EXPERTS SEARCH

Dr Ahmad Abu Alqumsan is a Research Fellow at Deakin University’s Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation. His research sits at the intersection of robotics, mechatronics, control systems, autonomous vehicles, UAVs, intelligent sensing and AI-enabled perception.

His work focuses on developing autonomous and robotic systems that can operate reliably beyond controlled laboratory conditions. This includes robust control under uncertainty, UAV and autonomous vehicle autonomy, multimodal sensing, real-time object detection, onboard intelligence and system integration for field-deployable platforms.

Ahmad contributes to applied research in autonomous vehicles, UAV systems, emergency-response technologies, disaster communications and intelligent sensing. His research connects control theory, mechatronic system design, perception algorithms and experimental validation to support practical outcomes in safety-critical and operational environments.

He supervises graduate researchers in robust control, UAV systems, autonomous vehicles, multimodal perception, onboard AI and intelligent sensing. He also supports research capability-building through technical mentoring, ROS training, UAV training and guidance for staff and students working with robotic and autonomous systems.

Majed is a multi-award-winning architect and landscape architect with an intensive background in urban planning, interior design, and building and city science (Registered chief of architects in Jordan, graduate architect in Australia, and international landscape architect in the American Society of Landscape Architects). His research focuses on green infrastructure, energy and environmental performance, indoor and outdoor thermal performance, and smart technology applications in the built environment. Majed is also an expert in climate change and urban heat mitigation and has worked with various city councils to mitigate the city heat and evaluate planning policies regarding climate change.

Professor Leigh Ackland has a Personal Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at
Deakin University. She is Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular
Biology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences. Over the last 20 years her
research has contributed to advances in understanding the role of metals in
human health and disease, where her work has provided insights into how zinc
and copper are processed at the cellular level. Her team has identified
molecular transporters that control the fluxes of zinc and copper into and out
of cells and has contributed to elucidating the molecular basis of defective
copper and zinc transport seen in inherited disorders of metal metabolism of
humans. Prof Ackland has international projects in China and India to
investigate accumulation heavy metals in plants and bacteria from metal-
contaminated soil and water, with the aim to develop bioremediation strategies
based on the capacity of plants and bacteria to accumulate heavy metals. Prof
Ackland and her team have developed expertise in the manipulation of human
cells in culture to mimic human tissues including the mammary gland, skin, gut
and placenta. A novel human breast cell culture model PMC42-LA generated in
her laboratory has been internationally utilised to investigate the mechanisms
underlying the spread of breast cancer cells termed the epithelial to
mesenchymal transition. Current projects include the identification of novel
markers in tumor tissue and circulating tumor cells to improve diagnosis and
treatment of neuroendocrine tumors. Other projects in Prof Ackland's lab
include a study to elucidate the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on neuronal
cell function and a collaborative project on epigenetic factors in diabetes.
Professor Ackland is involved in undergraduate teaching and training in the
biological and bioimedical courses and supervises PhD and Honours students

After completing postgraduate studies at the Murdoch Childrens' Research
Institute (University of Melbourne), I commenced employment at Deakin
University at the Rusden Campus in 1994. At that time at the Melbourne
campuses there were no facilities for research in laboratory-based biology. I
established the first biology research laboratory and initiated laboratory-
based research at Rusden. In 2000, the Rusden laboratory was transformed into
the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) at the Burwood campus. At
its inception, the CCMB was focussed on metal biology in relation to humans.
Since leading research in this facility from 2013, I have broadened its focus
on metals to include research on plants, fungi, algae and bacteria, and
introduced other aspects of human-based molecular biology including cancer and
diabetes. This has been achieved by strategic appointments of new staff with a
range of skills and experience. As deputy director of the Molecular and
Medical Strategic Research Centre I have played a key role in building
collaborations within and outside the university in the human bioscience
discipline. My supervision of PhD students has been a major factor in
facilitating the building of research projects and teams.

Dr Adcock is an analytical chemist primarily interested in the study of lipids and lipid oxidation. Lipids (oils and fats) are a diverse group of molecules, most commonly known for their roles in cell membrane structure and energy storage, but are also vital signalling molecules whose importance is only recently being fully recognised. Lipids are also a component of many foods and a vital part of a healthy diet.

Dr Adcock is currently investigating lipid oxidation in food systems, specifically focussed on developing new methods to measure lipid oxidation and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving oxidation. Increased understanding of lipid oxidation can be used to increase food stability and safety. She has also developed chromatographic methods for the analysis of other common lipid types such as fatty acids, sterols and tocopherols. Dr Adcock has synthesised novel lipid compounds using enzymatic reactions, and developed chromatographic methods for the analysis of these compounds. Her work is specifically focussed on omega-3 fatty acids and the anti-inflammatory compounds that can be synthesised from them. These compounds may be beneficial in the treatment of many inflammatory diseases, including arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, periodontal disease and allergies.

Previously, Dr Adcock has developed a wide range of new methodology for the analysis of foods, biological fluids, industrial process samples, pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs. During her postdoctoral fellowship at RMIT University, Dr Adcock developed advanced separation techniques, based on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, for the rapid analysis of essential oil and perfume products, and worked in the R&D department at Firmenich - the world's second largest flavour and fragrance company - located in Switzerland.