunology, endocrinology, and nutrition. Her academic journey began in Equine Science before expanding into Agricultural Science, providing a broad foundation for her current work. Anne’s PhD research focused on the physiological mechanisms underlying periparturient relaxation of immunity to gastrointestinal worms in sheep, a multidisciplinary topic that sparked her ongoing interest in host-parasite interactions. During her postdoctoral research, she contributed to projects on anthelmintic resistance in key equine and cattle parasites and the development of molecular diagnostic tools. Her current research continues to advance equine parasitology through student supervision and industry collaboration, while also expanding into small ruminant parasite management, nutrition, production, and methane emissions. With a strong industry focus, Anne is committed to producing practical research outcomes that enhance the management of horses and livestock.

Dr Marlize Bekker is a Senior Lecturer in Food Chemistry at The University of Queensland’s School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability. She has a PhD in Chemistry and has over 15 years of experience in flavour and aroma chemistry in food and beverage products. Her research interests include fermented food and beverages. Specifically, evaluating the formation, fate, and function of key aroma and flavour compounds in these food and beverage products and examining the impacts of processing on flavour. Marlize is also interested in the isolation and identification of important flavour and aroma compounds from natural Australian bush foods and the development of new products. Her expertise lies heavily in the application of chromatographic techniques.

Honours and Masters research projects are available on wine flavour development and are suited for students interested in wine chemistry. Honours and Masters research projects are also available in the "A Deadly Solution: Combining Traditional Knowledge and Western Science for an Indigenous-led Bushfood Industry (ARC Discovery-Indigenous)" project. Please register your interest by emailing m.bekker@uq.edu.au

Active projects:

• A Deadly Solution: Combining Traditional Knowledge and Western Science for an Indigenous-led Bushfood Industry (ARC Discovery-Indigenous)
• Maximising flavour throughout the vanilla production process (Faculty of Science BIRRST Partner 2024 funding scheme)
• Exploring the Flavour Potential of Australian Cocoa (Faculty of Science BIRRST Partner 2024 funding scheme)
• Unlocking Nature's Signals: Discovering the Semiochemicals for Effective Management of Australian Native Sugarcane Soldier Fly(Sugar Research Australia’s 2024 Sugar Industry Research Award Round)
• Optimising Cold Brew Tea Extraction and Concentration Processes (FaBA Industry Kickstarter)

Recently completed projects:

• Identifying heirloom sugarcane varieties with high sugar and unique flavour profiles (UQ’s Agri-Food Innovation Alliance (AFIA) Industry Kickstarter Grant program)
• Identifying the desirable flavour, aroma, and sensory profiles of novel Australian native lime hybrids (UQ’s Agri-Food Innovation Alliance (AFIA) Industry Kickstarter Grant program)

Graduated with a B Agric Science (Hons() degree from UQ in 1978, after which I worked as a research agronomist for the West Australian Dept of Agriculture at Kununurra, in the Ord River Irrigation Area, until 1983. During that period I worked primarily with grain legumes (chickpeas and cowpeas) and peanuts, focussing on agronomic management practices (fertilisers, soil amendments, crop protection strategies, irrigation), and enrolled part time in a research Masters on growth physiology of peanuts through UQ. IThe M AgrSc was conferred in 1985.

I took up a position with the Qld Dept Primary Industries at Kingaroy in mid 1983, working on soil fertility management/restoration and continuing to research the physiology of the peanut crop. We ran long term farming systems experiments, and also participated in and ultimately led two successive phases of ACIAR funded research on peanut production in Indonesia.

In 1990 I was granted study leave from DPI to undertake a sponsored PhD program at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. This was completed in 1993 and I returned to Kingaroy with DPI, where I remained based at the Kingaroy Research Station until 2014. During that time our research focussed on soil fertility management (especially P and K), soil physical restoration using ley pastures, soil water dynamics and legume N fixation in rainfed cropping systems, and also in researching the Yield Decline phenomenon in the sugar industry. The latter was a major collaborative, multidisciplinary research project over 15 years, that led to the design and testing of a new sugarcane cropping system. Most research was externally funded, through the Grains, Cotton and Sugar Research and Development Corporations.

