Research facilities
Faculty of Science researchers, visitors and collaborators have access to world-leading technology platforms, facilities and research services
Our facilities and resources
Our capabilities and services
Here is a small sampling of the services our researchers can provide.
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Advanced analytical platforms for plant physiology, climate change, sensory technologies and robotics
The DAFW group has expertise in the use and maintenance of state-of-the-art instrumentation to obtain direct measurements of plant physiology and through remote sensing.
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Advice, policy formation and capacity building
Our past and current research, as well as international networks, position us to provide thought leadership into agricultural policies as well as directions for capacity building programs.
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Airborne Remote Sensing Facility
Multispectral, hyperspectral and thermal image acquisition over large areas
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Artificial intelligence/machine learning agriculture, food and animal sciences
Machine learning based modelling and artificial intelligence applications for agriculture, food and animal sciences
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Climate controlled production animal studies
We have established many valuable collaborations with other university-based research teams nationally and internationally, allowing us to offer services and capabilities in the form of a Wildlife Health Toolkit, which can be used to tackle any wildlife health issue.
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Computer application development for agriculture, food and wine sciences
Mobile computer applications development to be used for agriculture, food and wine sciences.
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Co-innovation
Our research involves co-design of innovative responses to social, economic and environmental issues with stakeholders.
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Crop trials at scale, agronomy, nutritional profiling and breeding
The Sustainable Agricultural Production group offers controlled and field trials, including for native crops, and breeding for desired traits.
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DNA extraction for soil molecular biology
QIAGEN QIAcube Connect is designed to perform fully automated purification of nucleic acids and proteins in molecular biology applications.
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Deep and machine learning modelling based on remote sensing for Livestock identification and welfare assessment
Development and application of computer vision techniques coupled with machine and deep learning for identification and assessment of welfare of livestock such as cattle, sheep and pigs as well as prediction of produce quality traits and yield. This also includes deployment of artificial intelligence models using Jetson technology.
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Development of management strategies for existing disease issues
We can investigate drivers of and treatment options for endemic disease issues in wildlife populations, leading to development of effective management or mitigation strategies.
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Engaged-social science research
The social science research we deliver provides solutions for the innovation and change challenges faced by stakeholders.
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Gender Analysis and Gender Mainstreaming for agricultural and rural industries
Gender analysis is a socio-economic analysis that uncovers how gender relations affect a development problem. Gender mainstreaming is integrating a gender equality perspective at all stages and levels of policies, programs and projects.
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Greenhouse gas emissions identification and mitigation from international livestock production
We use Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calculating tools to identify and suggest mitigation strategies for greenhouse gas emission from international livestock production.
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High-throughput quantitative PCR for soil molecular biology
The Wafergen SmartChip Real-time PCR system is a complete, high-throughput solution that enables an unrivalled level of assay and sample format flexibility.
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Histology services
The Histopathology Laboratory uses state-of-the-art facilities to produce high-quality microscopic sections of paraffin embedded material.
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Identification of fungal species
Fungal and plant molecular biology
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Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) and livelihoods impact assessments
Sustainable Agricultural Production research group members can help organisations solve complex issues and adapt to change through applications of the Institutional Analysis and Development framework (IAD) and livelihoods impact assessments.
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In vitro characterisation of ruminant feeds and supplements
We have established many valuable collaborations with other university-based research teams nationally and internationally, allowing us to offer services and capabilities in the form of a Wildlife Health Toolkit, which can be used to tackle any wildlife health issue.
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In vivo assessment of feed supplements in production animals (dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry)
We have established many valuable collaborations with other university-based research teams nationally and internationally, allowing us to offer services and capabilities in the form of a Wildlife Health Toolkit, which can be used to tackle any wildlife health issue.
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Measurement of insulin resistance in horses
The Veterinary Inflammation and Metabolism research group offers frequently-sampled insulin-modified intravenous glucose tolerance tests in horses and ponies.
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Microwave applicator systems and evaluation of microwave and plasma treatment of materials
The Sustainable Agricultural Production group offers experimental and semi-commercial assessment and modelling of microwave heating in agriculture, forestry and other applied contexts.
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Nutrient and resource recovery from agricultural and urban wastes using novel technologies
Production of biochar from organic waste, biochar, compost and soil characterisation, glasshouse and laboratory incubation experiments to understand nutrient cycling and nutrient recovery from organic materials, in-vessel composting and quantification of greenhouse gases.
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Novel smart fertiliser technologies
Development of novel inhibitors and controlled release coatings.
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Post-mortem services
Post-mortem examination is a diagnostic technique used to detect disease in deceased animals.
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Phytochemical biological activity evaluation and targeted delivery
We have the expertise and well established biochemical procedures in evaluating the biological activities of phytochemicals from foods, plant products and medicinal herbs such as the flavonoids.
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Robotics, sensory evaluation/biometrics and machine learning modelling for brewages
Integration of Robotics, sensory analysis of food and brewages with biometrics and machine learning algorithms to understand consumer preferences and quality of food and brewage products.
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Rumen metagenomics and enteric methane emission reduction
We have established many valuable collaborations with other university-based research teams nationally and internationally, allowing us to offer services and capabilities in the form of a Wildlife Health Toolkit, which can be used to tackle any wildlife health issue.
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Smoke taint analysis
The Wine Research Team at the University of Melbourne offer free and bound volatile phenols analysis for grape, juice/musk and wine samples for smoke taint assessment using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
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State-of-the-art instruments for trace gas measurements using micrometeorological techniques
Real-time, continuous field-scale measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from farms.
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Screening and characterisation of bioactive compounds and their analysis
Through our linkage with the University of Melbourne Analytical Platforms, we can provide screening, characterisation and analysis of various bioactive compounds including polyphenols, phenolic metabolites, carotenoids, saponins, alkaloids, vitamins and targeted bioactive peptides in different foods, food products and food waste streams.
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UAV‐based remote sensing and GIS mapping of crops and produce assessment
UAV‐based remote sensing and GIS mapping of processed data for irrigation scheduling, plant water status assessment, nutrient assessment, pest and disease early prediction and smoke contamination.
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Use of crops for dairying production
Experimentation with different hay crops that can be used in dairying production, including investigation of quality and yield characteristics.
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Vertical farming in a fully controlled soilless environment
The Sustainable Agricultural Production group offers evaluation of microgreens and other crop production for resource efficiency and nutritional biofortification and analysis in a fully controlled vertical farming set-up.
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Wildlife Health Toolkit
We have established many valuable collaborations with other university-based research teams nationally and internationally, allowing us to offer services and capabilities in the form of a Wildlife Health Toolkit, which can be used to tackle any wildlife health issue.
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Wildlife disease outbreak investigation
We conduct outbreak investigations for wildlife to determine the causes and control of illness, death and species decline.