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Research achievements other than research outputs

Dr Pedroso is an expert in numerical and computer methods for solid mechanics and materials modelling. He has a strong background in tensor calculus, partial differential equations, computational geometry, and computer programming, among other topics. Dr Pedroso has been developing methods to model the mechanical behaviour of porous media including mixtures of solids, liquids and gases. Dr Pedroso has also developed new methods in molecular dynamics to model solids and granular assemblies. Therefore, his research work is quite multi-disciplinary but revolves around computational engineering and mechanics.

Dr. Pedroso received the highly prestigious Argyris Lecture Award of 2016 from the University of Stuttgart, Germany, which is internationally recognized. The Argyris Lecture is the top award for experts working on Modeling and Simulations, in particular, with the Finite Element Method (FEM), because Prof Argyris is a pioneer of the FEM. Today, this method is the most attractive for approximating the solution of partial differential equations with complex geometries and boundary conditions. One key aspect that the committee considered in the award was the innovative papers on new techniques for porous media, such as a new method to handle unilateral and variable boundary conditions for the interface between liquid and gases within porous media.

Journal Reviews

Dr Pedroso is an expert in computational mechanics for porous media and optimisation and is reviewing papers for top journals such as Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, Nature: Scientific Reports, Computers and Geotechnics, Geotechnique Letters, Advances in Engineering Software, Journal of Engineering Mechanics ASCE, Computer Physics Communications, International Journal of Plasticity, Soils and Foundations, Advances in Structural Engineering, Engineering Structures, among others.

Research Grants Reviewer

Dr Pedroso is an Australian Research Council (ARC) reviewer for DPs, DEs and LPs. He is also a reviewer for th Hong Kong Research Grants Council HK-RGC

Conference Services

Dr Pedroso has organised the 1st Workshop on New Advances on Computational Geomechanics in Australia in 2008 and the 5th Workshop on New Frontiers in Computational Geotechnics in 2010. Both in Brisbane, Australia.

Dr. Andre A. Pekerti is an Associate Professor in International Management within the International Business Discipline at The University of Queensland Business School. He is an n-Cultural: a Christian of Indonesian-Chinese heritage who grew up in Jakarta, Southern California, and New Zealand, and is a naturalised New Zealander and Australian. Andre’s multicultural background complements his research interest and teaching in international management.

His primary research topics are attributions, acculturation, cultural intelligence, cross-cultural communication, multi-method assessment on n-Culturals and cognitive complexity, ethics, family business, human factors, n-Culturals, servant leadership, social justice, trustworthiness, and wellbeing.

Andre consistently publishes in international journals including, International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Journal of Business Ethics, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, and Journal of International Business Studies.

He served as Vice President of the Australia New Zealand International Business Academy for two terms. He consistently serves as an ad hoc reviewer for several international journals. Currently, he is on the following editorial review boards: Asia-Pacific Journal of Management; Cross-Cultural and Strategic Management; Human Resource Management Review; International Journal of Intercultural Relations; Journal of International Business Studies; Journal of World Business; and Honorary Editor of Andalas Management Review.

Andre initiated the Rapid Acculturation Mateship Program (RAMP) at UQBS. A precursor to Global Mates and BEL Buddies, RAMP is a 19-week program connecting local students with incoming international students. RAMP “Serves to facilitate adjustment to UQ, Australia and the reciprocal learning of cultures”, and has positively affected the experiences of domestic and international students.

Dr. Pekerti has taught in MBA Programs at The University of Auckland, Bond University and UQ Business School. He consulted for Diner’s Club, Singapore; the Department of Transport Victoria, Australia; and the Ministry of Trade, Indonesia. Most recently, I collaborated with BiasSync, a science-based solution designed to help organisations more effectively assess and manage unconscious bias in the work environment.

Author of n-Culturalism in Managing Work and Life: A new within individual multicultural model.

My research interests have concentrated on the molecular genetic analysis of multigene phenotypes of bacteria encompassing pathogenicity, bacterial degradation of synthetic environmental pollutants, photosynthesis and the synthesis of antitumour antibiotics. My PhD research focussed on plasmids and mapping of the genome of the human pathogen P. aeruginosa (Pemberton,and Holloway, 1972a; Pemberton,and Holloway,1972b;Pemberton and Holloway,1973). I continued this research as a postdoc at UC Berkeley with John Clark in the Department of Molecular Biology in the Wendell Stanley Virus laboratory. I am grateful to Mark Guyer who taught me how to isolate large plasmid DNAs. In Robley Williams lab I learnt how to use the Kleinschmidt and Zahn technique for spreading the plasmid DNA on an electronmicroscope grid and metal shadow the sample to visualise it under an electron microscope; I am grateful to Robley Williams for showing me how to metal shadow my samples (Pemberton,1973; Pemberton and AJ Clark,1973; Miller, Pemberton and Richards,1974;Pemberton,1974;Miller,Pemberton and Clark,1977). After advice from John Clark and when I returned to Australia and took up an appointment with UQ I decided to diversify my research. During my postdoc I worked alongside Anne Emerick who was working with the CAM (camphor degradation) plasmid. John Clark put me on her advisory panel (alongside Mike Doudoroff and Norberto Palleroni) making her my first PhD student. The bacterial degradation of such complex naturally occurring molecules such as camphor required a large number of steps requiring a large number of genes hence a large plasmid. I decided to determine if soil bacteria had evolved plasmids which encoded the degradation of man-made molecules. I chose the synthetic herbicide 2,4-D. My research was the first to identify, isolate and clone genes responsible for the degradation of a man-made molecule –moreover the 2,4-D degradation was encoded by a broad host range plasmid, providing an explanation of how microorganisms rapidly evolve the ability to degrade and recycle a vast array of worldwide synthetic environmental pollutants which cause a range of diseases from cancer to birth defects (Pemberton & Fisher, Nature, 1977). One of the most widely studied microorganisms is the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 pJP4 (Hgr) which has an extraordinary ability to degrade and recycle the most complex and most toxic synthetic molecules (Don and Pemberton, J.Bacteriol, 1981;Schmidt et.al.,2011. Catabolic Plasmids.Encyclopedia of Life Sciences). Famously more recent studies have shown that there are genes and gene clusters encoding the degradation of plastics, explosives and chemical weapons of war . Detailed studies of bacterial genes involved in the environmental degradation and recycling of a wide range naturally occurring and synthetic molecules show that degradation genes and degradation gene clusters play a major role in the worldwide carbon cycle.

