I’m a Professor of Zymology and Director of the Abertay Yeast Research Group.
My PhD (1978) was in Yeast Physiology and I have over 40 years of research experience in microbiology and biotechnology. I also act as consultant for international biotechnology companies.
My current research interests involve yeast physiology and biotechnology, with a particular focus involving optimising fermentations for alcoholic beverages, distilled spirits and sustainable biofuels.
I have held academic positions and conducted research in the UK, Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada and the US.
To date, I have published over 200 articles and authored several textbooks, including Yeast Physiology & Biotechnology, Bioethanol and The Alcohol Textbook.
Lecturing duties in Microbiology and Biotechnology: Prof Walker acts as Module tutor and co-deliverer of modules in BSc and MSc programmes, covering topics such as Yeast Biotechnology, Fermentation/Bioprocess Technology, Food Biotechnology, Industrial & Biomedical Biotechnology, and Renewable Energy Technologies. He also supervises Research Projects (BSc Hons, MSc, MProf and PhD).
Research funding for the Abertay Yeast Research Group has been forthcoming from research councils (e.g. BBSRC), European Commission (e.g. Framework 6 Programme), industry (e.g. BP Chemicals, Glaxo, Heineken, Diageo), charities (e.g. Carnegie Trust), professional bodies (e.g. Institute of Brewing & Distilling) and governmental organisations (e.g. Technology Strategy Board, Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre).
1984 - present
74 PhD Examinerships: Universities of Oslo (N), Toulouse (F), New England (AUS), Victoria (AUS)x2, Southern Queensland (AUS), Witwatersrand (SA)x2, Saskatchewan (CAN), Stellenbosch (SA), Dublin (I), Danish Technical University (DK)x4, Swedish Agricultural University, Uppsala (S)x4, Ballarat University (AUS), University of New South Wales (AUS), University of the West Indies (Jamaica), Delft University of Technology (NL), Heriot-Watt (UK)x9, Aberdeen (UK)x3, Abertay (UK)x15, Strathclyde (UK)x6, Nottingham (UK)x8, also MRes x2), Bath (UK), Edinburgh Napier (UK), University College London (UK), National University of Ireland (I), Oxford-Brookes University (UK)x3, St Andrews University (UK), University of the Highlands & Islands (UK)
1989 - 1991
MSc Examiner, National University of Ireland
1988 - 1990
SCOTVEC Biotechnology Examiner
1995 – 2000
External Verifier, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (Applied Sciences)
2004
Chair, Scottish Qualifications Agency (HND Biotechnology)
2005
Expert Evaluator, European Commission, Brussels (FP6 proposals)
2000-present
Expert Reviewer (Professoriate Appointments), Universities of Parma, Italy,
(2000), Southern Queensland, Australia (2006)), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden (2009), Heriot-Watt University (2012)
2004-present
BioDundee Steering Group committee member
2006-2011
External Examiner, Napier University (School of Life Sciences)
2006-present
Committee member, British Science Association [Tayside & Fife Branch]
1988 - present
Research Grant Referee/Expert Evaluator for:
NERC and BBSRC (UK), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), South African National Research Foundation, Australian Research Council Office of Science & Technology, Slovenian Ministry of Education & Science, Australian Research Council College of Experts, National Science Fund of Bulgaria, Danish Council for Strategic Research, Industrial Research Fund (K.U. Leuven, Belgium), Latvian Council of Sciences
2009-present
Scientific Committee member of Polish Fermentation School
2010-present
Scientific Director of Ethanol Technology Institute
Scientific Advisory Board member BBSRC Sustainable Bioenergy Centre (Nottingham University)
2011
External MSc Validator University of Ulster, Coleraine, N Ireland
External Research Assessor, Heriot-Watt University
2011-present
Accredited Trainer for Institute of Brewing & Distilling
External Examiner, BSc and MSc Brewing & Distilling, Heriot-Watt University
1978 – 1980
Royal Society/NATO Postdoctoral Fellowship, Copenhagen
1982
EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship
2000
Molson 2000 Lecturer, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
2008 & 2009
Royal Society of Chemistry plenary speaker at International biofuels symposia: San Juan, Puerto Rico (2008) and IUPAC, Glasgow (2009)
2009
Elected Fellow of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling (FIBD)
2010
Elected UK Commissioner for International Commission on Yeasts and Yeast-like Organisms of the International Union of Microbiological Societies
Non-Academic (sporting) awards: Winner’s medals: for Nordic Cup (Denmark 1980: rugby); Methven’s League champions (New Zealand 1982: football); Civil Service League champions (Ireland 1985: football); Abertay University Champion (Dundee 2002 and Tayport 2010: golf); BioDundee winner (St Andrews 2009: golf); Edinburgh Festival (2013: stand-up comedian)
1988 - present
Journal Referee for:
Journal of General Microbiology, Process Biochemistry, Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Enzyme & Microbial Technology, Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, Biotechnology Progress, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, FEMS Letters, FEMS Yeast Research, European Journal of Biochemistry, Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, World Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology, Biological Trace Element Research, Journal of Industrial Microbiology, International Journal of Food Microbiology, Mycological Research, Microbiology (UK), Microbiology Today, Process Biochemistry, Journal of Applied & Environmental Microbiology, Journal of Biotechnology, Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, International Journal of Wine Research, Free Radical Biology & Medicine, Magnesium Research, Mycological Research, Journal of Applied Microbiology, Animal Feed Science & Technology, Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, Scientia Agricola, Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, BioEngineered Bugs, Applied Energy, Journal of Molecular Microbiology & Biotechnology, Microbial Cell Factories, Brazilian Journal of Microbiology
Book Reviewer for:
Oxford University Press, Chapman & Hall, Cambridge University Press, Harwood Academic Publishers, Gordon & Broach Science Publishers, J. Wiley & Sons, Society for General Microbiology, Elsevier Science Publishers.
Book Reviewer for:
Oxford University Press, Chapman & Hall, Cambridge University Press, Harwood Academic Publishers, Gordon & Broach Science Publishers, J. Wiley & Sons, Society for General Microbiology, Elsevier Science Publishers.
2000 - 2008
Member of Editorial Board, FEMS Yeast Research
2005 - present
Managing Editor, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of Microbiology
2008 - present
Member of Editorial Board, Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, International Journal of Wine Research
2010 - present
Member of Editorial Board, Journal of the Institute of Brewing
Society memberships/external committees/conference organisation
1974 - present
Institute of Brewing, Member (Scottish Section Committee, 1997-2001)
1983
Irish Yeast Group (Founder)
1984
Society for General Microbiology (Scottish Branch Committee, 1991-94)
1995 - present
American Society of Brewing Chemists, Member
1994 - present
Convenor (1994-2000) and Committee Member (2000-present)
Scottish Microbiology Society
2003 - present
FEMS Council Delegate (for Scottish Microbiology Society)
1983 - present
Conference organisation:
Irish & Scottish Yeast Group meetings
Society for General Microbiology meetings (Scottish Section)
Scottish Microbiology Society symposia
FEMS Council meeting (Edinburgh 2009)
International Symposium on Yeasts (ISSY18 Committee)
Int. Conferences on Yeast Genetics & Mol Biol (Finance & Policy Committee)
Institute of Brewing & Distilling Scottish Section meetings
Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference (Prog Chair 2008: Committee 2011)
British Science Association (Tayside & Fife committee member)
BioDundee Steering Group committee member
International Commission on Yeasts (ISSY & ICY Symposia)
The Alcohol Schools (Toulouse, Omaha and Montreal)
Invited lectures, including keynote/plenary presentations, have been presented at universities, industries and scientific symposia/conferences in Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and USA.
Prof Walker is involved on a consultancy basis with several international companies in the biotechnology and bioenergy fields. He has also acted as a co-supervisor for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate, in partnership with Diageo Plc.
Graeme Walker is regularly invited to speak to various clubs and societies. (e.g. Probus Clubs, Rotary Clubs, University Women's Association, Cafe Science, Edinburgh Science Festival, Bright Clubs, Edinburgh Festival Fringe (stand-up comedy) etc).
d.gilmour@abertay.ac.uk
+44 (0)1382 30 8420
c.gwenin@abertay.ac.uk
+44 (0)1382 30 8594