Symposium Committee
Co-Conveners and Scientific Committee
Dr. Silas Villas-Bôas
Senior lecturer in Microbiology
School of Biological Sciences
The University of Auckland, New Zealand
Dr. Silas Villas-Bôas, who has recently joined the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland, is a young researcher with a scientific career focused primarily on microbial physiology. Since 2001, Dr. Villas-Bôas has established an international expertise in microbial metabolomics, being the only professional in this field in New Zealand. Dr. Villas-Bôas developed a high-throughput analytical platform for metabolome analysis of microbial cells which allows the simultaneous detection of over 200 metabolites from central carbon metabolism as well as he and his collaborators have optimised and developed sample preparation protocols for metabolite analysis of microbial cells. Dr. Villas-Bôas has contributed and co-edited the first international text-book on metabolome analysis and his newly formed group carries out research on microbial physiology with focus on metabolic mechanisms in living cells. Through a multi-disciplinary approach involving aspects of microbiology, biochemistry, chemistry and engineering, he aims to develop new, cutting edge technologies used to gain insight into the mechanisms governing complex metabolic pathways relevant in industrial fermentation processes, human disease development and in food processes.
Dr. Ute Roessner
Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics
Metabolomics Australia
The University of Melbourne
Dr Ute Roessner is an internationally recognised expert on plant metabolomics and is currently a node leader of Metabolomics Australia. Metabolomics Australia are focused on all areas of technology for small molecule analysis with the aim of providing access to world leading advances and technology for academic and private Industry. Dr Roessner also manages the Metabolomics Facility of the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, a centre aiming the development of stress-tolerant crops. The Centre is focused on fundamental research in the area of plant stress physiology and genetic engineering of stress tolerant crops.
The Scientific Committee involved in the symposium includes:
- Prof Malcolm McConville (The University of Melbourne)
- Prof Lars Nielsen (University of Queensland)
- Assoc Prof David Greenwood (The University of Auckland)
- Assoc Prof Robert Trengove (Murdoch University)
- Dr Geoffrey Lane (AgResearch Limited)
- Dr Susanne Rasmussen (AgResearch limited)
- Dr Keith Funnell (Massey University)
- Dr Lifeng Peng (Victoria University)