In 2010 I was invited to join UQ on secondment at the establishment of the Qld Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), and accepted that role while being based in Kingaroy. In 2014 I was appointed to the Chair in Tropical Agronomy in the School of Agriculture and Food Science (SAFS) at Gatton Campus, relocating to Gatton in 2015, but remain a QAAFI Affiliate. Since that time, I have increasingly focussed on soil fertility management and the development and testing of management strategies to optimize the efficiency of nutrients and water in grains, cotton and sugarcane cropping systems.

I have led an ACIAR project developing more sustainable management systems for sloping lands in NW Vietnam and NE Laos, and have also been involved in advisory bodies associated with the Reef Water Quality Management Plan, and with overseeing research activity in grains and sugarcane industries. Currently I lead national and regional research projects on improving fertiliser N management and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the grains cropping systems in Australia, funded by GRDC and the Federal Goverment Soil Science Challenge initiative.

Electrophysiology of synaptic transmission, ion currents and central pattern generation in CNS neurones.

Current research focuses on the electrophysiology of central nervous system neurones using various in vitro slice and in vivo preparations, patch clamp techniques, imaging, molecular biology and computer modelling.

Projects include :

• Neurobiology of motor control
• Motor neuron disease
• Synaptic transmission in the cochlear nucleus
• Potassium currents in the brainstem and cerebellum
• Rhythmic control of breathing movements

Dr François-René Bertin (DVM, MS, PhD, dipl.ACVIM (LAIM)) is an equine internist with expertise in clinical endocrinology.

François-René completed a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (University of Nantes, France), an American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) residency in equine internal medicine (Purdue University, USA) and a PhD in physiology (McGill University, Canada). He moved to the School of Veterinary Science at UQ in 2016.

François-René’s research interests lie in the pathophysiology of hyperinsulinaemia-associated laminitis and the disorders of the equine hypothalamo-pituitary adrenocortical axis. Some of his current projects examine the regulators of pancreatic b-cell activity and the mechanisms of pituitary gland senescence. François-René has received awards from the School of Veterinary Science and the Faculty of Science for his contribution to Research and HDR student supervision.

François-René teaches equine internal medicine into the veterinary science and veterinary technology programs and coordinates the Equine Clinical Studies course. He has received Teaching and Learning Faculty Awards.

Professor Christine Beveridge's research focuses on understanding the role of plant hormones in the regulation and coordination of plant development, particularly shoot architecture. Major highlights have involved discovery of strigolactone as a plant hormone and that sugar signalling is a driver of shoot branching. Christine’s research has recently expanded toward identifying how different genetic and physiological networks work together to control plant productivity. In the role of Director, Christine has established funding for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture (Plant Success - Plant Success) to achieve this aim.

Christine is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, an ARC Georgina Sweet Laureate Fellow, a Highly Cited Researcher (Researcher Recognition - Web of Science Group (clarivate.com)), and past President of the International Plant Growth Substances Association. Christine is a life member of the Australian Society of Plant Scientists (asps.org.au).

Please contact Christine directly for information on projects. We like to build projects around the student and their experience, opportunity and career aspirations. Projects are occassionally advertised at www.plantsuccess.org or by twitter #cabeveridge29.

Prof. Bhandari is associated with the University of Queensland since 1993. He obtained his PhD from ENSIA (France) in Food Process Engineering in 1992. Professor Bhandari is Academy Fellow of The International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST), Academy Fellow of Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences (QAAS), Fellow of Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) and Honorary Fellow of Nepal Food Scientists and Technologists Association (NEFOSTA).

Prof Bhandari has a major research focus on food materials science and engineering, including microencapsulation of food ingredients, glass transition-related issues in food processing and product systems and 3D printing of food materials. Professor Bhandari’s current research area also includes relating the nanostructure of the food system to its bulk properties. Presently, he is also exploring the application of nanobubbles in food processing. His past and current researches involve dairy, meat, rice, honey, probiotics, oils, fat, etc. Professor Bhandari’s research is not commodity-focused only. His primary approach to research is applying fundamental science and engineering principles to developing a relationship between process, structure, property and performance of food materials systems. Professor Bhandari has extensively investigated various micro- and nano-encapsulation processes such as spray drying, molecular encapsulation, co-crystallisation, precipitation and gel entrapment. Prof. Bhandari has developed a patented continuous method to produce microgel particles that can be used to encapsulate various functional ingredients and pharmaceutical drugs. The process has been commercialised to encapsulate probiotics. The probiotic enriched drinks (named Perkii) are available in the Australian market (https://www.perkii.com/). Bhandari has also developed a process to encapsulate lactoferrin, which has been commercialised (https://begabio.com/product-finder/inferrintm/). Prof Bhandari has done a number of pioneering works on stickiness issues of food powders encountered during drying and handling. Recently, Professor Bhandari has developed a patented technique to produce ethylene powder, which can be used for fruit ripening and other plant physiological control. Professor Bhandari has also developed a stickiness testing device that enables the measurement of the stickiness and glass transition temperature of food material by just using texture measuring instruments.

