Our Students
PhD Student
Marco Branni
Hidden element
Marco is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering at QUT. His research aims at understanding the contribution to support of cortical and trabecular bone structures using high-resolution images of human femurs, microstructural finite-element modelling, and bone loads caused by physical activity. Before his PhD, he completed his B.Eng. in Biomedical Engineering and M.Sc. in Biomechanics Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin (Italy). Marco commenced researching in orthopaedics during his visiting student program at the Université libre de Bruxelles and Ghent University Hospital (Belgium), where he was actively involved in biomechanics projects working with horses, sheep, and human knees specimens.
PhD Student
Max Lavaill
Hidden element
“Investigation on patient-specific features of shoulder MSK modelling. Study of an MRI-based EMG-driven model.” Max is doing his PhD through the ARCITTC-JB at QUASR/QUT. His expertise is in the analysis of soft tissues actions implied in shoulder stability and motion. Computational modelling as well as human kinematics and EMG recordings are the key tools he works with. His project focuses on studying the influence of patient-specific modelling features on the joint simulations.
PhD Student
Xiaolong Fan
Hidden element
“Evaluation of proximal humerus bone density on implant fixation in Shoulder Arthroplasty” Xiaolong is our PhD student in shoulder biomechanics at QUT. He takes a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses the modelling and experiment to support surgery selecting suitable implant for independent patients basic on CT image. He holds master’s degree from QUT which focused on understanding of biomechanical properties of red kangaroo shoulder humeral cartilage.’
PhD Student
Michael Lennon
Hidden element
“Developing 3-dimensional statistical shape models that represent the natural variability of the human shoulder joint across populations. Examine applications of statistical shape models to enhance planning for shoulder joint replacement surgery. Exploring the use of population representative statistical shape models for in-silico implant trials to improve the design cycle of the artificial shoulder prosthesis”. Mike is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, and a first year PhD student at QUT, with an interest in the improvement of patient outcomes from joint replacement. Utilising computational methods, and machine learning techniques, he hopes to contribute to the development of diagnostic tools, and innovative implant design, that will enable safe long term joint replacement solutions for a younger cohort of patients affected by Osteoarthritis.
PhD Student
Asawari Parulekar
Hidden element
“Exploring the role of mechanotransduction in producing inferior surgical outcomes for aged patients with Rotator Cuff Tears (RCTs)”. Asawari is currently undertaking her PhD with ARCITTC-JB at UQ. She entered the fields of biomechanics & regenerative medicine as a research assistant during her time as an undergraduate Chemical and Biological Engineer. Her current research in interfacial tissue engineering investigates the complexities of attaching mechanically mismatched, soft (tendon) and hard tissues (bone) from a cell biological lens. Her project focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which cells respond to mechanical cues in the context of ageing tissues within the human shoulder.
PhD Student
Yilan Zhang
Hidden element
Yilan is a first-year PhD student in biomedical engineering at UNSW. Her main research interest centres around image-based anatomical modelling of human shoulder muscles. Her PhD project aims to develop magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols and analysis pipelines for automated reconstruction of shoulder anatomy. Using statistical shape modelling techniques, population-representative three-dimensional shoulder models will be generated that can be used in computational models of the shoulder.
PhD Student
Hossein Ahmadi
Hidden element
Hossein is a PhD candidate at UNSW working under the supervision of Prof Lynne Bilston at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). His project aims to develop 3D finite element models of the shoulder muscles to examine the effects of soft tissue tensioning and muscle activation on joint loading and stability. Hossein completed his Master of Science at The University of Tehran in Aerospace Engineering, where his research was focused on Traumatic Brain Injury and Injury Biomechanics. He worked as a Research Assistant at University of Technology Sydney, where he focused on separation of cancer and stem cells from circulating blood with potential applications in disease diagnostics and management. He has a high level of expertise in Computational Biomechanics and Computational Modelling and Simulation tools across different industries.
PhD Student
Asawari Parulekar
Hidden element
“Exploring the role of mechanotransduction in producing inferior surgical outcomes for aged patients with Rotator Cuff Tears (RCTs)”. Asawari is currently undertaking her PhD with ARCITTC-JB at UQ. She entered the fields of biomechanics & regenerative medicine as a research assistant during her time as an undergraduate Chemical and Biological Engineer. Her current research in interfacial tissue engineering investigates the complexities of attaching mechanically mismatched, soft (tendon) and hard tissues (bone) from a cell biological lens. Her project focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which cells respond to mechanical cues in the context of ageing tissues within the human shoulder.
PhD Student
Yilan Zhang
Hidden element
Yilan is a first-year PhD student in biomedical engineering at UNSW. Her main research interest centres around image-based anatomical modelling of human shoulder muscles. Her PhD project aims to develop magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols and analysis pipelines for automated reconstruction of shoulder anatomy. Using statistical shape modelling techniques, population-representative three-dimensional shoulder models will be generated that can be used in computational models of the shoulder.
Our People
BID TEAM
PROGRAM 1
Marine Bio-products for Human Health and Nutrition
LEADER
Professor Colin Barrow
Deakin University
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- +61 3 5563 3312
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colin.barrow@deakin.edu.au
DEPUTY
Dr Michael Conlon
CSIRO
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- +61 8 8303 8909
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Michael.conlon@csiro.au
INDUSTRY CO-LEADER
Dr Damien Stringer
Marinova
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Damien is an avid supporter of value-added industry and has built a career working with innovative enterprises. Damien graduated with a BSc with 1st Class Honours at the University of Tasmania and worked with Botanical Resources Australia before completing a PhD in Chemistry at UTas, before joining Marinova Pty Ltd in 2008. As Marinova’s Operations Manager, Damien couples his technical expertise with his consultative approach to lead the laboratory, processing and research teams. Damien is a former President of the Tasmanian Branch of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and is a graduate of the Tasmanian Leaders Program.
- +61 3 6248 5800
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damien.stringer@marinova.com.au
PROGRAM 2
Marine-Derived Agricultural Products
LEADER
Professor Ben Hankamer
University of Queensland
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- +61 7 334 62012
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b.hankamer@imb.uq.edu.au
DEPUTY
Professor Rob Capon
University of Queensland
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- +61 7 334 62372
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r.capon@imb.uq.edu.au
INDUSTRY CO-LEADER
Rob Velthius
Xeron
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- 0428 518 852
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Rob.Velthuis@Xeron.com.au
PROGRAM 3
Sustainable marine bioresources
LEADER
Professor Catriona MacLeod
University of Tasmania
Hidden element
Associate Professor Catriona Macleod has a PhD in Aquaculture (UTAS, 2006). Her research focus is on sustainable development and science-based management and decision-making, with specific expertise in environmental, economic and social sustainability.
She is a member of both the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and College of Sciences and Engineering leadership teams within UTAS and is responsible for issues related to the sustainable development of salmonid aquaculture in Tasmania as part of a joint venture agreement with the Tasmanian State Government.
She has a demonstrated ability to connect research with industry, government and community priorities and a track record of delivering outputs on time, within budget and on target.
- +61 3 6226 8237
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Catriona.Macleod@utas.edu.au
DEPUTY
Professor Peer Schenk
University of Queensland
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Professor Peer Schenk completed his PhD in Microbiology at the University of Göttingen and the Max Planck Institute in Cologne, Germany in 1994. He has since worked for Queensland DPI, CSIRO Plant Industry and three CRCs as Project and Program Leader (CRCs for Tropical Plant Pathology, Tropical Plant Protection and Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology). He currently holds a CRC-P grant valued at $2.1 million on Translational R&D to develop large-scale omega-3 fatty acid production from microalgae.
Professor Schenk is a full-time Teaching & Research academic in the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences (SAFS) at The University of Queensland (UQ) and a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Marine Science and the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation. He leads the Algae Biotechnology Lab at UQ and is internationally recognised for his expertise in Plant Biotech and experience with transition from fundamentally new research concepts to industry. He was appointed as APEC representative for biorefinery concepts for Australia.
Schenk’s research pursues sustainable solutions to Food Security by applying cutting-edge biotechnology concepts to plants and microalgae.
He has commercialised technology from 7 patents leading to start-up companies Qponics, Nexgen Plants, Blue Quest and commercial IP in several companies, three of which are industry participants in MBB-CRC. His Australian crop varieties are commercially grown with annual sales >$10 million.
In the last 10 years Prof Schenk has focused on health products from Australian microalgae and pioneered commercial omega-3-rich oil production. In 2013, he established the Algae Energy Farm, a large-scale demonstration farm used regularly by industry as a testbed. It deploys new technologies to produce food, feed and fuel from microalgae. His new concepts for scalable low-cost cultivation, harvesting and processing have been successfully adopted by industry. He has provided training, guidance and technical assistance to the construction of a commercial Chlorella farm in Oman that started operation in March 2017 and is undergoing further upscaling. Similarly, he helped construct a commercial microalgae farm for Mohawk in Miles, (MBB-CRC participant in regional QLD) that commercially produces omega-3-rich Nannochloropsis for aquaculture and human health industries in Australia and Asia.
- +61 7 336 58817
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p.schenk@uq.edu.au
DEPUTY
Steven Clarke
SARDI/PIRSA
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- 0419 036 589
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steven.clarke@sa.gov.au
INDUSTRY CO-LEADER
Dr Graeme Barnett
Qponics
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- +61 7 3188 9086
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graeme.barnett@qponics.com
Connect educate train
(CET)
CET LEADER
Professor Kirsten Heimann
Flinders University
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AProf. Heimann obtained a PhD in botany/cell biology (University of Cologne, Germany, 1991).
Since 2008, she held lead roles in education and training (e.g. Associate Dean Teaching and Learning, 2014; AMCRC Science and Education Committee, 2012-2014) and is presently the Research Director of the Australia-China Joint Laboratory for Native Bioresource Industry Innovation (CANBI2).
Kirsten built and led the AMCRC and industry-partnered Microalgae Carbon Capture and Methane Remediation programs and served on the industry steering committee to implement research outcomes at industry level.
Kirsten has over 10 years of experience in managing IP and commercialising research outcomes.