Photosynthesis is considered the most important biological process on earth. And one of the most intensively studied photosynthetic organisms is the bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. To start the research a local strain of R.sphaeroides, designated RS601, was isolated by Bill Tucker (my first australian PhD student) from a water sample obtained from a roadside ditch in Brisbane (Pemberton and Tucker,1977;Tucker and Pemberton,1978;1979;1980). One of the first discoveries made with this strain was lysogenic conversion to antibiotic resistance by a naturally occurring virus .(JM Pemberton, WT Tucker - Nature, 1977).

Subsequently when this strain was infected withe the broad host plasmid RP1 carrying the mecuric ion transposon Tn501 chromosome transfer occurred. This allowed the construction of the first genetic map of a photosynthetic bacterium(Pemberton and Bowen, J.Bacteriol, 1981). Mapping revealed that the photosynthesis gene cluster was on the main chromosome. Remarkably chromosome transfer occurred from a site right next to the photosynthesis gene cluster with early transfer of the entire cluster into the recipent cell. This provides a potential mechanism for the evolution and spread of photosynthesis genes. A clone bank of RS601 was constructed using pHC79:: Tn5deltaBamH1. This vector allowed cosmid cloning into the BamH1 site of Tn5. These Tn5 cosmid clones were transposed onto the broad host range plasmid pR751. The ability to transfer the entire cosmid clone bank to a wide range of bacteria led to the first cloning and heterologous expression of a carotenoid gene cluster (Pemberton&Harding,Current Microbiology,1986 & 1987).This indicated that genes involved in photosynthesis could be transferred to and expressed in a range of unrelated non-photosynthetic bacteria. Subsequent heterologous expression of carotenoid genes in an increasing variety of plants led to the production of foods enriched in the precursors of vitamin A e.g. Golden Rice (Erik Stokstad, Science Nov 20, 2019) . Vitamin A deficiency is the major preventable cause of blindness in children under 5 years of age; it affects up to 500,000 children each year. Using the same clone bank in mapping experiments in Rhodobacter sphaeroides I observed a few pale colonies in which carotenoid biosynthesis was suppressed. Subsequent detailed analysis of one of these cosmids led to the discovery of the long sought master regulator (PpsR) of bacterial photosynthesis and provided the first detailed insight into the mechanism by which bacterial photosynthesis is regulated at the molecular level (A Gene from the Photosynthetic Gene Cluster of Rhodobacter sphaeroides Induces trans Suppression of Bacteriochlorophyll and Carotenoid Levels in R.sphaeroides and R.capsulatus (R.J.Penfold and JM Pemberton, Current Microbiology, 1991; Sequencing, Chromosomal Inactivation and Functional Expression in E.coli of ppsR a Gene which represses carotenoid and bacteriochlorophyll synthesis in Rhodobacter sphaeroides. RJ Penfold and JM Pemberton. J.Bacteriol May 1994).Early studies by Cohen-Bazire, Sistrom and Stanier (1957) revealed that oxygen and blue light had varying effects on photosynthesis in Rhodobacter. The effect of oxygen was profound. The effect of blue light was more muted. The initial sequencing of ppsR (Penfold and Pemberton, 1994) revealed the presence of only two cys residues suggesting a possible mechanism for the profound effect of oxygen on PpsR repressor activity. Studies of conformational changes/repressor activity of PpsR in the presence and absence of oxygen have produced mixed results(Gomelsky et al.,2000;Masuda and Bauer.,2002). In contrast the muted effect of blue light on photosynthesis appears to be due to the blue light sensitive, anti-repressor AppA. (Gomelsky and Kaplan,1995). It is not known if any other environmental signals modulate PpsR activity.The rhodobacter research led to the construction of pJP5603 which allowed the precise insertion of a defined segment of DNA into a bacterial genome (Penfold and Pemberton,1992 ; Zordan,Beliveau,Trow,Craig and Cormack, 2015). The technique was used to either add functional genes or groups of genes to a precise location in the genome or to precisely target and inactivate individual genes. The site of insertion/mutagenesis is tagged with an antibiotic resistance gene. This process is known as “recombineering” ( Zhang et al., 1988). As with all forms of mutagenesis there are “off target” mutations. The consequences of such ”off target” mutations can range from minimal to extensive.

