CIPPS is thrilled that Chief Investigator Professor Michelle Colgrave has been elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE)! The ATSE is one of Australia’s four Learned Academies, it aims to bring together the nation’s leading experts in applied science, technology, and engineering to help solve the most complex issues facing our modern world.

Credit: ECU

Michelle has been awarded this honour in recognition of her impactful work towards improving food security and human nutrition in Australia.

Michelle uses her expertise in proteomics and mass spectrometry to identify sustainable and nutritious protein sources for human consumption. Her team are particularly interested in determining the suitability of plant and pulse protein sources including lupins by investigating potential allergens or anti-nutritional properties.

Credit: ECU

Earlier this year, Michelle’s team were involved in a major project decoding the oat genome Avena sativa. The ground-breaking study, which was published in Nature, revealed that oats are likely to be safe for coeliac diets, as they contain fewer proteins that correspond to gluten and trigger allergy.

Beyond research alone, Michelle has a vision to use her science to affect strategy development and policymaking in Australia. She says “I look forward to helping Australians tackle our most urgent challenges in agriculture and food.“

Congratulations Michelle on this amazing achievement!