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Prof Tim Mahony joined QAAFI’s Centre for Animal Science in October 2010, after 15 years of conducting research projects with the Queensland Government. He obtained his PhD from James Cook University in the area of molecular microbiology. During 2001 and 2002, Prof Mahony was a visiting professor at the University of Saskatchewan.

Research interests

Dr Mahony’s research interests are in the area of molecular virology revolving around improving viral disease control in production animals such as cattle and poultry. His group is characterising the molecular interactions between invading pathogens and the subsequent host responses with the goal of developing new vaccines and diagnostic technologies. A key component of this work includes improving the basic understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin and drive viral virulence and evolution. Next-generation sequencing has been used to sequence the genomes of herpesviruses and adenoviruses from a variety of species including, cattle, chickens, marsupials, horses, and crocodiles. Prof Mahony’s team is also investigating the role of virally encoded microRNAs in virulence, replication, and disease development. His group was one of the first in the world to apply bacterial artificial chromosome infectious clone technology for the efficient manipulation of herpesviruses that have large DNA genomes. These strategies are also being exploited to understand viral gene function and the development of vaccines.

Currently, Prof Mahony is researching risk factors that protect and predispose feedlot cattle to developing bovine respiratory disease (BRD). He is also leading the development of new vaccines for BRD and cattle tick infestations. Prof Mahony has also led the development of new vaccine delivery technologies for the poultry industry targeting the application of in ovo strategies. Prof Mahony research into improving animal health is increasing industry productivity, food safety, and consumer confidence in food products and he is keen to explore collaborations with other scientists in this area.

Prof Mahony has a strong interest to work with post-graduate students and has supervised a number of post-graduate students from Australia and overseas. These projects have covered research areas in molecular virology, animal health, vaccine development, and pathogen-host interactions.

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.

Dr Moyle’s laboratory (www.moylelab.com) uses cutting edge technologies for the synthesis of peptides, protein expression, and protein semi-synthesis to gain insights into the functional roles played by various biochemical pathways, to engineer better protein and peptide therapeutics, and to improve the delivery characteristics of various therapeutic molecules. Specific current areas of interest are detailed below:

1. Subunit Vaccine Development: methods to develop improved vaccines through the combination of recombinant and synthetic approaches to improve immunopotency and tailor immune responses (links to reseach articles on semisynthetic vaccines and peptide vaccines; reviews on vaccine development).
2. Delivery Systems for Nucleic Acid-Based Molecules: multi-component synthetic and recombinant approaches to improve the cellular uptake, and targeted delivery of various oligonucleotide molecules (e.g. siRNA, mRNA, pDNA and CRISPR-Cas9) as an exciting approach to treat or prevent various diseases (links to research articles and reviews).
3. Deciphering the Roles of Post-Translational Modifications: The combination of peptide synthesis and protein semisynthesis to enable the production of large amounts of site-specifically modified species, that can be used to deconvolute the roles played by various post-translational modifications (links to research articles).
4. Peptide/Protein Drugs and Delivery: The study of methods to improve the delivery characteristics of peptide/protein drugs (e.g. poor oral absorption, instability to chemical/enzymatic degradation, and the inability to reach their site/s of action) through chemical engineering approaches.
5. New Approaches for Superbugs: the development of antivirulence approaches, and formulations (e.g. various types of nanoparticles - silver, protein, mesoporous silica), which reduce the ability for microbes to cause disease, and make them more readily treated with antimicrobials, by providing access to synergistic combinations, and reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance.

Information for Potential Students:

The Moyle lab considers applications from potential students and postdoctoral fellows with an interest in: i) infection control (including subunit vaccine and antimicrobial development); ii) delivery systems for peptide therapeutics; iii) targeted delivery systems; iv) studying the function of posttranslational modifications; and v) delivery systems for nucleic acid-based therapeutics (e.g. siRNA, shRNA, miRNA, mRNA, pDNA and CRISPR-Cas9). If you are interested in working in any of these areas please feel free to contact Dr Moyle (p.moyle@uq.edu.au). Please ensure that you supply an up to date CV; describe why you would like to work in the Moyle lab; provide a listing of publications (preferably with impact factors and citation counts); and indicate what skills you would bring to the lab. Detailed information on our laboratory is available at www.moylelab.com. Preference will be given to students and postdoctoral fellows who have their own funding.

