Filomena Pettolino

Dr Filomena Pettolino is a Principal Research Scientist in the Cotton Biotechnology Group at CSIRO, dedicated to advancing a sustainable cotton industry through biotechnology. Her work integrates with CSIRO’s broader cotton research teams (Cotton Breeding, Cotton Management, Fibre Innovation & Composites) to create an interdisciplinary approach spanning from genetic research to fiber processing.

• PhD in Biochemistry from La Trobe University (focus: immunochemical studies of (1,4)-beta-mannans)

Her research explores the chemical structure of cotton seed fiber cell walls and their impact on fiber properties, utilizing chemical, biochemical, and genomic techniques. The long-term goal is to manipulate fiber composition to develop novel properties that enhance Australia’s international competitiveness in fiber exports. Her work is supported by Cotton Breeding Australia, a joint venture between CSIRO and Cotton Seed Distributors.

Her scientific expertise includes complex carbohydrate analysis and plant/fungal polysaccharide characterization, with applications in industries such as brewing and winemaking. Filomena’s career prior to CSIRO involved studying cell wall assembly in barley and maize under an ARC Linkage grant with Pioneer DuPont at the University of Melbourne.