In a study of a range of genes encoding secreted enzymes involved in the degradation of naturally-occurring biological polymers e.g xylanases, cellulases,amylases, chitinases etc I attempted to obtain secretion genes from Chromobacterium violaceum. Again using the pHC79:: Tn5deltaBamH1 vector used in the study of the photosynthesis genes (Pemberton&Harding,Current Microbiology,1986 & 1987) I constructed a cosmid clone bank of C.violaceum. The clone bank I constructed did not produce secretion genes but instead 2-3 of the clones expressed the intense purple pigmented violacein in E.coli(Pemberton,1986). Subsequent subcloning revealed the gene cluster occupied 8kb and transposon mutagenesis revealed intense blue and intense green intermediates. (Pemberton et.al.,Current Microbiology,1991). I am grateful to Trudy Grossman for the detailed study of this cluster which included sequence analysis and functional characterisation of the violacein biosynthetic pathway (August et al., 2000). The functional analysis of the violacein gene cluster revealed that VioA VioC and VioD belong to the PheA(phenol) /TfdB (2,4-D) group of FAD dependant mono-oxygenases. TfdB is encoded by the 2,4-D degradation gene cluster of the broad host range IncP plasmid pJP4 carried by Ralstonia eutropha JMP134. This provides a link between the degradation of a man-made molecule-2,4-D and the synthesis of an anti-tumour antibiotic-violacein. Remarkably, under certain circumstances this 2,4-D degradation pathway can convert 2,4-D into the well known plant antibiotic-protoanemonin (Blasco,R et al., 1995).In 1983 Burt Ensley , Barry Ratzkin and co-workers (Ensley et al.,Science,1983) discovered that the naphthalene dioxygenase gene from Pseudomonas putida enabled E.coli K12 to synthesise the famous blue dye indigo from tryptophan; a second gene, VioD, from the violacein gene cluster also enabled E.coli K12 to produce indigo (Cheah et al.,Acta Crystallographica,1998). Further studies using the violacein gene cluster led to the development of techniques and vectors that should allow cloning and stable, high level expression of more antibiotic biosynthesis pathways in E.coli K12, particularly pathways from the prolific antibiotic producers the Streptomycetes providing novel antibiotics in the fight against antibiotic resistant pathogens (Sarovich and Pemberton,2007; Philip,Sarovich and Pemberton,2008 & 2009;Ahmetagic & Pemberton, 2010 & 2011;Ahmetagic, Philip ,Sarovich,Kluver and Pemberton,2011).An article published in June 2013 by Stevens and co-workers PLoS ONE 8(5) showed that a native gene cluster from Streptomyces rimosus encoding tetracycline can be directly expressed in E.coli K12.

For the first time researchers have showed the expression of the violacein gene cluster in a eukaryote-the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Lee et al., 2013). Such a discovery may indicate that the violacein gene cluster can be expressed in organisms which range from microbes to man. It may also indicate that major pathways from microorganisms can be engineered and expressed in a range of eukaryotes. Since violacein is a potent anticancer agent it is of interest to determine if the violacein cluster engineered into bacteria of the microbiome of an animal reduces cancer rates. Alternatively it may be possible to engineer the violacein pathway directly into an animal and observe if cancer rates are reduced. In view of the purported prokaryotic ancestry of eukaryoyic organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts ,one possible way of boosting violacein synthesis in eukaryotic cells could be to integrate the violacein gene cluster into organelle DNA.

Finally, violacein is chemically related to the well known anti-cancer drug staurosporine and possesses anticancer, antifungal, anti-parasite, antibacterial and antiviral activities;it might be possible to synthesise structural variants of violacein with more potent activity against various cancers and drug/antibiotic resistant pathogens. Interestingly is now known that violacein producing bacteria associated with the skin microbiome of certain frogs provides some protection against extinction by the worldwide spread of ‘chytrid’ fungus(Harris et.al., 2009). In addition, frogs have been used in cancer studies and may provide a simple model to test the anticancer properties of violacein. Since the violacein gene cluster is expressed in a wide range of bacteria ( Dr D S Philip, personal communication;D.S/Philip.PhD Thesis 2010) and has potent activity against the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum and other mosquito borne parasites, there is the possibility that mosquitoes engineered to carry the violacein gene cluster might be resistant to parasite infection. The cluster could be stably incorporated in the genomes of bacteria normally inhabiting the surface or the gut of the mosquito.A recent patent application (United States Patent Application 20170280730) indicates that Chromobacterium introduced into the microbiome of mosquitoes is useful for the prevention of transmission of malaria and dengue virus.In addition, chemical modification of violacein may produce drugs with even higher levels of activity against parasites including the malarial parasite ( Wilkinson et al., 2020). Violacein has activity against the pandemic virus Covid19 and there is some knowledge of its mode of action (Duran et al., 2021). Testing may reveal if it has activity against both Kappa and Delta Covid19 variants.Violacein can inhibit infection by HIV and COVID (Doganci et al., 2022)

• Fellow, American Society for Microbiology
• Fellow, Australian Society for Microbiology

Selected Publications:

• Ahmetagic, Adnan, Philip, Daniel S., Sarovich, Derek S., Kluver, Daniel W. and Pemberton, John M. (2011) Plasmid encoded antibiotics inhibit protozoan predation of Escherichia coli K12. Plasmid, 66 3: 152-158. doi:10.1016/j.plasmid.2011.07.006
• Ahmetagic, Adnan and Pemberton, John M. (2011) Antibiotic resistant mutants of Escherichia coli K12 show increases in heterologous gene expression. Plasmid, 65 1: 51-57. doi:10.1016/j.plasmid.2010.11.004
• Ahmetagic, Adnan and Pemberton, John M. (2010) Stable high level expression of the violacein indolocarbazole anti-tumour gene cluster and the Streptomyces lividans amyA gene in E. coli K12. Plasmid, 63 2: 79-85. doi:10.1016/j.plasmid.2009.11.004
• Philip, Daniel S., Sarovich, Derek S. and Pemberton, John M. (2009) Complete sequence and analysis of the stability functions of pPSX, a vector that allows stable cloning and expression of Streptomycete genes in Escherichia coli K12. Plasmid, 62 1: 39-43. doi:10.1016/j.plasmid.2009.03.002

Emeritus Professor Michael Pender graduated from The University of Queensland in 1974 with First Class Honours in Medicine and a University Medal. Over the next six years he trained as a physician and neurologist at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) in 1981. During his specialist clinical training he developed a keen interest in multiple sclerosis which he has continued since then. After completing his clinical training in neurology, he was a research scholar in the field of multiple sclerosis at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, and was awarded a PhD from the University of London and Queen Square Prize for Research in 1983. From 1984 to 1986 he continued this research as a Research Fellow at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra. In 1987 he was appointed Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medicine, The University of Queensland, at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. In 1989 he was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine from The University of Queensland for his research in the field of multiple sclerosis and was promoted to Reader in Medicine. In 1995 he was promoted to Professor of Medicine (Personal Chair), The University of Queensland, which he held until his retirement in 2021. His main clinical and research interest is multiple sclerosis. He also held the positions of: Consultant Neurologist, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, 1987–2021; Director of Neurology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, 1992–2005: Director of the Neuroimmunology Research Centre, The University of Queensland, 1991–2007; Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre, The University of Queensland, 2009–2014; and Clinical Fellow, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 2017–2021. In 1996, with the support of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland, he established a Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. In 2006 he was awarded the Multiple Sclerosis Australia Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research - "For outstanding commitment and dedication to research into the cause and cure of Multiple Sclerosis in Australia". In 2011 he received the John H Tyrer Prize in Internal Medicine, The University of Queensland, for research in the field of Internal Medicine. He was the Sir Raphael Cilento Orator of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators for 2009 and the W Ian McDonald Lecturer of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists for 2014. In 2019 he received the John Studdy Award from Multiple Sclerosis Australia for "lifelong commitment and service to research to identify the cause of and potential cure for Multiple Sclerosis". In 2024 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to medicine, particularly neurology and multiple sclerosis research, and to tertiary education. Major research achievements include: the discovery of apoptosis of autoreactive T cells in the central nervous system as a fundamental mechanism of recovery from autoimmune attack (Journal of the Neurological Sciences 1991, Journal of Autoimmunity 1992, European Journal of Immunology 1994); formulation of a novel hypothesis (The Lancet 1998) proposing a failure of this mechanism in multiple sclerosis; and the further development of this hypothesis into a new paradigm (Trends in Immunology 2003) for the cause of human chronic autoimmune diseases based on infection of autoreactive B cells with the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), some of the predictions of which have already been verified in multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome. His EBV hypothesis led to the first clinical trial of EBV-specific T cell therapy in multiple sclerosis (JCI Insight 2018), a trial in which he was a principal investigator.

Group page: https://medicine-program.uq.edu.au/multiple-sclerosis-research-group

Dr. Xiyue Peng is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland. In 2023, she got her PhD from AIBN at UQ under the supervision of A/Prof. Bin Luo and Prof.Lianzhou Wang.

Dr. Xiyue Peng specializes in electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems, focusing primarily on the functional materials and energy storage mechanisms for rechargeable Aluminum and redox flow batteries.

Dr Natalie Peng is a lecturer in Accounting at the UQ Business School.

Natalie has taught both financial and management accounting courses at UQ.

Her research interests include superannuation, the production, dissemination and interpretation of information in the financial market, disclosure regulation, and cognitive bias in decision-making and its consequences.

Biography:

Dr. Hong (Marco) Peng is now an Amplify Senior Lecturer at School of Chemical Engineering, the University of Queensland (UQ). He gained his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering at UQ with OZ Minerals Award for Excellent Thesis (2014). He had also the industry experience as a chemical engineer at Olympic Dam site and Newcastle Technology centre, BHP Billiton (2006-2009).

Research:

His research focuses on fundamental aspects of chemical engineering processes, with a specialization in unlocking nucleation and crystallization phenomena with projects on utilization of waste resource as functional materials for critical metals and carbon capture & utilization. Dr. Peng is CI for ARC Research Hub for PVRS and ARC Training Centre for the Global Hydrogen Economy and the recipient of the prestigious Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships (Both Early and Middle Career).

Projects and Research Grants:

1. Green hydrogen generation from high-current-density electrocatalysis, ARC Discovery Project 2026-2029,(Co-CI)
2. Value-Added Process for utilisation of silica-dominated chloride stream, Rio Tinto Innovations, 2025-2026 (Leading CI)
3. Valued-Products from Rare-Earth contained Kaolin Feed, Resources Technology & Critical Minerals (RTCM) Trailblazer Project, 2025-2026 (Leading CI)
4. Chemical Beneficiation of High Silica Bauxite Through Thermal Activation, Ma’aden (Saudi Arabian Mining Company), 2025 (Leading CI)
5. Producing High Purity Alumina from Kaolin, RTCM Trailblazer Project ,2024-2025 (Leading CI)
6. Desilication Product Seed for Sandy DSP Process, Rio Tinto,2023 (Leading CI)
7. Lime reduction during pressure oxidation of gold-bearing sulphides, Newcrest, 2023 (Leading CI)
8. Controlling iron precipitation during pressure oxidation of gold-bearing sulphides, Newcrest, 2022-2023 (Leading CI)
9. Metal-based zeolite catalyst development for CO2 hydrogenation, 2022-2025, ARC Training Centre for the Global Hydrogen Economy (Co-CI)
10. The effect of anions on early stage co-growth of desilication products (DSP) in a synthetic Bayer solution, 2022, Australian Synchrotron Access Program (ANSTO) (Leading CI)
11. Developing low cost technology to turn clay to zeolite. Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship (Middle Career), 2020-2023, Queensland Government (Sole CI)
12. Green synthesis of adsorption materials from clay minerals, 2019-2020, UniQuest pathfinder (Leading CI)
13. Unlocking Queensland's bauxite ore reserves through process technology innovation. Advance Queensland Research Fellowship (Early Career), 2016-2019, Queensland Government (Sole-CI)

Teaching and Learning:

• Lecturer and Coordinator in Chemical Thermodynamics (CHEE3003), since 2021
• Lecturer in Engineering Investigation & Statistical Analysis (CHEE2010), since 2019
• ENGG7290 Engineering Placement, BE/ME course, Academic supervisor and Grader, since 2018
• Lecturer in Process Modelling and Dynamics (CHEE3007), 2018-2019

Honours And Awards

1. TMS Light Metals Subject Award - Alumina/Bauxite, 2025
2. TMS Young Leaders Professional Development Awards,2020
3. UQ Amplify Fellowship (early career and mid-career), 2019-2021, 2023-2026
4. Travel award for Universitas 21 Early Career Researcher Workshop, 2018
5. Best Alumina Paper in ICSOBA Conference, 2017
6. OZ Minerals Award for Excellent PhD thesis, 2014

Academic and Discipline service

1. Chair (2024-2026)/Vice Chair (2022-2024) of Recycling and Environmental Technologies Committee, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS)
2. Academic Representative of Joint Chemical Engineering Committee – Queensland (IChemE and Engineering Australia), 2020-
3. Secretary of Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy Committee, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), 2021-2023
4. Leading topic editor for JOM, “Reprocessing and Recycling of Tailings from Metallurgical Process”,2022; “Progress on Recovery of Critical Raw Materials, 2021”; “Advances in Process Metallurgy,2020”

Research Interests

• Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy

Precipitation, crystallisation, bioleaching, froth flotation, nanobubbles

• Chemical Engineering

Valorisation of bauxite residue and mine tailings, Zeolite, Alum, Environmental functional materials, MD Simulation

Yang is currently a Adjunct Research Fellow at Prince Charles Hospital Northside Clinical Unit, UQ Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. He has extensive experience in analysing large-scale national and international health surveys and hospitalisaiton datasets with complex statistical models. He is interested in answering a couple of research questions in the population level (e.g. the associations between modifiable behaviors and chronic diseases; the inequalities in chronic disease risk).

Yongjun Peng is a Professor at School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland. He obtained his PhD under the supervision of Profs Stephen Grano, John Ralston and Daniel Fornasiero from the Ian Wark Research Institute of the University of South Australia in 2002. This study was part of a large international project, AMIRA P260C regarding grinding and flotation chemistry in fine particle flotation with application of complementary solution and surface analytical techniques. He studied the galvanic interactions between grinding media and base metal sulphide minerals, mineral oxidation and dissolution, the activation of iron sulphide minerals, and surface contamination in improving mineral flotation. He was the 1st researcher developing the well-known Magotteaux Mill which allows the control of chemical reactions during grinding. His research work also guides the industry to use high chromium media in primary grinding mills and inert grinding media in regrinding mills to minimize the negative effect of galvanic interactions.

From 2002 to 2006, Yongjun Peng worked at the COREM Research Centre in Canada which is supported by the Canadian government and eleven international member mining companies. During his time there, he developed technologies for member mining companies to improve base metal, gold and niobium flotation. He was awarded an expert certificate for five years in Canada by the Quebec government, and also awarded NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)-Industry Research Fellowship. From 2006 to 2009, Yongjun Peng worked at BHP Billiton Perth Technology Centre in Australia as a Senior Metallurgist/Engineer responsible for fine nickel flotation in saline water, gold and uranium processing. He won a major BHP Billiton internal prize in 2008.

Yongjun Peng’s current research at the University of Queensland focuses on froth flotation and the underlying solution chemistry, colloid/surface chemistry and electrochemistry. In addition to solving problems for individual companies, the underlying theme is the particle interaction taking place during the processing of low quality and complex energy and mineral resources with low quality water to address key challenges that face the resource industry today. His research is supported by the Australia Research Council, the Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP) and the resource industry. In 2022, he was awarded the ACARP Research Excellent Award recognising research and leadership excellence through long term commitment and impact.

