Professor Stephen Blanksby
Academic Division,
Research Portfolio,
Office of the PVC, Research Infrastructure
Biography
Prof. Stephen Blanksby holds a PhD in chemistry (1999, U. Adelaide) and has postdoctoral research experience in Europe and the USA. He held a teaching and research position at the U. Wollongong (2002-2013) before becoming Professor of Chemistry at Queensland University of Technology (2014-present) where he has served as Director of the Central Analytical Research Facility and Pro Vice-Chancellor Research Infrastructure. Stephen’s research is focussed on advances in mass spectrometry to empower molecular discovery in chemistry and biology with a particular focus on overcoming the challenges in structural lipidomics. He has published 200 peer-reviewed articles, serves as an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and is currently secretary of the International Mass Spectrometry Foundation.Personal details
Positions
- Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure)
Academic Division,
Research Portfolio,
Office of the PVC, Research Infrastructure - Professor
Faculty of Science,
School of Chemistry & Physics
Research field
Analytical chemistry, Physical chemistry, Other chemical sciences
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2020
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (University of Adelaide)
Professional memberships and associations
- Chief investigator in (and leader of the Wollongong node of) the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Research Chemistry and Biotechnology (2010-2013)
- Chief investigator in the Centre for Medical Bioscience: a research strength of the University of Wollongong (2002-2013)
- Co-director (with Prof Jennifer Beck) of Mass Spectrometry User Resource and Research Facility (since 2002-2013)
- Secretary of the International Mass Spectrometry Foundation (since 2015)
- Member of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Mass Spectrometry (since 1995)
- President 2008-2012
- Vice-President 2007-2008
- Treasurer 2003-2006
- Member of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2002-2017)
- Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2017-present)
- Member of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (since 2004)
- Member of the American Chemical Society (since 2015)
Researcher Links
Experience
FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS
2019 | ARC Discovery “The pluses and minuses of lipid mass spectrometry: implementing on-demand charge inversion in lipidomics”, $AUD 655K.
2019 | ARC Linkage “Developing next-generation mass spectrometry imaging with isomer resolution”, $AUD 294K.
2017 | ARC Discovery “Formation, photochemistry and fate of gas-phase peroxyl radicals”, $AUD 360K.
2015 | ARC Discovery “Developing next generation technologies for unmasking the lipidome”, $AUD 435K.
2014 | ARC Linkage with Allergan “Examination of unique tear lipids and their role in the tear film’s structure and function”, $AUD 450K.
2014 | ARC Discovery “The photons take charge: Elucidating the structure and stability of distonic radical anions by mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy”, $AUD 360K.
2012 | ARC Discovery “New laser and mass spectrometry-based tools for comprehensive structural elucidation of lipids and their biomolecular interactions”, $AUD 380K.
2011 | ARC Linkage with AB Sciex “Ozone induced dissociation for lipidomic workflows”, $AUD 267K.
2011 | ARC Linkage with Bluescope Steel “Microbial infestation of pre-painted steel building materials: chemical & microbial characterization, model development and control strategies”, $AUD 300K.
2010 | ARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology, $AUD 630K (funding to UoW from $AUD 10M to CoE during this period)
2009 | ARC Discovery “New insights into free radical reactivity via gas phase studies of radical anions”, $AUD 320K.
2009 | ARC Discovery “New methods to complete the lipidomics puzzle: revealing the structural diversity of lipids by mass spectrometry”, $AUD 205K.
2009 | ARC Linkage with the Institute for Eye Research “Identifying tear lipids, their deposition onto contact lenses and their role in the development of dry eye”, $AUD 303K.
2007 | ARC Linkage with Bluescope Steel “Why is Colorbond® steel greener on the other side of the fence? Designing additives to retard weathering of surface coatings”, $AUD 147K.
2004 | ARC Discovery “Gas phase studies of reactive organic radicals: a novel approach using mass spectrometry”, $AUD 330K.
2004 | Linkage with Astra Zeneca “Lipidomics Associated with Metabolic Syndrome, Aging and Metabolic Variation between Species”, $AUD 212K.
