Dr Ali Jahanian
Faculty of Engineering,
Office of the Deputy Dean
Biography
Dr Ali Jahanian is a Chemical Engineer holding a PhD in Bioprocess Engineering and a Master of Chemical Engineering (Biotechnology). His doctoral research, supported by the Australian Research Council and conducted in collaboration with the University of Melbourne and Sun Pharma as an industry partner, provided him with extensive expertise in developing a novel biocatalytic process for synthesizing morphinan alkaloids.
Ali’s current research focuses on industrial biotechnology, precision fermentation, mechanistic and data-driven modelling, system optimisation and control, scale-up, and techno-economic assessment. His recent work applies engineered microbial platforms to develop sustainable processes for producing high-value molecules from renewable feedstocks. As an active member of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology and the Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy at QUT, he engages in collaborative efforts with industry partners, contributing to high-impact research and consulting projects in the following areas:
- Biomanufacturing and industrial biotechnology
- Bioprocess design & modelling and digital implementation
- Bioreactor design & Precision fermentation
- Downstream processing
- Translational Scale up and commercialisation through QUT's Mackay Pioneer BioPilot Plant
- Techno-economic assessment
- Sustainable bioeconomy
- Protein expression and biotransformation
Personal details
Positions
- Research Fellow
Faculty of Engineering,
Office of the Deputy Dean
Research field
Industrial biotechnology, Chemical engineering, Manufacturing engineering
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2020
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy (Queensland University of Technology)
- M.Sc in Engineering - Biotechnology
Teaching
Industrial Fermentation (Unit Coordinator)
Bioproduct separation and purification
Applications in Biotechnology
Experience
Dr Ali Jahanian has extensive experience across industry and academia in industrial biotechnology, precision fermentation and translational bioprocess development. He currently collaborates with industry partners on biomanufacturing, circular bioeconomy and scale-up projects, including engineered microbial platforms, pilot-scale development of specialty bioproducts, digital-twin-enabled aerobic fermentation, bioreactor optimisation and automation, and hydrodynamics and mass transfer in biological systems. His work is strongly focused on real-world engagement, translating research outcomes into practical industry applications. Dr Jahanian has secured and contributed to major translational funding, including Australian Economic Accelerator (AEA) and Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) grants, and is an active member of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology. His achievements have been recognised through the QUT Early Career Achievement Award (2025), CSIRO ON Prime recognition (2024), and QUT’s “Eau de Innovation” Award (2025).
Publications
Filter publications:
A complete list of publications is available at: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/ali.jahanian
Supervision
Looking for a postgraduate research supervisor?
I am currently accepting research students for Honours, Masters and PhD study.
You can browse existing student topics offered by QUT or propose your own topic.
Current supervisions
- Optimization of bioresources, technologies and markets for bioplastics
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Ian O'Hara, Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam, Dr Jerome Ramirez - Optimised Approaches in the Scale Up of Precision Fermentation to Commercial Scale through Digital Twins
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Jerome Ramirez, Professor Ian O'Hara
The supervisions listed above are only a selection.