Dr Moyle Biosketch:

Dr Moyle (H-index 30, >2600 citations; >95 publications; 13/8/2024; Google Scholar, ORCID, ResearcherID, and Publons profiles) received a PhD (Dec 2006) and a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons I) (Dec 2001) from The University of Queensland (UQ); graduated from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia pre-registration pharmacist-training course (Nov 2002); and is registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. He currently works as an Associate Professor in the UQ School of Pharmacy, where he has been based since 2014.

Dr Moyle works in the fields of medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and drug formulation, investigating subunit vaccine development, outcomes associated with histone post-translational modifications, and methods to improve the delivery characteristics of oligonucleotide (e.g. siRNA and pDNA), peptide, and protein therapeutics. During his PhD, Dr Moyle developed methods that enabled the synthesis of pure, lipid adjuvanted peptide vaccines, using advanced chemical ligation techniques. In addition, the conjugation of mannose to combined prophylactic/therapeutic human papillomavirus type-16 vaccines, to target dendritic cells, was demonstrated to significantly improve vaccine anti-tumour activity. This work, conducted with leading researchers at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (Prof Michael Good & Dr Colleen Olive), established Dr Moyle’s national and international profile in the field of vaccine development, resulting in 11 peer reviewed papers, including top journals in the field (J Med Chem; J Org Chem), as well as 6 review articles and 2 invited book chapters.

Dr Moyle undertook his postdoctoral training in the laboratory of one of the world’s premier chemical biologists, Professor Tom Muir (the Rockefeller University, NY, USA; now at Princeton University, NJ, USA). During this time he developed an extensive knowledge of techniques for protein expression, bioconjugation, bioassays, and proteomics, which represent an essential skill set required for this proposal. As part of this work, Dr Moyle developed novel synthetic routes to generate site-specific ADP-ribose conjugated peptides and proteins. This research was hailed as a major breakthrough in the field, leading to several collaborations, and an exemplary publication in the prestigious chemistry journal JACS. This vast body of work identified the enzyme (PARP10) responsible for mono-ADP-ribosylation of histone H2B, and demonstrated interactions between this modification and several proteins, including BAL, which is associated with B cell lymphomas. In addition, a number of robust chemical methods were developed to enable the synthesis of a complete library of methyl-arginine containing histones, which were incorporated into synthetic chemically-defined chromatin to investigate the site-specific effects of arginine methylation on histone acetylation. This work led to a collaboration with colleagues at Rockefeller to investigate the effects of histone arginine methylation on transcription.

Teaching:

Dr Moyle teaches into the following subjects in the UQ School of Pharmacy.

• PHRM3011 (Quality Use of Medicines) - course coordinator
• PHRM4021 (Integrated Pharmaceutical Development)
• PHRM3021 (Dosage Form Design)
• PHRM2040 (Drug Discovery)

Awards:

2016 - Health and Behavioural Sciences (HABS) faculty commendation for Early Career Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (ECCOSL)

2015 - ChemMedChem top 10 cited article of 2013 (link)

2014 - Highest ranked NHMRC development grant (2013; APP1074899)

2013 - Institute for Molecular Biology (IMB) Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology Prize

Dr. Nguyen is an expert in applying long-read Oxford Nanopore Sequencing Technologies (ONT) in agriculture, particularly livestock and other sectors. Her groundbreaking contributions include being the pioneer in sequencing the genomes of Brahman and Wagyu cattle, developing an innovative epigenetic clock for age prediction in cattle, and successfully implementing ONT portable sequencers for Blockchain traceability systems in Australia.

As a leader in the field, Dr. Nguyen spearheads the use of ONT long-read technology to scaffold genome assemblies in livestock, plants, protists, and insects. Her multidisciplinary expertise in molecular biology, advanced genomics, and animal sciences also empowers her to explore causative markers for commercial SNP arrays and identify significant DNA variants from low-coverage sequencing data sets.

Dr. Nguyen's exceptional achievements and expertise have been acknowledged through the prestigious ARC Industry Fellowship, recognising her as a promising early career researcher. Her work has significantly contributed to advancing genomic research in agriculture and has opened new avenues for utilising ONT sequencing technologies across diverse domains.

