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Dr Peter Nichols

Research Scientist

https://people.csiro.au/N/P/Peter-Nichols

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Contact details:

GPO BOX 1538
HOBART TAS 7001 AUSTRALIA

Biography

Peter Nichols leads new initiatives with signature lipid technology and environmental applications, and on marine oils, with particular emphasis on omega-3 oils. The latter research involves detailed characterization of fish-derived and novel microbial oils, process development for the utilization of oils, development as part of a wider CSIRO team of novel land plant sources of long-chain omega-3 oils, and transfer and application of these know-how to industry and the wider community. This research has lead to better utilisation of substantial national fisheries resources and wastes, and to new oilseed crops. The latter is within the within the Food and Nutrition Flagship. He has contributed to the development of the Australian marine oils industry, with CSIRO research resulting in novel national and international marine oil products (wax ester, omega-3 and shark liver oils). Other innovations have been the development and use of unique chemical (lipid) signatures in microbial ecology, environmental (e.g., fecal pollution) and food-chain studies, and new discoveries and applications in marine microbial biotechnology. He has worked closely with a number of Australian and oversees Universities including actively supervising and mentoring postgraduate students. International collaboration has occurred across these research fields, including sponsoring sabbaticals and visits by overseas scholars.

Current Roles

  • Biochemical tracers (Signature lipids)

  • Omega-3 oils in aquaculture

Academic Qualifications

  • 1977

    BSc(Hons)
    University of Melbourne

  • 1984

    PhD
    University of Melbourne

Achievements and Awards

  • 1980-1983

    Postgraduate Research Award
    University of Melbourne

  • 1985

    US Antarctic Medal
    USA Navy & NSF

  • 1988

    US EPA Ann. Scientific and Achievement Award,
    US EPA

  • 1992

    Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).
    RACI

  • 1993

    Annual Meeting, Outstanding paper Award
    American Oil Chemists Society

  • 1996

    Certificate of Achievement Award
    CSIRO Institute of Industrial Technologies

  • 1997

    Travel Award
    Ian Potter Foundation

  • 1998

    RACI Tasmanian Branch
    President’s Award

  • 2002

    Member One-CSIRO project team Award
    CSIRO Bioming team

  • 2004

    FEAST-France Award
    FEAST

  • 2004

    Best poster Award
    Tenth International Congress for Culture Collections

  • 2005

    CSIRO Marine Research Performance Award - Omega-3 Research Team
    CSIRO Marine Research Performance Award

  • 2006

    CSIRO Bio3 Conference – Poster award
    CSIRO

  • 2005

    Best paper award 2005
    Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology

  • 2009

    Silver Jubilee Award
    Australian Marine Science Association

  • 2010

    Innovation Award
    CSIRO Plant Industry

  • 2010

    Research Medal – awarded to Food Futures Flagship, Omega-3 Team
    CSIRO

  • 2012

    Blue Thumbs Research Award
    Australasian Aquaculture

Other highlights

  • 1986-2014

    318 Scientific papers (10420 citation ISI Web of Knowledge),79 Conference Proceedings, Invited and other papers, over 400 Reports to industry and Agencies, 291 conference/other presentations. Five provisional patent applications filed (four completed). External earnings: $4M to CMAR and Antarctic CRC. Student supervision: 25 PhD students completed up to 2014, with 5 underway; 2 MSc students completed; 13 BSc(Hons) students completed; 9 CSIRO vacation scholars. CSIRO Project Leader (Food Futures Flagship, Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research). Fifteen major field expeditions, with six as cruise or field team leader. Lecturer in Depts.of Chemistry, Agric. Science and IASOS at Univ. Tasmania. 30 invitations with funding to National and International conferences. Conference committees: Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference, Hobart, 1989 & 2002, RACI 11AC, Hobart, 1991, Int. Marine Biotech. Conf. 1997- AAOCS Commitee, including 2 terms as President. IMBC2000, Int. Symp. – Interface between Analytical Chemistry and Microbiology ISIAM2000. ISF 2009 Scientific Organizing Committee. ISPL 2010, Local Organizing Committee. 2014 NSA National meeting, Local Organizing Committee.

Publications

We have publications by Dr Peter Nichols