Dr Sutherland is studying the evolution of silk in insects and other invertebrates.

Dr Tara Sutherland: researching advanced biomaterials

Dr Tara Sutherland is developing new biomaterials by researching naturally occurring structural proteins from insects and other invertebrates.

• 30 July 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011

Overview

• Current activities 
• Background
• Academic qualifications 

Current activities

Dr Sutherland is Leader for the Biomaterials team at CSIRO Entomology. Her current activities involve researching new biomaterials in insects, including:

• the evolution of silks in insects
• protein biomaterials.

The aim of this research is to discover versatile protein materials from invertebrates, with desirable qualities such as, extreme strength, elasticity and durability.

Background

Dr Sutherland completed her Doctorate while working for CSIRO Entomology, before taking a Postdoctoral Research Associate position at the Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, United States of America (USA) from 1994-97.

At the end of 1997, Dr Sutherland returned to CSIRO as a Postdoctoral Fellow working for the Division of Wildlife and Ecology (now Division of Sustainable Ecosystems) on the genetic engineering of Myxoma virus.

In 1998, she returned to the Division of Entomology to work on the bioremediation of pesticides, particularly:

• endosulfan
• organophosphates
• pyrethroids
• carbamates
• atrazine.

Her research involved the discovery and improvement of enzymes capable of degrading these pesticides.

Academic qualifications

After completing her Master of Science, Dr Sutherland received her Doctorate in Insect Molecular Genetics and Physiology from the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia in 1994. 

Her doctoral thesis was titled Regulation of juvenile hormone synthesis in Lucilia cuprina.

Learn more about our research with Bioindustries in CSIRO Entomology.