Blog icon

Dr Damien Belobrajdic

https://people.csiro.au/B/D/Damien-Belobrajdic

Contact details:

PO BOX 10041
ADELAIDE SA 5000 AUSTRALIA

Biography

Dr Damien Belobrajdic is a Principal Research Scientist within CSIRO Health and Biosecurity Business Unit. He completed his PhD through the Department of Physiology at Adelaide University. Following completion of a post doctorate at CSIRO focused on the development of blood-based biomarkers of colorectal cancer, he was appointment as a CSIRO Research Scientist in 2008 and has continued to develop the scientific knowledge that underpins the health benefits of new food products.

Damien’s role is to partner with relevant industries to develop and bring to market innovative nutritional products with added value for gastrointestinal and metabolic health. He has acquired over $2.7 million of combined competitive and industry research funding in areas that include; wholegrains, dietary fibre, dietary fats (long chain omega-3) and proteins (red meat, dairy and alternate protein sources). He was a key contributor in substantiating the health benefits of high amylose wheat which is currently being commercialised through Arista Cereal Technologies. To deliver on these projects he has been responsible for forming multidisciplinary teams and managing resources of large complex animal and human dietary intervention trials at different locations, across business units and in conjunction with external collaborators.

Damien has produced 43 refereed publications, a patent and 10 commercial reports for food industry clients. He has a Web of Science H-index of 18 (1,084 citations) and Google Scholar H-index of 21 (1,814 citations).
Damien is the current Honorable Treasurer for the Nutrition Society of Australia, is on the Complaints Advisory Committee for the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC) and on the management committee of the Oceanic Nutrition Leaders Platform (www.onlp.org). He recently served on the board for Science Technology Australia (STA) as the Agriculture and Food Sciences cluster representative.

In acknowledgement of his research achievements, he has received awards from the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology, Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Society for Medical Research and the Nutrition Society of Australia.

Damien continues to be an active participant in the STEM in Schools program.

Achievements and Awards

  • 2016-2016

    International travel grant
    Australian Nutrition Trust Fund

  • 2014-2014

    Award of excellence in Nutrition and Dietary Fibre Research
    The Nutrition Society of Australia

  • 2012-2012

    Best poster prize
    5th International Dietary Fibre Conference

  • 2009-2009

    Mid Career International Conference Scholarship
    The Nutrition Society of Australia

  • 2003-2003

    Holden Young Investigators Award for excellence in health and medical research
    Australian Society of Medical Research (SA)

  • 2003-2003

    Best student poster
    IDF 2nd World Symposium of Dairy Products in Human Health and Nutrition

Professional Areas

Current Roles

  • Principal Research Scientist
    Nutrition

Academic Qualifications

  • 2003

    Doctorate of Philosophy
    University of Adelaide

  • 1999

    Diploma of Education
    University of Adelaide

  • 1998

    Bachelor of Science (honours)
    University of Adelaide

Professional Experiences

  • 2004-2004

    Project officer
    Flinders University

  • 2005-2008

    Postdoctoral Research Fellow
    CSIRO

  • 2008-2014

    Research Scientist
    CSIRO

Community and Corporate Citizenship

  • 2019-present

    Honourable Treasurer, Nutrition Society of Australia

  • 2007-present

    Participant in the STEM in Schools program

  • 2019-present

    Equity Diversity & Inclusion working group, Nutrition Society of Australia

  • 2015-present

    Complaints Advisory Committee member, Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC)

  • 2020-2021

    Virtual conference planning committee, Nutrition Society of Australia

  • 2017-2017

    Coordinator of the Local organizing committee and sub-Editor for the 10th Asia Pacific Clinical Congress of Nutrition (APCCN)

  • 2016-2017

    Annual Scientific Meeting program committee

  • 2013-2017

    Chair/Co-chair of the Adelaide group, Nutrition Society of Australia

  • 2012-2012

    Treasurer of the Adelaide group, Nutrition Society of Australia

  • 2010-2010

    National conference organizing committee, Nutrition Society of Australia

Publications