Rate My Professor Nerida Downes

Nerida Downes holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Otago. Her professional background includes work in the field of Chemistry at the University of Otago from February 1990 to June 1994 and in Pharmacy from February 2003 to October 2020. She currently serves as Pharmaceutical Science Technician in the School of Pharmacy, Project Manager for the Antarctic Science Platform Project in the Department of Marine Science, and Analyst in Patrick Silcock's Lab at the University of Otago. She is affiliated with the Product Development Research Centre and the Sir John Walsh Research Institute in the Faculty of Dentistry, Health Sciences Division. These roles demonstrate her broad contributions across health sciences and food science initiatives at the institution.

Nerida Downes specializes in natural products chemistry, food science, essential oils, plant extracts, chromatography, and antioxidant activity. She has co-authored 15 publications, cited 869 times. Key publications include "A dahlia flower extract has antidiabetic properties by improving insulin function in the brain" (2023, Life Metabolism), which reported antidiabetic effects from dahlia petal extracts in clinical trials stabilizing blood sugar in diabetes patients; "Wholegrain Particle Size Influences Postprandial Glycemia in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Crossover Study Comparing Four Wholegrain Breads" (2020, Diabetes Care); "Harnessing the Regenerative Potential of Purified Bovine Dental Pulp and Dentin Extracellular Matrices in a Chitosan/Alginate Hydrogel" (2024); "Fungicidal Sesquiterpene Dialdehyde Cinnamates from Pseudowintera axillaris" (2006); "Antimicrobial, Antiviral and Cytotoxic Activity of New Zealand Lichens" (1999); "Essential Oils from Dalmatian Sage (Salvia officinalis L.): Variations among Individuals, Plant Parts, Seasons, and Sites" (1999); "Essential oils from New Zealand manuka and kanuka: Chemotaxonomy of Kunzea" (1997); "Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Phenolic Glycoside Esters from the New Zealand Tree Toronia toru" (1997); and "Dalmatian Sage. Part 1. Differing Oil Yields and Compositions from Flowering and Non-Flowering Accessions" (1996). She has provided technical assistance in studies on milk fat globule membranes, pulsed electric fields processing of foods, and sea urchin gonads. Her work supports advancements in nutraceuticals, bioactive compounds, and food technology.