School of Science

Dr Himel Nahreen Khaleque

Himel is a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow at the School of Science.

Background

Himel is an environmental biotechnologist, specialising in the use of molecular biology, '-omics' and bioinformatic techniques for the study of extremophilic microorganisms. For the past 9 years she has extensively studied novel halotolerant acidophiles for use in saline water systems.

Prior to her role as Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow, Himel was a Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform (SynBioFSP) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). She has also held the roles of Scientific Officer at the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and Lecturer of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering. She completed her PhD from Curtin University in Biomedical Sciences and was awarded a Chancellor’s Commendation for her thesis. She has also completed a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science (with Honour’s and Dean’s Award) in Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Awards and Recognition

National and International Awards

• 2020 – Recognition Award for Contribution to CSIRO Research, Perth, Australia
• 2018 - Chancellor’s Commendation for an outstanding doctoral thesis, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
• 2017- The Institute for Geoscience Research (TIGeR) travel grant to present at the International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium in Freiberg, Germany
• 2016 - Curtin Mobility Scholarship travel grant to work at the Centre of Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Andres Bello University, Santiago, Chile.
• 2015 - ‘Choose Maths Travel Grant’ to attend ‘Bioinfosummer 2015’ at the University of Sydney, Australia
• 2015 - Best poster presenter - Mark Liveris Student Research Seminar 2015, Curtin University, Australia
• 2014 - Curtin Strategic International Research Scholarships (CSIRS) for a PhD degree in Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University
• 2014 - CSIRO Mineral Resources Postgraduate Scholarship, Australia
• 2008 - Dean’s Award for Outstanding Academic performance in B.Sc. (Honours) in Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

National and International Research Positions

• April 2023-Present: Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
• September 2017-June 2022: CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform (SynbioFSP), Resource Sector Biotechnology Team, Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Perth, Australia
• March 2014-September 2018: PhD Fellow & Casual Academic, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
• June 2011-February 2018: Scientific Officer (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology), Industrial Microbiology Laboratory, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
• April 2010-June 2011: Lecturer, Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Research Areas and Interests

• Environmental biotechnology
• Extremophilic microorganisms (e.g., Halotolerant acidophilic bacteria)
• Bacterial genomics, proteomics & metabolomics
• Mineral leaching; mineral resource recovery
• Bioremediation of soils and wastewaters
• Microbial ecology of environmental systems

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy, Curtin University of Technology, 2018.

Research Outputs

Research Projects

• Saline Water Biomining of Low-Grade Minerals and Mine Wastes, Unearthed Solutions Pty Ltd, Challenge, 2024 ‑ 2025, $80,000.
• SALINE WATER BIOMINING OF CRITICAL MINERALS, Unearthed Solutions Pty Ltd, Challenge, 2024, $100,000.

Research Student Supervision