VETINDEX

Periódicos Brasileiros em Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia

Robert Frans Huibert Dekker

Graduated in 1969 with B.Sc. (Honours-biochemistry) from University of Western Australia, M.Sc. (1972) and Ph.D. (1975) in microbial biochemistry from James Cook University (AUSTRALIA), and post-doc (1975/76) at Freiburg University (GERMANY). Dr Dekker has worked in Australia, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Spain and Canada over a 45-year period on biorefining and biotechnology-related research projects using biochemical (enzymes) and microbiological (fermentation) approaches. His research has focused on Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology, and Industrial Biotechnology. Specifically, his research themes have centered on: ruminant digestion of plant polysaccharides; polysaccharide bio/chemistry; enzymology; biosynthesis of bacterial cell wall/membrane components; fermentation technology; microbial physiology; enzyme applications to wine oenology; steam-explosion pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials; enzymatic saccharification of pretreated lignocellulosic residues; yeast fermentation of xylose into bioethanol and bioxylitol; enzyme immobilization onto magnetic supports and application in saccharification of steam-exploded cellulosic materials; screening of bacteria, yeasts and fungi for enzymes with applications in bioconversion of plant biomass; bioremediation of soils contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons; lipase-catalyzed transesterification of plant seed oils to biodiesel; valorization of poplar bark (phytochemical extraction), value-addition of hemicelluloses; biological modification of Kraft lignin for polymer applications; and biological activity of fungal β-glucans in animal models and mammalian cell-lines. In CANADA, Dr Dekker?s research was supported by competitive grants ($ 1.70 million) from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, and Ontario Center for Research & Innovation in the Bioeconomy (CRIBE) in partnership with Canadian industry. During his career, he has been awarded competitive, peer-reviewed grant funding totalling $ 2,650,000. (Fonte: CV Lattes)