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Assoc Prof Robert Learmonth

Name :	Assoc Prof Robert Learmonth
Position :	Associate Professor (Biochemistry)
Section :	Faculty of Sciences Biological and Physical Sciences
Office :	C301
Location :	Toowoomba Campus
Phone :	+61 7 4631 2702
Extension :	2702
E-mail :
Qualifications :	BSc, BSc(Hons) Monash PGDipCompSt Melb PhD Monash

Home Page : http://www.usq.edu.au/users/learmont
The views expressed on staff homepages may not reflect the views of the University.

Professional Affiliations

Editor, Biochemistry, The Scientific World Journal (TSWJ) (http://www.thescientificworldjournal.com)
National Wine Research Network
Australian Society for Viticulture & Oenology
Queensland Wine Industry Association
Australian Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Australasian Yeast Group
AusBiotech: Australia's Biotechnology Organisation

Research Interests

Oenology & wine fermentation
Cold adaptation of malolactic bacteria
Yeast strain selection and fermentation management
Viticultural and yeast fermentation effects on wine quality
Yeast health and adaptation during fermentation
On-line monitoring of fermentation using fluorescence-based instrumentation
Membrane biochemistry/biophysics
Fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy
Biochemical education

Recent Research Outcomes

Three most recent :

Learmonth, R. P. (2012) Membrane fluidity in yeast adaptation – insights from fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy. In Reviews in Fluorescence 2010 (C. D. Geddes Ed.), Springer, ISBN 978-1-4419-9827-9, Chapter 4, pp 67-94, http://www.springer.com/biomed/book/978-1-4419-9827-9

Learmonth, R. P., Kable S. H. and Ghiggino, K. P. (2009) Basics of fluorescence, in Fluorescence Applications in Biotechnology and Life Sciences (E M Goldys, Ed),
Chapter 1, pp 1-26, ISBN: 978-0-470-08370-3. 2009, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, New Jersey, USA http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470083700.html

Gutiérrez, T., Learmonth R. P. and Couperwhite, I. (2009) Analysis of benzene-induced effects on Rhodococcus sp. 33 reveals constitutive processes play a major role in conferring tolerance. The Scientific World Journal 9, 209-223.

Most notable :

Lewis, J.G., Northcott, C.J., Learmonth, R.P., Attfield, P.V. and Watson, K. (1993) The need for consistent nomenclature and assessment of growth phases in diauxic cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Gen. Microbiol. 139, 835-839.

Steels, E.L., Learmonth, R.P. and Watson, K. (1994) Stress tolerance and membrane lipid unsaturation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown aerobically or anaerobically. Microbiology 140, 569-576.

Learmonth, R.P. and Gratton, E. (2002) Assessment of Membrane Fluidity in Individual Yeast Cells by Laurdan Generalized Polarization and Multi-Photon Scanning Fluorescence Microscopy. Invited Review. In Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Imaging & Probes: New Tools in Chemical, Physical and Life Sciences (R Kraayenhof, AJWG Visser and HC Gerritsen, Eds.), Springer Series on Fluorescence: Methods and Applications, Vol. 2, Springer, Heidelberg, 2002, Chapter 14, pp 241-252. ISBN 3-540-42768-6.

Currently Teaching Courses/Programs

BIO1103
BIO2201
BIO2215
BIO3301
WIN1101
WIN2102
WIN2201
WIN2202
WIN2203
WIN2204
WIN2205
WIN2206
WIN3301
WIN3302
WIN3303
WIN3304
WIN3306

Teaching Experience

Tertiary : 28 years

Administrative Responsibilities

Program Leader, Bachelor of Technology (Wine)
Management Committee, Centre for Systems Biology
Member of USQ Intellectual Property Committee
Member of Honours Committee, Department of Biological & Physical Sciences