International collaborations:

Professor Bhandari has developed strong national and international research collaborations. Professor Bhandari successfully completed a collaborative research project with Nong Lam University, in Vietnam on control of rice cracking in Mekong Delta. Professor Bhandari also completed a joint research project with the National University of Singapore on glass transition mechanisms in starch. In addition, Professor Bhandari has also been collaborating his research activities in USA, Ireland, Vietnam, India, China and France. Prof Bhandari was awarded the Australia-India Council Research grant by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia) to develop research collaboration with National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India. Professor Bhandari was also a Visiting Professor of UCSI University, Malaysia and UPM, Malaysia.

Professor Bhesh Bhandari is originally from Nepal. He has maintained strong ties to his home country throughout his career. Notably, he is an Honorary Fellow of the Nepal Food Scientists and Technologists Association (NEFOSTA) and has been actively involved in initiatives to support young scientists in Nepal. In 2019, he established the NEFOSTA Young Scientist Award to motivate researchers in the field of food science and technology within Nepal (https://nefosta.org.np/articles/2/).

Grants:

Professor Bhandari has been awarded several ARC-Discovery, ARC-Linkage over the years and ARC-Industrial Transformation Research Hub grant recently. He also won grants from Horticulture Australia, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Dairy Australia, Cooperation for Agriculture and Research Development (CARD funded by AusAID) Program, National Meat Industry Training Advisory Council Limited (MINTRAC), Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Commercialisation Australia and UNIQUEST. He has received more than $10M grant over the years.

Awards:

2024, 2023 2022, 2021, 2020 Lead Researcher in Australia in Engineering category- Food Science and Technology discipline (listed by The Australian)

2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2015 Highly Cited Researcher (top 1% globally) in the field of Agricultural Science by Web of Science

2023 Lifetime Achievement Award, International Association for Engineering and Food (IAEF)

2023 Minxin Award for Outstanding Contribution in Industrial Application and International Collaboration, International Conference on Food Processing and Preservation, Luoyang, China

2022 Envoy of People’s Friendship of Wuxi, Wuxi Municipal People’s Association, China

2021 Jiangsu Province Award for International Cooperation in Food Science and Technology with Jiangnan University

2019 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Anand Agricultural University, India

2017 Outstanding Drying Research Award (Asia Pacific Drying Conference, 2017)

2015 Ho Chi Minh City Award for contributing to the promotion of friendship, collaborative relations with Nong Lam University, Vietnam

2015 Bruce Chandler Book Prize for 2015, for “Food Materials Science and Engineering”. Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST)

2013 Vice Chancellor’s Commendation Award for internationalisation, The University of Queensland

2012 Excellence in Drying Award (AFSIA award for transfer fundamentals into practice) (International Drying Symposium 2012)

2011 Q-index Award- Top 25. The University of Queensland

2005-2010 Excellence in Research – School of Land, Crop, and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland

Academy Fellow – The International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST)

Academy Fellow- Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences (QAAS)

Fellow – Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST)

Honorary Fellow – Nepal Food Scientists and Technologists Association (NEFOSTA)

Publications:

Prof Bhandari has authored more than 500 papers including 9 co-edited books and 40 book chapters. His co-edited book “Food Materials Science and Engineering” was published in 2012 and another co-edited book on “Handbook of Food Powders: Processes and Properties” was published in 2013. Another co-edited book "Non-Equilibrium States and Glass Transitions in Foods: Processing Effects and Product-Specific Implications" was published in Nov 2016. The new co-edited book "Handbook of Drying of Vegetables and Vegetable Products" has been published in 2017. In 2018 "Fundamentals of 3D Food Printing and Application" was published.

His publications are cited more than 50,000 times (Google Scholar H-index 114).

