
Dr Bryan Coad
Grant-Funded Researcher (C)
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr Bryan Coad is a Senior Research Fellow (Senior Mortlock Fellow) in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. He leads an academic, multidisciplinary research group at the intersection of physical chemistry, materials science, and biology. This group works towards developing bioactive, nano-engineered material surface coatings and biomaterials through fundamental research. Impacts of his research have contributed to improving health & medicine, the environment, and benefited the food sector (agriculture & horticulture).
Dr Coad is also the Research Director for the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre. He contributes to the management of $66 M in industry cash and government investment dedicated towards ensuring research excellence is translated into impactful products, services, technologies and policies that see Australia's food waste halved by 2030.
He is an experienced supervisor & mentor and has contributed to training more than 35 scientists at various levels.
For more than 10 years, he has been active as a leader in the biomaterials community and has served as President of the Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (ASBTE).
- My Research
- Career
- Publications
- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Professional Activities
- Contact
Research Interests and Goals
Adelaide GlycoScience Research Group
My research goal is to develop novel surface coatings for the improvement of human health and well-being. As key biological processes occur at the interfaces of surfaces, my approach is to tailor the physical properties of materials at the nanometre scale and to study biological outcomes. Such "biomaterials" have a role as biomimetics, diagnostics or as therapies. I am also interested in understanding the advanced manufacturing process and how we can develop new coating technologies for materials.
My chief research activities include
- Developing biomimetic surface coating for understanding diseases affecting plants
- Developing antimicrobial therapies to combat biofilms. (e.g. published review: The importance of fungal pathogens and antifungal coatings in medical device infections)
- Developing antimicrobial medical device implants.(e.g. published review: Anti-infective Surface Coatings: Design and Therapeutic Promise against Device-Associated Infections. Open access article.)
- Understanding how to harness surface coatings for applications in biotechnology and manufacturing (e.g. published review: Controlled covalent surface immobilisation of proteins and peptides using plasma methods.)
- The use of surface analysis to understand properties of biointerfaces (e.g. published review: ToF-SIMS multivariate analysis of surface-grafted small bioactive molecules.)
My background is in chemistry and I collaborate on many interdisciplinary research projects involving biologists, clinicians and engineers. I am particularly interested in how fungi interact with surfaces and cause diseases that have devastating effects for food security and in human health. I lead the Mycology / Surface Interfaces Group (MSIG) which has a unique focus on studying and understanding key processes related to how fungi colonise surfaces.
To join my research group
See available research projects at the Adelaide GlycoScience Research Group page
PhD Scholarships
University scholarships for Australian students are known as Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA). These scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and in designated areas of research strength within the University. If a student does not secure an APA, then the School of Physical Sciences considers the option of divisional scholarships (based on academic merit and budget limits). The University also offers a range of Scholarships for international students.
Application involves filling in the "application form for admission/scholarship".
When applying for domestic scholarships please remember to tick both the APA and Divisional box. After the closing date, the Graduate Centre will forward your application to the School to consider. If an APA is not awarded then the school will consider offering a divisional scholarship.
Visiting international student / Work placement / Overseas work experience
I have had a number of visiting students spend time working in our lab to complete work experience, and overseas bachelor's and master's theses (see Supervision). All placements have been highly successful from both student and laboratory perspectives. Many have led to publications.
If you are interested in one of these positions, please contact me.
Postdoctoral Positions
These positions are occasionally available depending on available funding. Please contact me with your enquiry.
-
Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2023 - ongoing Research Director Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre 2023 - ongoing Senior Mortlock Fellow School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide 2017 - ongoing Senior Research Fellow University of Adelaide 2017 - ongoing Adjunct Senior Research Fellow University of South Australia 2010 - 2016 Senior Research Fellow University of South Australia 2008 - 2010 Postdoctoral Research Fellow Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) 2006 - 2008 Research Fellow Monash University -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2018 Fellowship Adelaide University Research Fellowship The University of Adelaide Australia - 2004 Fellowship Fellowship: Strategic Training Program in Transfusion Science The University of British Columbia Canada - 2002 Fellowship Canadian Blood Services Graduate Fellowship Program The University of British Columbia Canada - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2006 The University of British Columbia Canada PhD 1997 Simon Fraser University Canada BSc -
Research Interests
-
Journals
-
Conference Papers
-
Patents
Year Citation 2014 Nyden, B. M., Nann, T., Griesser, H. J., Coad, B. R., Larsson, M., & Linden, J. B. (2014). WO2014085863-A1, Metal ion binding polymers and uses thereof. World. 2010 Coad, B. R., Ameringer, T., Evans, R. A., Forsythe, J. S., Hou, X., Meagher, L., . . . Tsang, K. (2010). WO2010020008-A1, Electrospun polymer fiber useful for manufacture of polymer brushes. World. -
Theses
Year Citation 2006 Coad, B. R. (2006). Evaluation of entropic interaction chromatography media. (PhD Thesis). -
Internet Publications
Year Citation 2019 Coad, B. (2019). Australia’s in the Fungus Olympics, the race to find new ways to tackle disease. The Conversation.
Date |
Project/ No. |
Investigators |
Funding Body |
Amount |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 |
Improving germination success for Australian native plant seeds using plasma treatments |
Coad BR, Guerin, J |
Australian Flora Foundation |
$15,000 |
2019 |
3D printed renewable and biodegradable nanocellulose materials |
Coad BR |
Waite Research Institute Internal Grants |
$20,000 |
2015-2018 |
DP150101674 Combating fungal biofilm growth on surfaces |
Griesser HJ, Coad BR, Klok H-A, Read ND |
Australian Research Council |
$355,000 |
2016-2018 |
DP160105001 Order from chaos: Rational design of biointerfacing plasma polymer coatings |
Griesser HJ, Short RD, Coad BR, Michelmore A |
Australian Research Council |
$260,000 |
2014-2017 |
1066647 Mechanisms of Interaction and Therapeutic Strategies for Polymicrobial Biofilms |
Peleg AY, Traven A, Griesser HJ, Coad BR |
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council |
$607,232 |
2016-2017 |
Best-defence materials for understanding and outsmarting invasive pathogens |
Griesser HJ, Plush SE, Brooks DA, Coad BR |
University of South Australia, Research Themes Investment Scheme |
$26,200 |
2016-2017 |
New in-vivo technologies for preclinical assessment of novel antimicrobial drugs against wound infections |
Kopecki Z, Cowin A, Venter R, Garg S, Coad BR |
University of South Australia, Research Themes Investment Scheme |
$39,650 |
2013 | Antifungal surfaces | Coad BR | University of South Australia, Divisional Research Funding Scheme | $4,000 |
- I hold a research-only position but am interested to lecture on topics in biomaterials, chemistry (physical, polymer), and surface analysis
- I have been a volunteer lecturer
- 2021 University of Adelaide CHEM 2530 Environmental & Analytical Chemistry II, lecturer for "Water Chemistry"
- 2016, 2012 University of South Australia Materials for the Future, guest lecturer
-
Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2023 Co-Supervisor Storage communication conventions and regulatory requirements for food waste reduction Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Jia En Sit 2022 Principal Supervisor Identification and Exploitation of Carbohydrate Polymers and Bioactive Compounds from Plant Biomass Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr David Nkurunziza 2022 Principal Supervisor This PhD project aims to understand how to improve the properties of bio-degradable packaging materials through a program of research in the fields of chemistry and materials engineering. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Melinda Nguyen -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2020 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Investigating the Effects of Non-thermal Air Plasma on Five Grains and Their Economically Important Pathogens Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Melanie Ford
-
Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2022 - ongoing Vice-President Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Australia 2020 - 2022 President Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Australia 2019 - 2020 Vice-President Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Australia 2016 - 2017 Co-Chair Organising committee for the 2017 Australian Colloid Society Conference - - 2015 - ongoing Secretary Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering - Australia 2012 - 2013 Co-Chair Organising Committee for the 2013 Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Conference - Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles