The Native Yeast Biobank

​In 2022 I was awarded a grant for creating a wild yeast biobank from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB). This biobank will be created in collaboration with the Bacterial Regulation and Transport Laboratory (BRaTlab), and wild yeast sour beers will be produced in collaboration with local breweries. It is a citizen science project with a twist: in phase one we’ll send kits to people in the Hunter region and ask participants to gather wild yeast from native flora, refine and genotype it, database it then use it to create delicious beers!

This project is an exciting opportunity to apply my interests in the value of biodiversity and native species through engaging with citizen scientists and the wider public. In October of 2022 we were also participants of the CSIRO On Prime program for academic start ups. Our fantastic team of Evan Gibbs, Dr Ben Matthews, Dr Amy Cain, and Dr Karl Hassan are already working away a producing yeast sampling kits for public use.

See more about it here: https://www.wildyeastzoo.com/

In 2023/2024 we presented at the Woodford Folk Festival and ran wild yeast collection bush walks. Find out more here: https://www.wildyeastzoo.com/blog/wild-yeast-zoo-adventures-at-20234nbspwoodfordnbspfolk-festival