Editorial responsibility:

Prof. Bhandari is an Editor-in-Chief of Future Foods and Editor of Journal of Food Engineering, reputed international journals in the food science and engineering field. Professor Bhandari has also been in the editorial board of the International Journal of Food Engineering, International Journal of Food Properties, Food Biophysics, Nature-Scientific Reports, Food Science and Human Wellness, Drying Technology and Sustainable Food Technology.

Jacob is a proud Gamilaraay man from QLD and a PhD candidate within QAAFI. Jacob's work focuses on Indigenous food sovereignty as nation-building, looking at the Gamilaraay peoples' governance of thier native grains industry as a case study.

Jacob is taking a systems approach in developing the nascent native grains industry. His priority is setting strong, strategic, sustainable, Indignoeus-led governace to ensure opportunity and benefit remains with Indigenous people. Jacob also has active interests spanning the ecology and conservaion of native grassland species; agronomic knowledge to help support reintroduction of native grains; supply chain and processing of native grains; nutrition and food safety; product development and marketing; and education and engagement.

Jacob's passion also extends to the broader Indigenous food sovereignty movement. Through his work, Jacob collaborates across disparate spaces and advocates for the transformative potential of integrated, circular, sustainable, Indigenous-designed food systems that prioritise human and ecosystem health over profit and production.

Dr. Gry Boe-Hansen graduated with a DVM in 2001 and a PhD in Veterinary Reproduction in 2005 from The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL) Denmark. She took up a position as Assistant Professor at the department of Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics at KVL. In 2007 she was appointed at UQ as Lecturer in Veterinary Reproduction at School of Veterinary Sciences. Her overall research theme is causes of and methods to improve suboptimal reproduction in livestock. She is particularly interested in andrology, including venereal disease, with emphasis on genetic and environmental factors affecting reproduction and has published particularly in the field of sperm and semen quality, and biomarkers in relation to fertility. This has involved implementation of reliable, precise and accurate semen quality assays into conventional semen analysis, in both domestic animal semen laboratories and human clinics.

Dr Botella's research interests are in genetic engineering, molecular biology and signal transduction in plants.

Dr. Jimmy Botella is Professor of Plant Biotechnology at the University of Queensland. He obtained a degree in Quantum Chemistry from the University of Madrid (Spain) and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Malaga (Spain). After postdoctoral positions at Michigan State University and Pennsylvania State University he joined the University of Queensland in 1995. At UQ he founded the Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory (PGEL) specialising in the fields of tropical and subtropical agricultural biotechnology for almost 15 years. J. Botella has eleven international patents in the field of Plant Biotechnology and is a founding member of two biotechnology companies (Coridon Ltd. and Origo Biotech).

Dr Botella is a member of the Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology research group.

Some highlights of the Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory’s research:

• Production and field trial of the world’s first genetically modified pineapples with genetic constructs to control flowering time. These pineapples will allow farmer control over harvesting times.
• Development of a new technology to confer protection against nematode infestation.
• Discovery of a gene that can confer resistance to the devastating fungus Fusarium oxysporum in plants.
• Development of a new technology to confer protection against pathogenic fungi in plants.

Research interests

Dr. Botella’s research has two major foci: basic cell biology and applied biotechnology. In cell biology he is interested in studying the function of the Heterotrimeric G proteins in plants. This family of proteins is extremely important in humans but their role in pant systems is still largely unknown. Dr. Botella’s research has strongly contributed to the current body of knowledge available in plants with critical contributions such as the discovery and characterization of the first plant gamma subunits and the establishment of these subunits as the critical element conferring function specificity to all plant G proteins. Dr. Botella’s team has also discovered the important role that these proteins play in defense against pathogens. New and unpublished data has now revealed that G proteins are important yield enhancing factors in crops such as rice. Another research interest resides in the communication between plants and insects. There is plenty of knowledge of how important smell, volatiles emitted by the plant, is for foraging insects in order to determine their host preferences. Nevertheless, most of the available studies have been performed using synthetic chemicals in artificial experimental settings. Dr. Botella’s team and collaborators have genetically engineered plants to produce different volatile mixes in the flowers in order to perform in vivo behavioral studies in insects.