Professor Lars Nielsen is leading the development of experimental and computational tools to analyse and design complex biological systems. His expertise in metabolic modelling and flux analysis is available nowhere else in Australia – and in few labs across the world. Professor Nielsen’s studies of biological systems as diverse as bacteria, baker's yeast, sugarcane, insects and mammals has attracted industrial partnerships with companies including Dow, Metabolix, Amyris, LanzaTech, Boeing, Virgin Australia and GE. These metabolic engineering partnerships have focussed on developing new ways of producing aviation fuel, various materials and bioactives (antibiotics, biopesticides, monoclonal antibodies). Professor Nielsen is also applying system analysis and design approaches to tissue engineering including novel strategies for generating microtissues for drug screening and using stem cells to produce red and white blood cells for transfusion.

International links

Professor Nielsen collaborates with some of the world’s pre-eminent metabolic engineers. A joint project with Prof Sang Yup Lee (KAIST, Korea) enabled several extended mutual visits to explore use of sugar for higher value products. A separate project focused on producing synthetic aviation fuel based on isoprenoids involves Professor Nielsen collaborating with global synthetic biotechnology company Amyris and leading isoprenoid metabolic engineer Professor Jay Keasling, from UC Berkeley. Professor Nielsen has secured $8million since 2006 from industry through research grants with US, European, Japanese, Korean, New Zealand and Australian companies.

Dr. Ong is an exceptional and driven researcher in the field of Animal Health, and her work revolves around studying pathogen genomes, transcriptomes, and host-associated metagenomes to enhance animals' resistance to diseases and improve their overall health and productivity.

One remarkable aspect of Dr. Ong's expertise is her versatility and enthusiasm for both wet lab and dry lab (bioinformatics) work. She finds equal joy in conducting hands-on experiments in the wet lab and diving into data analysis and computational work in the bioinformatics domain. This multidisciplinary approach empowers her to gain comprehensive insights into her research subjects and tackle complex challenges from various angles. Dr. Ong's vast skillset encompasses molecular biology and expertise in utilizing 2nd and 3rd generation sequencing technologies, along with her proficiency in bioinformatics tools and techniques. This diverse knowledge allows her to explore and employ cutting-edge methodologies, providing her with a unique advantage in her research endeavors.

One of Dr. Ong's significant achievements was conducting the first cattle reproductive tract metagenomic study in Australia. This groundbreaking study likely contributed valuable information about the reproductive health of cattle and opened new avenues for further research in this area. Additionally, her contributions extend to the assembly of complete genomes for multiple pathogens, such as Campylobacter fetus and Bovicola ovis. This accomplishment is instrumental in understanding these pathogens' genetic makeup, evolution, and mechanisms of infection, which is vital in developing targeted strategies to combat diseases affecting animals.

Keywords: Microbiome and Metagenomics, Pathogen genomics, Animal health, PCR, Sequencing, Host-microbe interactions

I am a molecular virologist and postdoctoral research fellow in Prof. Alexander Khromykh's laboratory, specialising in virus evolution, virus bioinformatics, and reverse genetics.

My research journey began with a Bachelor of Science, First Class Honours in Molecular Biology from The University of Queensland (2015). I then pursued my PhD (2016-2021) at UQ's School of Biology under Prof. Sassan Asgari, where I analysed the virome and microbiome of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, focusing on their interactions with Wolbachia pipientis infections.

Since 2021, I have been a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Alexander Khromykh's RNA Virology lab. Here, I contributed to developing the SARS-CoV-2 circular polymerase extension reaction (CPER) reverse-genetics methodology. As a physical containment 3 (PC3) researcher, I examine the virological properties of Flaviviruses and SARS-CoV-2 viruses under stringent PC3 conditions. Recently, with support from Therapeutic Innovation Australia and the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, I have been utilising the Kunjin virus replicon system as a versatile and durable self-replicating RNA platform for vaccine and protein replacement therapy.

Beyond my virology work, I actively provide bioinformatics and phylogenetics support within UQ and internationally. Let's connect if you’re interested in collaborating on differential gene and ncRNA expression analysis, ATAC-sequencing, ancestral state prediction, virus discovery, or microbiome analyses.

I am also on the organising committee of MicroSeq (2023-2024), an Australasian Microbiology conference focused on microbial sequencing promoting PhD students and early career researchers. Additionally, I am an incoming Ex Officio member of the Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM) Queensland branch.

