
Graham Lyons
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Grew up in Adelaide. Obtained B Agric Sci degree (University of Adelaide) in 1975. Spent 1980-1983 working on an agricultural development program in the Solomon Islands, and 1984-1997 operating a family agribusiness in SA (beef cattle, sheep, cereal crops), including the successful "Glen Bold" Angus stud. In the 1990s co-authored seven books, mostly on global environmental, agricultural, population, economic and health issues.
Obtained Master of Public Health degree (University of Adelaide, majoring in epidemiology and nutrition) in 2000, and a PhD (University of Adelaide, GRDC funded) in 2004. Title: High-selenium wheat: Biofortification for better health. An outcome of this research was the development and marketing of three innovative food products.
My background has formed my focus on applied research which can benefit producers and consumers in a timely manner. In order to overcome widespread nutrient/micronutrient deficiencies, it is necessary to move beyond production of food crops with yield as the sole focus, toward a "food system" paradigm based on sustainable provision of nutritious food to optimise human and animal health.
From 2006-2010 I managed the HarvestPlus Food Systems program. This included the following projects:
*Agronomic biofortification, soil fertility and crop variety trials in a micronutrient-deficient region of Shaanxi province, Central China.
*An orange-fleshed sweet potato program in Solomon Islands and PNG to raise vitamin A status (funded by ACIAR and HarvestPlus. See www.aciar.gov.au/node/11984 ).
*Preliminary investigation of potential trial sites for a food systems proof-of-concept trial in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi), which involved the collection and analysis of plant tissues of important food crops.
*Agronomic biofortification field trials with cassava in Colombia, South America, in collaboration with the International Centre of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).
*A pig feeding trial to investigate the effect of the carotenoid, lutein on bioavailability of dietary iron.
*In 2016, HarvestPlus Director, Professor Howarth Bouis won the World Food Prize, the de facto Nobel Prize for Food & Agriculture.
My other interests include physical fitness, nutrition, classical music, evolution and travel.
Research Interests
*Screening cereals for sodium accumulation and tolerance (sodicity & salinity research)
*Agronomic biofortification of food crops with micronutrients to reduce human and animal malnutrition and disease
*Investigating beneficial effects of selenium in plants
*Establishment and management of international agricultural and health programs. I am currently involved in an ACIAR-funded program: imports & trials of nutritious leafy vegetables for Kiribati & Tuvalu, Pacific Is.
*Epidemiology of chronic diseases
*Development of functional foods
*Development of novel "nutritherapies" for viral diseases and cancer
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2004 - ongoing Research Fellow University of Adelaide -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2001 - 2004 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD 1998 - 2000 The University of Adelaide Australia Master of Public Health 1972 - 1975 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Agricultural Science -
Research Interests
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Agronomy Agronomy & Agriculture Crop and Pasture Biochemistry Crop and Pasture Biomass Crop and Pasture Bioproducts Crop and Pasture Improvement Crop and Pasture Nutrition Crop and Pasture Physiology Crop and Pasture Production Fertilisers and Agrochemicals Horticulture Nutritional Physiology Pacific Peoples Health Plant Biology Plant Physiology Public Health
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Journals
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Book Chapters
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2020 Lyons, G. H. (2020). Selenium-biofortified herbs as antivirals?. In G. Banuelos, Z. Q. Lin, D. Liang, & X. B. Yin (Eds.), Selenium Research for Environment and Human Health: Perspectives, Technologies and Advancements - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health, 2019 (pp. 95-96). Shaanxi, PEOPLES R CHINA: CRC PRESS-BALKEMA.
DOI Scopus12017 Lyons, G., Gondwe, C., Banuelos, G., Mendoza, C., Haug, A., Christophersen, O., & Ebert, A. (2017). Drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera) leaves as a source of dietary selenium, sulphur and pro-Vitamin A. In Acta Horticulturae Vol. 1158 (pp. 287-292). International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).
DOI Scopus92016 Mao, H., Lyons, G. H., & Wang, Z. H. (2016). Using agronomic biofortification to reduce micronutrient deficiency in food crops on loess soil in China. In G. S. Banuelos, Z. Q. Lin, M. F. DeMoraes, L. R. G. Guilherme, & A. R. DosReis (Eds.), Global Advances in Selenium Research from Theory to Application - Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health, 2015 (pp. 163-164). Sao Paulo, BRAZIL: CRC PRESS-TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP.
DOI WoS12016 Ortiz-Monasterio, I., Cárdenas, M. E., & Lyons, G. H. (2016). Biofortification of irrigated wheat with se fertilizer: Timing, rate, method and type of wheat. In G. S. Banuelos, Z. Q. Lin, M. F. DeMoraes, L. R. G. Guilherme, & A. R. DosReis (Eds.), Global Advances in Selenium Research from Theory to Application - Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health, 2015 (pp. 167-168). Sao Paulo, BRAZIL: CRC PRESS-TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP.
DOI Scopus1 WoS22015 Taylor, M., Jaenicke, H., Hunter, D., McGregor, A., & Lyons, G. (2015). Diversity for sustaining livelihoods: Examples, constraints and lessons learnt. In H. Jaenicke, S. E. Ashmore, M. E. Dulloo, L. Guarino, & M. Taylor (Eds.), Acta Horticulturae Vol. 1101 (pp. 105-112). Brisbane, AUSTRALIA: INT SOC HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE.
DOI Scopus2 WoS22014 Lyons, G., Gondwe, C., Bañuelos, G., Zambrano, M., Haug, A., & Christophersen, O. (2014). Drumming up selenium and sulphur in Africa: Improving nutrition with Moringa oleifera. In Selenium in the Environment and Human Health - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health (pp. 91-92).
Scopus42009 Lyons, G. (2009). Production of selenium-biofortified cereal products. In Selenium Deficiency Toxicity and Biofortification for Human Health (pp. 75-76). China: China Press. 2009 Wu, J., Lyons, G., Graham, R., & Fenech, M. (2009). Improved selenium status by consumption of wheat biofortified with selenium does not modify DNA. In Selenium Deficiency Toxicity and Biofortification for Human Health (pp. 29-30). China: China Press. 2006 Gibson, C., Park, Y., Myoung, K., Suh, M., McArthur, T., Lyons, G., & Stewart, A. (2006). The Bio-fortification of Barley with Selenium. In Brewing and distilling : a common heritage. Proceedings of the convention of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, Asia Pacific Section [electronic resource] (pp. 14 p (14 pages)). Hobart, Tasmania: Leishman Associates. -
NHMRC Endorsed Guidelines
Year Citation 2006 Publication status: Published
Title: Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes
Authors: Baghurst K, Clifton P, Fenech M, Howe P, Makrides M, Noakes M, Nordin B, Lyons G
Author affiliation: A1121235-A1003047-A1002837-B1000752-A1002769-A1097445-A1065024-A1199080-B1066999
Pagination: 0 pages
Publication date: 2006
Language: en
Notes: Migrated record 20140814
Verification-status: Verified
Record created at source: 14 August 2014 -
Theses
Year Citation 2010 Wu, J. (2010). The effects of selenomethionine and wheat fortified with selenium on DNA damage and cell death in human lymphocytes. (PhD Thesis).
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Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2013 - 2013 Co-Supervisor Consumers' purchasing motives of local foods in Indonesia: A means-end chain approach Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Poppy Arsil 2011 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Improving Yields and Enhancing Zinc and Selenium Consumption in Zambian Population Through Argonomic Biofortification of Maize and Wheat Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Mr Christopher Gondwe 2009 - 2013 Co-Supervisor Stability and Esterification of Lutein in Bread Wheat During Post Harvest Storage in Comparison with Banana Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Fauziah Tufail Ahmad 2004 - 2010 Principal Supervisor The Effects of Selenomethionine and Wheat Biofortified with Selenium on DNA Damage and Cell Death in Human Lymphocytes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Jing Wu
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2011 - ongoing Advisory Board Member International Society for Selenium Research - United States -
Memberships
Date Role Membership Country 2014 - ongoing Member World Public health Nutrition Association - 1997 - ongoing Member Australian Centre for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine Australia
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