New technologies developed

Depressing hydrophobic gangue minerals in the flotation of sulphide ores. Traditional prefloat to float and remove hydrophobic gangue minerals also floats and removes sulphide minerals due to the collectorless flotation of sulphide minerals upon surface oxidation. This technology introduces a prefloat cleaner stage where sulphide minerals recovered to the prefloat concentrate are depressed and separated from other hydrophobic gangue minerals at a low pulp potential using innovative reducing agents which do not affect the natural floatability of sulphide minerals. The prefloat cleaner tailings are then fed back to the main sulphide flotation circuit. Traditional reducing agents applied in prefloat require high consumptions and also interfere with the downstream flotation. Flotation tests using chalcopyrite and organic carbon show that the new approach can reduce the loss of chalcopyrite in the prefloat by over 40% without affecting the rejection of naturally hydrophobic gangue. This technology is commercialized by ALS.

GoldRecover. This technology improves the gold flotation recovery from comminution circuit and flotation circuit in gold processing operations using innovative chemicals to remove iron contamination from gold surfaces. Iron contamination prevents the adsorption of collectors on mineral surfaces. Based on a copper-gold ore, this technology achieved a gold recovery up to 30% and a copper recovery up to 12% higher than the base line. Based on a pyrite-gold ore, this technology achieved a gold recovery up to 10% higher than the base line. This technology is commercialized by Kinetic Group Worldwide.

Counteracting the adverse effect of cyanide in flotation. Cyanide added to depress gangue minerals or existing in process water can depress the flotation of sulphide and precious minerals. Cyanide can also complex with metal ions and form metal cyanide which can depress or activate mineral flotation depending on the pulp chemistry. The new technology involves the modification of pulp chemistry to make metal cyanide activate sulphide and precious minerals in flotation. This technology has been applied in the sponsor’s flotation plant to improve gold and silver recoveries since 2012.

Regrinding-flotation pre-treatment prior to CIL leaching. This technology has been applied in the sponsor’s plant to improve copper and gold recoveries while reducing cyanide consumption since 2012.

New sulphidisation to improve the flotation of oxidized minerals. Traditional sulphidisation suffers from drawbacks such as low efficiency, low pulp potential with a high reagent consumption and difficulty to sulphidise some minerals. The new sulphidisation we developed from the ARC Linkage Project LP160100619 supported by Newmont and Newcrest is conducted at higher pulp potential. Based on a stockpile copper ore, the new sulphidisation improves the copper recovery from 76% (base line) to 93% with even higher copper grade. Based on a stockpile pyritic ore containing gold, the new sulphidisation improves the recovery of total S from 48% (base line) to 68% and the recovery of sulphide S from 84% (base line) to 92%.

De-aerating froth products (patented technologies). Persistent froth in flotation concentrates presents operational challenges in downstream processing such as pumping in sumps and dewatering in filters and thickeners. In sumps where flotation concentrates are pumped to the dewatering process, the liquid level sensors often fail to detect the persistent froth which may lead to flooding of the processing area or even the entire plant. In dewatering to separate the solids in the concentrate from water, persistent froth significantly reduces both thickening and filtration efficiencies. The accumulated persistent froth floating on top of thickeners can also limit the capacity of the plant. Two types of physical froth de-aerators have been developed, one based on physical forces and another based on pressure changes. The de-aerator using physical forces is suitable for destabilising froth in sumps and filters, while the de-aerator using pressure changes is suitable for destabilising froth in thickeners. These technologies are commercialized by DADI (AUSTRALIA) Engineering Company.

Rapid measurement of coal oxidation (patented technology). This technology can be used in the plant to determine the degree of coal oxidation in natural environments within 5 minutes. The solvens used are environmentally friendly. Based on the degree of coal oxidation, a ratio of non-polar collector to polar collector can be determined to maximise the coal flotation while minimizing reagent consumptions. At one coal preparation plant this technology demonstrates an improvement of 5%-26% increase in the recovery of coal (based on applying optimised ratios of oily and polar collectors for the measured degree of coal oxidation).This technology is commercialized by interchem.

Apparatus and method for emulsifying oily collectors for use in flotation (patented technology). Oily collectors are widely used in the flotation of various commodities. Due to their low solubility in water, a large amount of oily collectors has to be used with a long conditioning time. A number of studies has demonstrated that chemical emulsifiers can significantly improve the efficiency of oily collectors by reducing their droplets. However, the application of chemical emulsifiers in flotation plants is limited due to their strong frothing abilities which can cause various problems. We have developed apparatus to physically emulsify oily collectors to droplets with a size ranging from 12.2 µm to 0.7 µm and found that the flotation performance increases with the decrease of droplet size until an optimal droplet size. Droplets smaller than the optimal size is not beneficial to flotation. The apparatus has a low equipment cost and low maintenance. Based on the test work on five different coal samples from 3 Australian coal preparation plants, the emulsified diesel could increase the yield by 2.5 to 15.3% at the same product ash content while reducing the diesel consumption by 97,412 L to 304,941 L per annum. This technology is commercialized by DADI (AUSTRALIA) Engineering Company.

Biography

Dr Huadong Peng is a Group Leader and Senior Research Fellow at the UQ's Biosustainability Hub, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), UQ. He is a Future Academic Leader in the Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), and part of ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB). He earned his PhD from Monash University in Nov 2018, followed by postdoctoral training at Imperial College London and the Technical University of Denmark until Dec 2023. Prior to his PhD, he received his Master Degree from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013 and a Bachelor Degree from China Three Gorges University in 2010. Additionally, he worked as a research associate at Novozymes (now Novonesis) from Nov 2013 to Jan 2015.