Dr. Huadong Peng is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland from Jan 2024. He is also a Future Academic Leader with Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), and a group leader at UQ's Biosustainability Hub. He earned his PhD from Monash University in 2018, followed by postdoctoral training at Imperial College London and the Technical University of Denmark until 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 China from November 2013 to January 2015.

Currently, Dr Peng leads the Yeast Engineering and Synthetic Biology (YESBio) research group, focusing on sustainable biomanufacturing through synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. He works closely with Prof. Esteban Marcellin. His expertise includes developing innovative synthetic biology tools (gene assembly, CRISPR genome editing and biosensor), advanced microbial cell factories, and synthetic microbial communities, as well as optimizing metabolic pathways to improve the production of high-value compounds for use in food ingredients, biochemicals, biofuels, and biomedicines.

Dr Peng has secured A$544K in funding, including grants, awards and scholarships. Dr. Peng has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals like Nature Microbiology, Nature Chemical Biology, PNAS, etc., H-index 15 (google scholar Sep 2024). He is a recipient of the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad and has delivered invited presentations at major international conferences.

Dr. Peng is also an Associate Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB) and actively contributes to the scientific community through editorial roles such as The Innovation, BioDesign Research and mLife.

Dr Peng is looking for highly motivated Honours, Master and Ph.D. 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.

I began my career working in industry for a company which specialised in in vitro diagnostic assays, for both human and veterinary health (AGEN Biomedical). There, I worked as a scientist for almost a decade in numerous departments of the commercialisation pipeline, including manufacturing, product development and research. Following this, I completed a PhD (2010) with the Australian Biosecurity Co-operative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease and have since worked as a virologist at The University of Queensland.

My current research focuses on mosquito-borne virus discovery and the development of innovative vaccine and diagnostic platforms. Together, these research interests have culminated in a greater understanding of the mosquito virome and the development of new approaches for the detection of novel viruses. These include high throughput sequence and antigen-independent assays and the development of suites of unique monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which in conjunction with deep sequencing platforms, provide comprehensive virus discovery strategies. Using this repertoire, I have been involved in the discovery and extensive genetic and phenotypic characterisation of new mosquito-borne viruses, belonging to more than six viral taxon (including Flaviviridae, Mesoniviridae, Bunyavirales, Reoviridae, Negevirus, Nodaviridae).

Harnessing the unique mosquito-specific growth restriction of the insect-specific flaviviruses that we discovered, my research now focuses on the application of these viruses to the development of novel, safe vaccines and diagnostics for multiple pathogenic flaviviruses.

I got my BSc degree from the University of Natural Sciences in Vietnam. I spent the next two years working on characterisation of multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Dr Maxine Caws at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I went to the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge, UK to do my PhD in Prof. John Wain lab where I studied molecular mechanisms affecting the stability of IncHI1 multidrug resistant plasmids in Salmonella Typhi. I then moved to Australia to join the group of Prof. Mark Schembri at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland. I am now working on identifying novel virulent factors in uropathogenic E. coli, especially in the newly emerged but globally spread ST131 clone, using high-throughput transposon mutagenesis and next-gen sequencing. I also maintain my interest in plasmid biology and have started projects to study multidrug resistant plasmids carrying blaCTX-M-15 or blaNDM-1 resistant genes.

Professor Mark Schembri is a prominent microbiologist with experience in combating the global health crisis presented by multi-drug resistant pathogens. Professor Schembri’s expertise on the virulence of bacterial pathogens and his innovative analysis of biofilm formation aims to improve the outcomes of the >400 million individuals that suffer from urinary tract infections each year across the globe.

Through the application of genetic, genomic and functional studies on uropathogenic E. coli, Professor Schembri has identified targets to reduce the virulence of this pathogen, and will pursue the development of life-saving therapeutic and preventative advances with the assistance of NHMRC, MRFF and ARC grants. Professor Schembri has tracked the rapid emergence and global spread of a virulent, drug-resistant E. coli clone and used genome sequencing to understand its evolution and virulence.

Links: Professor Schembri collaborates with national and international research leaders, including in Denmark, where he was a lecturer. Professor Schembri has strong links with other international experts in his field, including at the Pasteur Institute and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge. His research collaborations also span lead groups at UQ and other top Australian institutes, including Griffith and La Trobe Universities.