Biotechnology research at the Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory mostly arises from discoveries made in basic research. The PGEL focuses in tropical and subtropical crops. These crops have attracted little attention in terms of biotechnology but are essential sources of food and energy for a large part of the world’s population, especially in Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The PGEL has developed a number of platform technologies that can be applied to multiple crops in order to confer resistance to pathogens, modify plant architecture and control flowering time.

Current research projects include:

• Plant heterotrimeric G proteins: New roles in defence, stomatal control and ABA perception.
• Putting smells into context: using in vivo technologies to understand plant-insect odour communication.
• Use of host-derived RNA interference technology to control plant pathogens (especially pathogenic fungi and nematodes).
• Control of Fusarium wilt disease.
• Genetic improvement of grain crops.
• Genetic engineering research projects

Dr Bradley Campbell has over 10 years’ experience in plant biotechnology research and since 2003 has held research positions focused on plant molecular genetics. His research involves the use of genomic tools for crop improvement, with an emphasis on the sustainable production of grain crops. Major focus is on the improvement of crops for food, feed and bio-industrial end-uses. For the past 5 years he has also been involved in hay fever studies, focused on metagenomics of the aerobiome of Australian climates and its links to allergy. Current projects involve the genotyping of the Pacific Islands in vitro taro collection for germplasm preservation and breeding purposes, investigation into infrared spectral cameras and their applicability to taro salinity screening, as well as a comphrehensive bio-geographic analysis of the urban Australian aerobiome and its links to allergic rhinitis.

Lilia works to unravel the overwhelming complexity of the biological world and to assess ways to use it to solve problems of our time. She finds especially intriguing all the invisible interactions between plant and microbes. She investigates the drivers of these interactions and aims to address major societal challenges. Her purpose is to make use of nature’s arsenal to tackle problems that threaten environmental conservation and food security. She has worked with a range of beneficial and pathogenic microbes across model, forestry, grain, and horticultural plant species, grown in managed and natural habitats in different countries, including Brazil, Germany, Australia, USA, Costa Rica, and Papua New Guinea. Her expertise lies within plant pathology, molecular biology, plant nutrition, microbial ecology, biological indicators of soil health, bio-prospection of natural products produced by microbes, plant biotechnology, and molecular diagnostics.

Dr Robyn Cave is a horticulturalist with research experience in plant propagation, reproductive biology and the control of plant development and flowering. Robyn's current projects involve developing propagation protocols for Australian native plants for food, ornamental purposes and land restoration.

Summary of Research:

• My current research at UQ is as Professor in this School (teaching AGRC3040 Crop Physiology) and as an Affiliate Professor of QAAFI. Since 2020, with full-time appointment at UQ, my research portfolio has included multiple projects in applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence into the ag domain. This area is developing rapidly and across UQ, I am engaging with faculty in multiple schools (ITEE, Maths and Physics, Mining and Mech Engineering) as well as in the Research Computing Centre to develop new projects and training opportunities at the interface of field agriculture and these new digital analytics.
• My career research has been around genetic and environment effects on physiology of field crops, particularly where drought dominates. Application of quantitative approaches (crop simulation and statistical methods) and phenotyping (aerial imaging, canopy monitoring) to integrate the understanding of interactions of genetics, growth and development and the bio-physical environment on crop yield. In recent years, this work has expanded more generally into various applications in digital agriculture from work on canopy temperature sensing for irrigation decisions (CSIRO Entrepreneurship Award 2022) through to applications of deep-learning to imagery to assist breeding programs.
• Much of this research was undertaken with CSIRO since 1996. Building on an almost continuous collaboration with UQ over that time, including as an Adjunct Professor to QAAFI, Prof Chapman was jointly appointed (50%) as a Professor in Crop Physiology in the UQ School of Agriculture and Food Sciences from 2017 to 2020, and at 100% with UQ from Sep 2020. He has led numerous research projects that impact local and global public and private breeding programs in wheat, sorghum, sunflower and sugarcane; led a national research program on research in ‘Climate-Ready Cereals’ in the early 2010s; and was one of the first researchers to deploy UAV technologies to monitor plant breeding programs. Current projects include a US DoE project with Purdue University, and multiple projects with CSIRO, U Adelaide, La Trobe, INRA (France) and U Tokyo. With > 8500 citations, Prof Chapman is currently in the top 1% of authors cited in the ESI fields of Plant and Animal Sciences and in Agricultural Sciences.