Daniel Hwang

Dr. Daniel Liang-Dar Hwang is an ARC DECRA Research Fellow at The University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience. His work focuses on genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics, with a specialization in sensory nutrition, causal modeling, and personalized nutrition strategies. He applies advanced statistical methods to large-scale data to understand how genetic and environmental factors influence taste and olfactory perception, dietary behavior, and chronic conditions.

Education: B.Sc. in Biochemical Science & Technology (National Taiwan University), M.Biotech (University of Pennsylvania), M.Sc. in Nutrition (University of Washington), PhD in Genetic Epidemiology (QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute), and postdoctoral training at the University of Queensland Diamantina Institute. He is also an Affiliated Scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center.

Research Interests: His work spans gene discovery methods, Mendelian randomization, and translational research in chemosensory perception. Key areas include understanding taste receptor genetics, maternal-fetal interactions, and the impact of sensory perception on dietary choices. He leads international collaborations studying long-COVID symptoms and chairs the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research (GCCR).

Publications: Over 40 peer-reviewed articles in journals like Nature Communications, BMC Medicine, and Diabetologia. His research informs health policy, including contributions to WHO obesity guidelines and a global patent for personalized wine selection.

Awards & Roles: ARC DECRA Fellowship, editorial board member of BMC Medicine and Twin Research and Human Genetics, member of the Australian Academy of Science's National Committee for Nutrition, and contributor to Australia's nutrition decadal plan.

Grants & Collaborations: Leads international projects on post-COVID smell loss and perinatal genetics, with funding from ARC and NHMRC. Collaborates with clinical teams to address chemosensory dysfunction in cancer patients and vaccine recipients.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Monell Center, focusing on interdisciplinary teams combining genetics, epidemiology, and clinical research.