Membership, Funding and patents: Since 2014, Professor Schembri has been awarded over $15 million in funding from competitive national research funding bodies. He holds provisional patents for the development of novel therapeutic agents and vaccine antigens. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and is regularly invited to speak at international conferences in his field.

Awards and Communication: Professor Schembri was the recipient of the Frank Fenner Award (2010) and the ASM BacPath Oration Award (2019) for his outstanding original research contribution to the study of Infectious Disease. He was an Australian Research Council Future Fellow (2011-2015) a National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellow (2016-2020). Professor Schembri is the author of >240 peer-reviewed research manuscripts. He is President of the Australian Society for Microbiology (2022-2026).

Dr. Jaya Seneviratne is a Senior Lecturer in Periodontology affiliated to the School of Dentistry, University of Queensland, Australia. Currently he serves as the Director of Higher Degree Research. Dr. Seneviratne is an internationally recognized academic and a researcher in the field of dentistry. His track record encompasses over 100 publications in renowned international journals, including all top journals in dental research, 12 book chapters and an edited book “Microbial Biofilms: OMICS Biology, Antimicrobials and Clinical Implications” Taylor & Francis CRC Press, 2017. He has successfully secured over US$ 7.11 million from competitive grants for his research and development work. Dr. Seneviratne served as the Secretary of the IADR-Asia Pacific Region (APR) from 2019-2022. He was also the Chairman of the Session Committee for the 2023 IADR General Meeting in Bogota, Colombia. Previously, he held the key positions as the Chairman of the IADR Constitution Committee and a member of the IADR Fellowship and Membership Committees. Currently, he is an Editorial board member of the Journal of Dental Research and Critical Reviews in Microbiology. Dr. Seneviratne has supervised both undergraduate and postgraduate students, mentoring them excel in their research work. His research mentees have received numerous prestigious awards from the IADR. His primary research interests include oral microbiome, oral biofilms, oral-systemic link and infection control.

Dr Slonchak obtained PhD in molecular biology in 2010. During PhD he was investigating cell-specific mechanisms responsible for transcriptional regulation of the human gene encoding for phase II detoxification enzyme glutathione S-transferase P1 in normal and cancer cells. When working on this project he acquired an interest in the role of noncoding RNAs in regulation of gene expression, which he further developed by joining the RNA virology lab at University of Queensland to study the role of noncoding RNAs in flavivirus-host interactions under supervision of Prof. Alexander Khromykh.

His current research into the role of noncoding RNAs in flavivirus infection involves a combination of molecular, biochemical and computational techniques. His research includes studying the role of host miRNAs in response to flavivirus infection, identifying the functions of virus-derived long noncoding RNA (subgenomic flaviviral RNA, sfRNA) in viral replication and inhibition of the host immune pathways and determining the mechanisms of sfRNA biogenesis in insect-specific flaviviruses. In his research Dr Slonchak make an extensive use of high-throughput technologies such as RNA-seq followed by reconstruction of gene interaction networks and computational modeling of signaling pathways.

Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa's research is focused within the agribusiness development framework, specifically in the area of food processing, preservation, food safety and nutrition. Her current research includes the minimisation of post harvest losses through value addition and the search for natural preservatives to replace current synthetic chemicals. In addition, her research area also includes the challenge of nutrition security, in particular micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger), lack of diet diversity and nutritional losses in the food supply chain, which are addressed by her work with underutilized Australian plant species and potential new crops. Her work on Australian native plant foods is focused on incorporation of these plants in mainstream agriculture and diet diversification Working with indigenous communities to develop nutritious and sustainable value added products from native plants for use in the food, feed, cosmetic and health care industries is a key strategy. The creation of employment, economic and social benefits to these remote communities is an anticipated outcome. She considers it a privilege to engage with these communities and is very passionate that her work will have a positive socio-economic impact.

