Dr Matthew Morell.

Dr Matthew Morell: developing high value grains and oilseeds

Dr Morell is an expert in starch synthesis and leads the Food Futures Flagship's Future Grains, Grain Based Foods and Feed research program.

• 29 April 2010 | Updated 24 November 2011

Overview

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Morell became Theme Leader, Future Grains, of Grain Based Foods and Feed in the Food Futures Flagship in 2006, to lead research in the development of novel high value grains and oilseeds.
 
Dr Morell brings to this role extensive expertise in grains and starch research together with a breadth of experience and knowledge of the Australian and international grain food industries.

Dr Morell leads the research team investigating the application of genetics to create differentiated grain, food and aquaculture products.

These new food and products will deliver benefits for human health and provide increased returns to Australian agrifood industry.

Dr Morell's research is in: 

• developing novel chemical techniques for analysing starch structure
• starch biosynthetic enzymes
• mapping genes responsible for starch properties
• isolation of the major genes involved in starch biosynthesis
• impact of novel starches on human health.

  Dr Morell leads the research team investigating the application of genetics to create differentiated grain, food and aquaculture products.

Background

Dr Morell grew up amidst wheat production in Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.

After three years postdoctoral work in the USA, Dr Morell moved to the Australian National University, Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory, where he worked on understanding fundamental processes involved in the conversion of carbon dioxide into sugars during photosynthesis.

In 1994, Dr Morell returned to research on starch biosynthesis, this time in wheat, in projects co-funded by the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Plant Science and industrial partners.

In 1997, he joined CSIRO Plant Industry, one of the core partners of the CRC, to continue this research and headed the Division's Cereal Quality Improvement research program.

Academic qualifications

Dr Morell has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours, from The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
• Doctor of Philosophy, also from The University of Sydney.

Achievements

Dr Morell's work has led to:

• publications in high impact journals
• patents
• a spin-off company
• a number of research alliance projects with major industry partners.

Dr Morell's expertise has been recognised through:

• frequent invitations to speak at international conferences
• his role on the editorial boards of scientific journals.

See a list of recent scientific papers by Dr Morell on the next page.