Since Jan 2024, Dr Peng has led the Yeast Engineering and Synthetic Biology (YESBio) research group (10-15 members), focusing on sustainable biomanufacturing. His research interests include 1) developing innovative synthetic biology tools, such as gene assembly methods, CRISPR-based genome editing tools, and biosensors; 2) modular metabolic engineering for advanced microbial cell factories, 3) synthetic microbial communities and 4) emerging Bio+ enabling technologies for applications in food ingredients, biochemicals, biofuels, and biomedicines.

Dr Peng secured $4.8M funding as Chief Investigator ($2.1M to his team), including the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship. He has published 40+ peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals, including Nature Microbiology, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Communications. He actively contributes to the scientific community through editorial roles, including Associate Editor for Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology and Youth Editor for The Innovation (IF 26), BioDesign Research and mLife. He is also an invited peer reviewer for 30+ international journals and grants such as Nature Synthesis, ACS Synthetic Biology, etc.

Dr Peng is looking for highly motivated Honours, Master and PhD students, and highly competitive full scholarship may be provided. The University of Queensland ranks in the top 50 as measured by the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities. The University also ranks 45 in the QS World University Rankings, 52 in the US News Best Global Universities Rankings, 60 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 55 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Industry

Dr Peng is keen to translate the technologies developed by his team into real-world commercial applications, including advanced microbial cell factories, synthetic microbial communities, and optimised bioprocesses. These innovations enable the delivery of sustainable bio-solutions for industrial sectors spanning agri-food, industrial biotechnology and human health. He has established close collaborations with industry partners such as Woodside Energy, Noumi Operations, and Cauldron Fermentation, and he is actively engaging with additional partners, including Levur and NeweraBio.

Dr Peng has experience consulting with multiple companies and is open to taking on casual consulting roles as opportunities arise.

Selected Funding & Awards

Dr Peng has secured $4.8M funding as Chief Investigator ($2.1M to his team), including

• 2025 Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA)-Cauldron ferm, $2M, CIB
• 2025 Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA)-Noumi Operations, $2M, co-CIA
• 2025 NCRIS Synthetic Biology Voucher Scheme, $40K, CIA
• 2024 UQ Biosustainability hub seed funding, $50K, CIA
• 2024 Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator seed funding, $160K, CIA
• 2023 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad, $15K
• 2022 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship ($266K, 8% success rate)

Key Publications (#, co-first author; *, corresponding author)

1. Chen, H.#, Peng, H.#, Ellis, T., & Ledesma-Amaro, R. Programmable cell–cell adhesion in synthetic yeast communities for improved bioproduction. Nature Chemical Biology 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-025-02081-1
2. Peng, H.; Darlington, A. P. S.; South, E. J.; Chen, H.-H.; Jiang, W.; Ledesma-Amaro, R*. A molecular toolkit of cross-feeding strains for engineering synthetic yeast communities. Nature Microbiology 2024. 9(3), 848-863.
3. Park Y.-K., Peng H, Hapeta P., Sellés Vidal L. and Ledesma-Amaro R*. Engineered cross-feeding creates inter- and intra-species synthetic yeast communities with enhanced bioproduction. Nature Communications 2024, 15(1): 8924.
4. Aulakh S#, Vidal L#, South E#, Peng H, Varma S, Herrera-Dominguez L, Ralser M*, Ledesma-Amaro R*. Spontaneously establishing syntrophic yeast communities improves biosynthetic yield through shared labour. Nature Chemical Biology 2023, 19(8), 951-961.
5. Jiang W, Hernández V-D, Peng H, Liu L, Haritos VS, Ledesma-Amaro R* Metabolic engineering strategies to enable microbial utilization of C1 feedstocks. Nature Chemical Biology 2021, 17(8), 845-855. `
6. P Gao, Sun H., Ledesma-Amaro R., Marcellin E. and Peng H.* Advancements and Challenges in the Bioproduction of Raspberry Ketone by Precision Fermentation. Future Foods 2025: 100606.
7. Wen, Q., Xu, X., He, Q., Wang, C., Chen, Z., Zhong, W., Peng, H.*, Yang, M.*, & Xing, J*. Dual-pathway engineering enables robust vanillin bioproduction in Pseudomonas putida. Chemical Engineering Journal 2025, 526.
8. Peng, H.*; Chen, R.; Shaw, W. M.; Hapeta, P.; Jiang, W.; Bell, D. J.; Ellis, T.; Ledesma-Amaro, R*. Modular Metabolic Engineering and Synthetic Coculture Strategies for the Production of Aromatic Compounds in Yeast. ACS Synthetic Biology 2023, 12 (6), 1739-1749.
9. Peng, H.; He, L.; Haritos, V. S*. Flow-cytometry-based physiological characterisation and transcriptome analyses reveal a mechanism for reduced cell viability in yeast engineered for increased lipid content. Biotechnology for Biofuels 2019, 12 (1), 98.
10. Peng, H.; Chen, H.; Qu, Y.; Li, H.; Xu, J*. Bioconversion of different sizes of microcrystalline cellulose pretreated by microwave irradiation with/without NaOH. Applied Energy 2014, 117 (0), 142-148

Updated on 2 Jan 2026

Adriana Penman is a Senior Teaching-Focused Lecturer in Speech Pathology and the Acting Head of Speech Pathology for the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences (HMBS) at The University of Queensland (UQ). She is an elected Academic member of the UQ Academic Board (2026-2028). Adriana is an experienced speech pathologist who has worked clinically in the areas of adult swallowing and communication disorders across the continuum of care and stuttering or fluency disorders across the lifespan. Adriana is passionate about sharing her knowledge, experience and expertise in these clinical areas through her teaching and research.

Adriana's teaching and research programs are driven by the need to create innovative and authentic solutions such as embedding simulation-based learning within health professional curricula to support students’ preparation for practice. Adriana leads a program of research that aims to assist the growth of new graduates who are prepared for future success in speech pathology through their enriched student educational experiences. As a previous ITaLI Affiliate Academic, she is interested in embedding experiential learning opportunities such as simulation-based learning into university classrooms more broadly to assist student learning and engagement, and to build their confidence and readiness for placement. Additionally, within her Affiliate Academic role in 2023-2024, Adriana is the ITaLI representative on the UQ Fitness to Practise Working Party review which is necessitated to continue to guide and support students as developing practitioners.

Adriana's program of research is focussed on the investigation of teaching and learning practices within speech pathology and more broadly, within health science professions with a specific focus on graduate preparedness for placement and the transition to professional practice. She maintains national and international collaborations with a learning community of academics interested in scholarship of teaching. Adriana’s PhD (2021) investigated the use of simulation-based learning to prepare speech pathology students for clinical practice. Her research utilises mixed methodologies however, she has a particular interest in qualitative studies. Adriana is an active researcher in stuttering across the lifespan, teaching and student learning practices, practice education and simulation pedagogy. She is also interested in exploring students’ engagement in interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

Awards and Fellowships:

• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2025)
• UQ Award for Teaching Excellence (2024)
• Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences (HaBS) Award for Teaching Excellence (2023)
• Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2019)
• Faculty of Heath and Behavioural Sciences (HaBS) Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2018)
• School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) Early Career Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2017)
• School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) Commendation for Early Career Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2016)

Dr Rob Pensalfini received his PhD in theoretical linguistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997, with research based on his fieldwork in the Barkly Tableland of Australia's Northern Territory. He then worked as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago for two years prior to commencing as a Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Queensland in 1999. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and Drama in 2003, and to Associate Professor in 2016. He has published several books and numerous articles in both linguistics and drama, including ground-breaking work on the performance of Shakespeare in prisons. He leads Australia's only ongoing Prison Shakespeare program and is the Artistic Director of the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

Sarah Percy arrived at UQ from the University of Western Australia in 2016. Prior to her appointment at UWA, Sarah was University Lecturer and Tutorial Fellow in International Relations at the University of Oxford (Merton College). At Oxford, Sarah was on the steering committee of the Oxford Programme on the Changing Character of War. Sarah did her M.Phil and D.Phil as a Commonwealth Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford.

Sarah's research focuses on international security and the history of war. She has had a long-standing interest in unconventional combatants, and has published widely on mercenaries, private military companies, and pirates. She is interested in how historical developments in war shape modern practices, examining mercenaries, women in combat, the history of international law, and weapons control. She is the author of two books: Mercenaries: The History of a Norm in International Relations (OUP: 2007) and Forgotten Warriors: The Long History of Women on the Front Line (Hachette: 2023) as well as numerous articles. Sarah is also a broadcaster and has made three radio series for ABC Radio National, including Why the Cold War Still Matters and two seies of An Object in Time.

Flavio's research focuses on advancing the HVP technology to achieve pre-concentration, pre-weakening and improved liberation of different types of ore using the continuous high voltage pulse device developed at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC).

Flavio's background includes computational simulation of comminution equipment using DEM, optimisation of crushing circuits, investigation and implementation of a novel classification approach using dry rare-earth magnetic separation for the production of manufactured sand, industrial surveys and laboratory and pilot scale test work. He is a Civil Engineer from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. He holds a MSc in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at COPPE/UFRJ (Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa de Engenharia), Brazil.

Professor Nigel Perkins is from a mixed grazing property in south west Queensland and completed a veterinary degree at the University of Queensland, followed by a Master of Science at The Ohio State University and a PhD in veterinary epidemiology at Massey University, New Zealand. He has practiced as a veterinarian in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria and has worked as a veterinary academic clinician at university veterinary schools in Australia, the USA and New Zealand. In 2003 Nigel was promoted to Associate Professor in veterinary epidemiology and Group Leader of the EpiCentre, an internationally acclaimed epidemiology research and consultancy centre within the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Science, Massey University. Nigel then joined AusVet - a private epidemiology consultancy company - in 2004 and became a Director of AusVet in 2007. Nigel joined UQ in February 2016 as Professor of One Health and Academic Superintendent within the School of Veterinary Science. In October 2017 Nigel was appointed as the Head of School of the School of Veterinary Science.

Nigel has held leadership roles in a number of organisations, including research program manager for the Horse R&D Program within the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), surveillance program co-ordinator for the Australian Biosecurity Co-operative Research Centre (AB-CRC), and Chief Examiner of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. He is the current Chair of the Thoroughbred Advisory Panel for Agrifutures Australia. Nigel is recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in the field of veterinary epidemiology. He has broad experience in investigations of animal health, welfare, production and disease in a number of species including sheep, cattle, horses, poultry, pigs, aquatic species, and wildlife, as well as experience in human health projects. He has been involved in many short-term projects in Asian countries associated with capacity building in animal health, transboundary animal disease preparedness and response, risk analysis and disease outbreaks. Nigel's work has a strong focus on improving animal health, production and welfare outcomes in Australian livestock as well as providing leadership within the veterinary profession and in the broader areas of science, food sustainability and one health. .