Ben Liu

Dr. Ben Liu is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow at Southern Cross University (SCU) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering and Southern Cross Plant Science. He holds a PhD in Phytochemistry from SCU and has expertise in phytochemical analysis, cereal grain quality, and natural product research. His roles include managing the Higher Degree Research (HDR) program, supervising 9 PhD, 1 master’s, and 3 honours students to completion, and currently mentoring 6 PhD and 2 masters candidates. Dr. Liu’s research focuses on phytochemicals in crops, coffee terroir, and sustainable agriculture, funded by AgriFutures Australia and NSW TechVouchers. He collaborates with farmers to enhance product value and has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles. Teaching includes guest lectures on food ecology, while community engagement emphasizes functional foods and environmental sustainability.

• Education: BE (Beijing University of Technology), GradCertMangt (SCU), PhD (SCU)
• Key Research Areas: Cereal chemistry, lipidomics, coffee terroir, and natural pesticides
• Grants: Over $1.5M in funding, including AgriFutures Australia and NSW TechVouchers
• Professional Roles: HDR Director, Southern Cross Plant Science

Research Interests: Biologically active phytochemicals, isolation/quantification of metabolites, and applications in functional foods and sustainable agriculture. Current projects include defining coffee terroir and studying starch digestion in rice.

Publications highlight advancements in lipidomics, cannabis chemistry, and antimicrobial agents from marine sources. His work bridges academia and industry through collaborations with farmers, biotech firms, and international institutions like Taiwan’s National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre.