Richard Newcomb

Current

• Team Leader, Molecular Sensing at The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd
• Associate Professor in Evolutionary Genetics at University of Auckland

Past

• Science Leader at HortResearch

Education

• The Australian National University
• University of Auckland
• University of Auckland

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Connections

34 connections

Industry

Research

Websites

• My Publications

Richard Newcomb’s Summary

Richard's research focuses on how biological systems produce and recognise odours. Major goals include the development of an olfactory biosensing device using olfactory receptors from insects (Cybernose), understanding the molecular basis of variation in the ability to smell flavour compounds in humans (Gastronomics) and the molecular basis of speciation in insects via changes in sex pheromone systems in moths.

Richard completed his PhD in 1996 at The Australian National University based at CSIRO, Canberra, where his research on insecticide resistance in flies identified single point mutations in an enzyme that transformed the esterase into a phosphatase and led to the development of bioremediation enzymes commercialised by Orica.

After a postoc at HortResearch on insect olfaction (1996-1999), Richard led HortResearch's Biotechnology group which developed extensive gene databases from apple and kiwifruit (1999-2002).

Richard is a regular reviewer for 13 international scientific journals, has been on granting panels for the Marsden Fund and FRST and is New Zealand’s representative on committee at the Genetics Society of Australasia and the Australasian Association of Chemosensory Sciences. Richard has served on delegations of NZ scientists to the US and Taiwan, been a visiting fellow at CSIRO and Yale University, and has been an invited speaker to numerous international conferences. Richard is an investigator at two of New Zealand’s Centres for Research Excellence: as a Principle Investigator at the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Evolution and Ecology and as an Associate Investigator at the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery.

Richard Newcomb’s Specialties:

Olfaction, Molecular Evolution

Richard Newcomb’s Experience

• Team Leader, Molecular Sensing

  The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd

  (Government Agency; Research industry)

  December 2008 — Present (1 year 1 month)

  The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research (Plant & Food Research) is a New Zealand government owned Crown Research Institute formed through the merger of HortResearch and Crop and Food Research on December of 2008. Plant & Food Research, as the name suggests, focuses on research and development of whole and processed plant-based foods.

• Associate Professor in Evolutionary Genetics

  University of Auckland

  (Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry)

  2008 — Present (1 year )

• Science Leader

  HortResearch

  (Government Agency; 501-1000 employees; Research industry)

  1996 — December 2008 (12 years )

Richard Newcomb’s Education

• The Australian National University

  PhD , Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , 1992 — 1996

• University of Auckland

  MSc , Evolutionary Genetics , 1985 — 1986

• University of Auckland

  BSc , Zoology and Cellular and Molecular Biology , 1982 — 1984

Additional Information

Richard Newcomb’s Websites:

• My Publications

Richard Newcomb’s Interests:

research, molecular evolution, olfaction, biotechnology

Richard Newcomb’s Groups:

Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Australasian Association of ChemoSensory Sciences, New Zealand Invertebrate Molecular Biology Workshop, The Genetics Society of AustralAsia, The New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, International Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution

•    Auckland University Alumni & Friends
•    Plant & Food Research- Food Innovation Leadership Team
•    Human Responses

Richard Newcomb’s Honors:

2005 Marsden Fund Panel Member (2005, 2006)
2004 McMaster Fellowship, CSIRO, Australia
1999 FRST Reference Panel member - NERF
1997 New Zealand Science & Technology Post-Doctoral Fellowship
1996 Young Scientist Award, Queenstown Molecular Biology Meeting (NZ)
1996 New Zealand Lottery Science Repatriation Fellowship
1993 Australian National University Postgraduate Study Award
1992 University of California Exchange Award
1991 Sir James Gunson Award for Research in Agriculture (NZ)

Richard Newcomb’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• consulting offers
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
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• getting back in touch