Research Focus

• Functional ingredients (natural additives)

Functional food/feed/nutraceutical ingredients with enhanced nutritional and phytochemical profiles are obtained from specialty crops (Australian native plant foods) and industry co/by-products. Natural additives are obtained from raw materials of vegetable, fruit, herbs/spices or microbiological origin. An example is plant extracts which can provide e.g. antioxidants, shelf-life extension (natural antimicrobials), trace-nutrients (vitamins/ minerals) and novel flavours. Innovative technology solutions

• Novel packaging systems

Development of active, biodegradable packaging material with natural additives for shelf life extension, smart packaging with nanosensors for the effective detection of food contaminants, microperforated packaging systems with optimised modified atmospheres for fresh foods and high barrier packaging material for herbs and spices are practical objectives of her research. Engineered nano-delivery systems for plant bioactives Develop nano-platforms for targeted delivery and controlled release of plant bioactives including antioxidant and antimicrobial products, through testing of in vitro activities and shelf life under various conditions.

• Photodynamic treatment

Photodynamic treatment or photosensitization is a novel light and photo dye based approach which offers promising alternatives to conventional methods for the control of microorganisms. Plant bioactives such as curcumin has been successfully used to control mycrotoxigenic fungi. This technology has potential as a decontamination tool to reduce the microbial load in food and feed.

• Food safety

Her research focus in this field includes intervention strategies to inhibit and prevent food-borne pathogens and spoilage organisms in fresh food and beverages, elucidating mechanisms of antimicrobial action, shelf-life extension with natural antimicrobials, retaining bioactivity during processing and storage, search for natural inhibitors from Australian native plants, use of bioactive honey from Leptospermum polygalifolium (Jelly bush) in treating microbial wound infections.

Karnaker's research interests are natural products, peptide-based drug discovery and development, formulation chemistry and non-viral gene delivery system. Karnaker co-inventor and developed a novel, bioresponsive disulphide-linker technology, which has been used for non-viral vectors, peptide-therapeutics for pain and cancer treatment. Karnaker is also keen interest for topical, mucosal drug delivery using a range of dendrimer, nano and microbubbles, lipid and polymer-based nanoparticle systems in conjugation with both biological and physical stimuli-responsiveness.

Karnaker received a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from The University Queensland under the supervision of Dr Harendra Parekh and Dr Defang Ouyang. Prior to PhD, he completed a Master degree in Pharmaceutical Analysis and Quality assurance (India). Also worked as analytical research and development chemist for one year in a Pharma company. Since 2016, he his working with Dr Parekh team on a range of Industry-funded research projects and his role involves from ideation, research plan, execution, product delivery to industry partners on major platforms such as peptide-based therapeutics, gene therapy and sol-gel technology.

Mark is a Professor of food microbiology and serves as a Deputy Head of the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability (since 2019) and as the current Lead of the Food Science & Technology Discipline in the school. He is also a Deputy Lead of the Innovative Ingredients program at the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), funded by the Australian Trailblazer university program scheme. He leads a research team focused on food safety, quality, and fermentation. After completing his PhD at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) under Prof Phil Giffard's supervision, he underwent postdoctoral training in Prof John Helmann's laboratory at Cornell University, USA (1999-2000), and at the CRC for Diagnostic Technologies, QUT (2000-01). He subsequently supported his position through a Dairy Australia Fellowship (2001-03) and an NHMRC New Investigator Grant (2004-06). In 2007, he joined UQ as an academic specialising in food microbiology.

Mark's research is currently funded by Agrifutures Australia, and he has received past funding from ARC Discovery, ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, ARC Industry Transformation Training Centre, and ARC Linkage schemes. He has also been supported by Horticulture Innovation (HIA), Dairy Innovation Australia Ltd (DIAL), and the Geoffrey Gardiner Dairy Foundation (GGDF). His research primarily focuses on lactic acid bacteria applications, plant-based dairy alternative fermentations, precision fermentation and biocontrol food applications targeting pathogens like Campylobacter and Listeria monocytogenes. He has successfully supervised 20 PhD and MPhil students to completion and currently supervises 3 postdoctoral research fellows and 2 PhD students.

Mark was the Director of the Master of Food Science & Technology program from 2008-2018. He contributes to teaching in food microbiology, food safety, and food biotechnology subjects at UQ. He is a Fellow of both the Australian Society for Microbiology (FASM) and the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (FAIFST), and serves on the editorial boards of mBio, the Journal of Food Protection, and Food Australia. He has received the 2017 Keith Farrer Award of Merit and the 2023 President's Award from the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) for service to the food industry and the Institute. Additionally, Mark currently holds the position of President and Affiliate Council Delegate in the Australian Association for Food Protection (AAFP), the affiliate of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP).