Helen Collins

Dr Helen Collins

Grant-Funded Researcher (B)

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I am a Research Associate in the Adelaide Glycoscience Research Group, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus. My research has concentrated on the crops we eat, in particular barley. I am interested in the plant cell walls of grains and how they influence the processes involved in the synthesis and hydrolysation during grain development and germination and how this impacts end uses such as malting and brewing and human health.

Adelaide GlycoScience Group

I am currently employed on an ARC Linkage Grant involving the Adelaide Glycoscience Group, Adelaide Glycomics, Carlsberg Brewery and Coopers Brewery.

The project has two main objectives.

  1. To investigate the processes involved in early germination of barley with the aim of improving the efficiency of the malting process. This involves the use of microscopic and biochemical methods to investigate the changes occurring during germination.
  2. To assess the waste products from the malting and brewing industry for potentially beneficial compounds with the aim of valourisation. Using techniques such as LC/MS/MS and HPLC we are looking for looking for compounds that may have alternative uses.

 barley grain

 

    2012 - Current
    		 PLANT SC 7126 WT
    Techniques in Plant Biotechnology    		 Postgraduate Coursework course
    Developed and presented, two-week practical component for Plant Biotechnological students at the University of Adelaide
    (first-year Master of Science degree).

    • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
      Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
      2023 Principal Supervisor Investigation of the role of oomycete cell wall polysaccharides in susceptibility to antimicrobial peptides Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Amena Khatun
      2023 Principal Supervisor Identification, characterization and exploitation of bioactive compounds from plant biomass Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Daniel James Clayton-Cuch

    • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
      Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
      2014 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Regulation of Reserve Carbohydrates in Hull-less Barley Grain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Wai Li Lim
      2013 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Analysis of Cereal Cyst Nematode Resistance Mechanisms in Barley Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Christopher Hakachite
      2011 - 2016 Co-Supervisor Metabolic Engineering of C4 Grasses for Biofuel Applications Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Riksfardini Annisa Ermawar
      2011 - 2018 Co-Supervisor The Expression of Hydrolytic Enzymes in Germinating Barley Grain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Catherine Gibson

    • Other Supervision Activities
      Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
      2018 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Cell wall degradation in barley grain Univeristy of Adelaide MSc-Coursework Master Full Time Hanyue (Mia) Wang

    • Committee Memberships
      Date Role Committee Institution Country
      2012 - ongoing Member CSIRO Scientists in Schools program - Australia
      2012 - 2014 Member Marketing, Communication & Outreach Committee (MCOC) The University of Adelaide - School of Agriculture, Food and Wine Australia
    • Position: Grant-Funded Researcher (B)
    • Phone: 83137168
    • Email: helen.collins@adelaide.edu.au
    • Fax: 83137116
    • Campus: Waite
    • Building: Plant Genomics Centre
    • Org Unit: Agricultural Science
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