Enzo Palombo

Enzo Palombo is a Professor and Acting Executive Dean at Swinburne University's School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies. His academic career began with a PhD from La Trobe University on bacterial conjugation genetics, followed by postdoctoral research at the Royal Children's Hospital on gastroenteritis viruses. He holds a Fellowship of the Australian Society for Microbiology (FASM) and served on its Victorian Branch committee (1996–2014). He is also an Executive Committee member of the Australian Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (ACEDD).

Research focuses include food microbiology, bioactive compounds from plants/fungi, environmental microbiology, nanotechnology, and virology. He leads projects on antimicrobial coatings, microplastic biodegradation, and biofilm control. Over 60 HDR students have been supervised, with topics ranging from wound care applications of endophyte metabolites to microbially influenced corrosion.

Notable achievements include the 2020 FASM Fellowship and 2011 Distinguished Service Award. He has secured grants totaling millions澳元, including ARC funding for biofilm research and industry collaborations on antimicrobial technologies. Key publications (2021–2025) address smart microalgae incubators, nanoparticle drug delivery, and computational discovery of biofilm inhibitors.

Public engagement includes media commentary on bird flu outbreaks (2024) and food safety. His leadership extends to university administration while maintaining active roles in interdisciplinary research teams addressing global challenges like antimicrobial resistance and sustainable agriculture.