Rate My Professor Gary Dykes

Professor Gary Dykes is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University. He previously served as Deputy Head of the School of Public Health. His academic qualifications include a PhD, BSc (Hons), and Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, complemented by professional memberships as MAIFST and MASM. As an experienced researcher and academic leader, he has pursued a diverse career in microbiology.

Gary Dykes' research specializes in the molecular microbiology of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, and Pseudomonas. Key areas encompass bacterial attachment to abiotic surfaces, biofilm formation and inhibition, survival under environmental stresses such as dry heat and chilling, and surface properties influenced by capsular polysaccharides and lipooligosaccharides. Notable publications include "Pectin and Xyloglucan Influence the Attachment of Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli to Polypropylene" (2016), "Transcriptional profiling of biofilms formed on chilled beef by Lactobacillus" (2021), "Betacyanin-inhibited biofilm formation of co-culture of meat-borne pathogens" (2021), "Survival of Salmonella on Red Meat in Response to Dry Heat" (2020), "The Predominance of Psychrotrophic Pseudomonads on Aerobically Stored Chilled Red Meat" (2019), and "Role of capsular polysaccharides and lipooligosaccharides in Campylobacter surface properties, autoagglutination and attachment to abiotic surfaces" (2026). He has led projects on red meat safety and collaborated on molecular microbiology initiatives, contributing to teams recognized in Curtin University's Curtinnovation Awards, such as the 2018 Science and Engineering category.