Professor Claudia Vickers

Biography

Professor Claudia Vickers is a synthetic biologist and metabolic engineer with extensive expertise in industrial biotechnology, sustainable bioproduction, and synthetic biology policy and strategy. Her research applies engineering principles to biological systems, with a focus on yeast-based biosynthesis of isoprenoids and other valuable compounds, including biofuels, flavours, fragrances, and pharmaceutical precursors. Her work spans strain engineering, metabolic pathway optimization, and synthetic regulatory systems, with a strong emphasis on real-world application and industry translation.

Professor Vickers has held numerous leadership roles in research and science strategy, including as the inaugural Director of CSIRO’s Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform (2016–2022), where she led the development of Australia’s national synthetic biology capability. She has served as Founding Chair of Synthetic Biology Australasia and on the Executive of the Global Biofoundaries Alliance, and co-chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Synthetic Biology. She is currently ab advisor to Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the OECD, and sits on several national and international advisory boards. She has worked in startups and currently runs a consultancy.

Professor Vickers has published widely on microbial metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, is regularly invited to speak at international conferences, and is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of biotechnologists. She holds a PhD and a BSc (Hons I) from the University of Queensland.