Dr James Strong

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Deputy Program Leader (Food Innovation) and Research Fellow, Faculty of Science

PhD (Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa)

I have a background in chemistry, microbiology and biotechnology and am interested in applied research that provides industrially-applicable solutions to problems and improves or integrates processes. I currently lecture two courses at QUT  (Natures Pharmacy and  Forensic Biology & Analytical Toxicology).

I have conducted academic and industrial research. The fermentation processes I have worked on range from enzyme synthesis, fungal and bacterial biomass production, methane generation and oxidation, volatile fatty acid production, ethanol production, secondary metabolite production to antibody purification, biosolids destruction, denitrification, ammonia removal and wastewater remediation.

I have a strong interest in biomass and mycoprotein synthesis in solid-state and submerged fermentation / precision fermentation. I am particularly interested in fungi with regard to residue transformation, protein and lipids, mycoremediation and enzyme catalysis.

I am currently focused on bioconversion of agro-industrial biomass or liquid residues into fungal proteins, as well as extracting compounds for nutritional supplements and immune support.

Projects (Chief investigator)

Projects

Additional information

Experience

Recent funded projects include:

  • 2024.  CRC-P. Utilising advanced manufacturing to expand the Australian exotic mushroom industry.
  • 2023. Innovations connections grant: Phase 2. Nutraceutical product from avocado and chilli tissues.
  • 2022. Innovations connections grant. Solid state fermentation of avocado and chilli tissues.
  • 2022. Commercial research. Developing sucrose utilisation capability for precision fermentation investment in Queensland. Queensland Government Department of State Development.
  • 2022. Commercial research. Cultivation and extraction & biosynthetic production of Psilocybin and psychedelic analogues of L-tryptophan.
  • 2022. Fight Food Waste CRC. Value-Adding Opportunities to Upcycle Brewing By-Products.
  • 2020. Commercial research. Assessment of docosahexaenoic acid synthesis by a Thraustochytrid.
  • 2020. Internal QUT grant. Isolating Australian Ganoderma species for use on spent coffee grounds
  • 2019. Internal QUT grant. Centre for a Waste-Free World. Mycelial biocomposites to replace synthetic foam.
  • 2017-2021. Wastes to Profits: Value Propositions for Better Management of Wastes in Animal Industry  Supply Chains. Rural Research and Development for Profit (DAWR)(AUS). Solid-state fermentation for Paunch utilisation and Phototrophic and methanotrophic co-culture for biogas conversion into feed protein.

Some recent papers  include:

  • *Strong PJ, Rachel Self, K Allikian, E Szewczyk, R Speight, Ian O’Hara, MD Harrison (2022) Filamentous fungi for future functional food and feed. Current Opinion in Biotechnology. 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102729
  • *Amini Z., Self R., Strong, PJ, Speight R., O'Hara I., Harrison M. (2022) Valorization of sugarcane biorefinery residues using fungal biocatalysis. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 12(3), 997–1011.
  • *S Cantera, D Tamarit, PJ Strong, I Sanchez-Andrea, TJG Ettema, Sousa DZ (2022) Prospective CO2 and CO bioconversion into ectoines using novel microbial platforms. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology 21 (3), 571-581
  • *Sun F, Zhe Gu, Zhou Q, Sun H, Luo J, Liu Z, Guo S, Ren H, Zhang Z, Strong PJ (2022) Highly efficient microbial lipid synthesis from co-fermentation of enzymatic hydrolysate of sugarcane bagasse by a Trichosporon dermatis mutant Industrial Crops and Products 171, 113975
  • *M Hassanpour, M Abbasabadi, J Strong, L Gebbie, VSJ Te'o, IM O'Hara, Z Zhang (2020) Scale-up of two-step acid-catalysed glycerol pretreatment for production of oleaginous yeast biomass from sugarcane bagasse by Rhodosporidium toruloides. Bioresource Technology. 313.  10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123666.
  • *Tana Tana, Tuyen HT Tran, Jerome Ramirez, Peter James Strong, Ian O’Hara, Jorge Beltramini, William OS Doherty, Lalehvash Moghaddam (2021) Conversion of pilot plant derived 2G ethanol cellulosic stillage to value-added chemicals.  Industrial crops and products. Vol. 171.
  • *Luangthongkam, P., Strong, P.J., Syed Mahamud, S.N., P Evans, P Jensen, G Tyson, B Laycock, PA Lant, S Pratt. (2019) The effect of methane and odd-chain fatty acids on 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) synthesis by a Methylosinus-dominated mixed culture. Bioresources and Bioprocesses. Vol. 6.