Evan Gibbs

Evan Gibbs is a microbial biotechnologist and PhD candidate at the University of Newcastle, affiliated with the College of Engineering, Science and Environment and the Department of Biological Sciences. His research focuses on cadaverine synthesis in engineered Escherichia coli and leveraging native microbial communities for sustainable bio-industrial processes.

• Educational Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (University of Newcastle), Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques (TAFE NSW).

Evan specializes in microbial metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and industrial biotechnology, integrating high-throughput genomics, multi-omics approaches, and transcriptional control systems to develop microbial systems for applications like biofuels, bioplastics, and biomaterials. His work aligns with circular economy principles through projects such as the Wild Yeast Zoo initiative.

Grants and Funding:

• 2025: Wild Yeast Zoo ($199,999, Department of Education's Australia's Economic Accelerator Ignite).
• 2024: High-throughput biocatalyst optimization ($370,154, U.S. Department of Defense Air Force Office of Scientific Research).
• 2023: Wild Yeast Zoo Performance Bonus ($4,050, CSIRO ON Prime).
• 2022: ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology ($22,500).

Evan actively mentors student teams (iGEM and synthetic biology) and coordinates the Business of Brewing course. He contributes to science outreach via the Wild Yeast Zoo citizen science initiatives and public engagement at events like the Woodford Folk Festival. Additionally, he serves as Secretary of the Biofilm Special Interest Group and as a committee member for the Australian Society of Microbiology NSW/ACT branch.