Prof. Dr. Michelle Colgrave Appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of Section “Foodomics” in Foods

Name: Prof. Dr. Michelle Colgrave
Email: michelle.colgrave@csiro.au
Affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture and Food, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD 4053, Australia
Interests: proteomics; peptides; proteins; agriculture; food science; allergens; bioactives
Homepage: https://people.csiro.au/c/m/michelle-colgrave; https://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/science/staff/profiles/professors/professor-michelle-colgrave
Personal profile:

Professor Michelle Colgrave is the Future Protein Mission Leader at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, based in Brisbane, Australia. Prof. Dr. Michelle Colgrave uses mass spectrometry (MS) and proteomics to help identify key proteins that will benefit Australia's livestock and plant industries which will improve human health. Proteomics is the study of proteins using mass spectrometry. Prof. Dr. Colgrave is working to identify novel proteins and to characterize their function and post-translational modifications. Prof. Dr. Colgrave is a Chief Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science.

Prior to joining CSIRO, Prof. Dr. Michelle Colgrave built a strong, international reputation for her studies on the structure and function of bioactive peptides, namely cyclotides. Her research, which often applies innovative approaches, has been widely published in high-impact journals, and her findings have extended beyond reporting molecular structures and have uncovered the evolution and development of these peptides.

Prof. Dr. Colgrave has applied MS techniques for the quantification of gluten (hordeins in barley; gliadins and glutenins in wheat). The success of this research has been recognized through the receipt of the ICM Agrifood Award (Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) Innovation and Excellence Awards, 2020), CSIRO Chairman’s Medal (2016), Plant Industry Research Achievement Award (2014), the Payne-Scott Award (2014), and the John Philip Award for Promotion of Excellence in Young Scientists (2012). In 2021, Prof. Dr. Colgrave received the Excellence in Research Award from the Edith Cowan University and the Bowie Medal from the Australian and New Zealand Society for Mass Spectrometry.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Michelle Colgrave, who shared her vision for the journal with us, as well as her view of the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take on the role of Section Editor-in-Chief?

As a proteomics scientist who is focused on agrifood application, foodomics sits at the intersection of my science and passion. Comprehensive, high-throughput approaches applied to food science offer the potential to enhance human nutrition. Food is medicine first and foremost, and nature offers an abundance of peptides, proteins, and metabolites that can be used for human benefit.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

With over two billion extra mouths to feed by 2050, we need to transform our food systems. Foodomics is a platform to enhance our food systems, and only through the communication and dissemination of novel technology, innovations, and cutting-edge science can we address these global challenges of nutrition and food security under the present climate uncertainty. In my role as Section Editor-in-Chief, I seek to boost the scientific quality of the “Foodomics” Section and accelerate the growth and development of Foods.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

There is no more important time in history to focus our efforts on transforming our food systems. With global population growth, changing climatic conditions, supply chain uncertainty, pandemics, conflict and more, we need to deliver translational food science and innovation.

4. What do you think of the development of Open Access in the publishing field?

Open Access is a critical step in research dissemination, catalyzing innovation, and enhancing research outcome adoption, and will thus have an enormous impact on society.

We wish Prof. Dr. Michelle Colgrave every success in her research and in the development of the journal.

Foods Editorial Office