Publications
- McKinnon, B., Marlton, S., Ucur, B., Bieske, E., Poad, B., Blanksby, S. & Trevitt, A. (2021). Actinic Wavelength Action Spectroscopy of the IO- Reaction Intermediate. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 12(49), 11939–11944. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227244
- Young, R., Bowman, A., Williams, E., Tousignant, K., Bidgood, C., Narreddula, V., Gupta, R., Marshall, D., Poad, B., Nelson, C., Ellis, S., Heeren, R., Sadowski, M. & Blanksby, S. (2021). Apocryphal FADS2 activity promotes fatty acid diversification in cancer. Cell Reports, 34(6), Article 108738. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208094
- Berthias, F., Poad, B., Thurman, H., Bowman, A., Blanksby, S. & Shvartsburg, A. (2021). Disentangling Lipid Isomers by High-Resolution Differential Ion Mobility Spectrometry/Ozone-Induced Dissociation of Metalated Species. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 32(12), 2827–2836. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227246
- Young, R., Claes, B., Bowman, A., Williams, E., Shepherd, B., Perren, A., Poad, B., Ellis, S., Heeren, R., Sadowski, M. & Blanksby, S. (2021). Isomer-Resolved Imaging of Prostate Cancer Tissues Reveals Specific Lipid Unsaturation Profiles Associated With Lymphocytes and Abnormal Prostate Epithelia. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12, Article 689600. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227197
- Marshall, D., Menzel, J., McKinnon, B., Blinco, J., Trevitt, A., Barner-Kowollik, C. & Blanksby, S. (2021). Laser Photodissociation Action Spectroscopy for the Wavelength-Dependent Evaluation of Photoligation Reactions. Analytical Chemistry, 93(22), 8091–8098. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/212432
- Randolph, C., De'Shovon, M., Blanksby, S. & McLuckey, S. (2021). Localization of carbon - Carbon double bond and cyclopropane sites in cardiolipins via gas-phase charge inversion reactions. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 32(2), 455–464. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/207827
- Claes, B., Bowman, A., Poad, B., Young, R., Heeren, R., Blanksby, S. & Ellis, S. (2021). Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Lipids with Isomer Resolution Using High-Pressure Ozone-Induced Dissociation. Analytical Chemistry, 93(28), 9826–9834. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227247
- Narreddula, V., McKinnon, B., Marlton, S., Marshall, D., Boase, N., Poad, B., Trevitt, A., Mitchell, T. & Blanksby, S. (2021). Next-generation derivatization reagents optimized for enhanced product ion formation in photodissociation-mass spectrometry of fatty acids. Analyst, 146(1), 156–169. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/207737
- Shiels, O., Kelly, P., Bright, C., Poad, B., Blanksby, S., Da Silva, G. & Trevitt, A. (2021). Reactivity Trends in the Gas-Phase Addition of Acetylene to the N-Protonated Aryl Radical Cations of Pyridine, Aniline, and Benzonitrile. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 32(2), 537–547. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/209973
- Luginbühl, M., Young, R., Stoeth, F., Weinmann, W., Blanksby, S. & Gaugler, S. (2021). Variation in the Relative Isomer Abundance of Synthetic and Biologically Derived Phosphatidylethanols and Its Consequences for Reliable Quantification. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 45(1), 76–83. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/210448
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Stephen, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Filter publications:
A complete list of publications is available at: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/stephen.blanksby
Awards
- Type
- Award or Prize
- Reference year
- 2018
- Details
- Graeme Batley Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Analytical and Environmental Division award for 'excellence in Analytical Chemistry'.
- Type
- Membership or Fellow of a Learned Academy or Society
- Reference year
- 2018
- Details
- Appointed as a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Mass Spectrometry in recognition of an ANZSMS member who 'is in a position of eminence within the profession'. Appointment to this level is based on (i) service and support to ANZSMS, (ii) qualifications and scientific achievements to the field of mass spectrometry, (iii) professional experience and status.
- Type
- Membership or Fellow of a Learned Academy or Society
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Appointed as a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute as one of the 100 Fellows for 100 years nominations.
- Type
- Award or Prize
- Reference year
- 2015
- Details
- Morrison Medal, Australian and New Zealand Society for Mass Spectrometry "in recognition of significant achievements in an area of mass spectrometry"
- Type
- Award or Prize
- Reference year
- 2013
- Details
- John Wiley Publishers: Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. RCM Beynon Prize for the paper "Rapid differentiation of isomeric lipids by photodissociation mass spectrometry of fatty acid derivatives" Pham et al. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 2013, 27, 805-815 that, "in the opinion of the Awards Sub-committee, describes an innovative advance in mass spectrometric instrumentation or methodology that has had the greatest immediate impact in its particular sub-discipline over the previous two calendar years"
- Type
- Editorial Role
- Reference year
- 2013
- Details
- Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry| Member of editorial advisory board for the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (Springer) 2013-present
- Type
- Editorial Role
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry| Member of editorial advisory board for Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry (John Wiley) from 2008-present
Selected research projects
- Title
- Developing Next-Generation Mass Spectrometry Imaging with Isomer Resolution
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP180100238
- Start year
- 2019
- Keywords
- Title
- Pluses and Minuses of Lipid Mass Spectrometry
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP190101486
- Start year
- 2019
- Keywords
- Title
- Formation, photochemistry and fate of gas-phase peroxyl radicals
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP170101596
- Start year
- 2017
- Keywords
- Title
- Investigations to Mitigate the Effects of Juice Degradation in Factory Evaporators on Sugar Recovery and Quality, Corrosion and Effluent Organic Loading (4300)
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 2017/007
- Start year
- 2017
- Keywords
- Title
- Developing next generation technologies for unmasking the lipidome
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP150101715
- Start year
- 2015
- Keywords
- Lipids; Mass Spectrometry; Ion Mobility
- Title
- Examination of Unique Tear Lipids and Their Role in the Tear Film's Structure and Function
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP140100711
- Start year
- 2015
- Keywords
- Mass Spectrometry of Lipids; Chemical Synthesis of Lipids; Tear Film Lipid Layer
- Title
- The photons take charge: Elucidating the structure and stability of distonic radical anions by mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP140101237
- Start year
- 2014
- Keywords
Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.
Supervision
Current supervisions
- [2+2] Photocycloadditions in Peptide-Based Architectures: From Solution to Gas Phase
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Hendrik Frisch - Advancing mass spectrometry for the identification and quantification of branched chain lipids
MPhil, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Sonia Troeira Henriques - An Investigation into Marine Aerosols Using Advanced Mass Spectrometry Techniques
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Branka Miljevic - Chemical derivatization strategies for the structure elucidation of branched fatty acids
PhD, Principal Supervisor - Development of Enzymatically Degradable Polymeric Systems
PhD, Mentoring Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Hendrik Frisch - Lipid discovery in the microbial lipidome
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr James Behrendorff - The handy thing about lipids: developing mass spectrometry methods to resolve lipid stereochemistry
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Kathleen Mullen
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Advanced Mass Spectrometric Lipidomics: Unveiling Isomeric Diversity and Biosynthetic Pathways in Food and Plant Systems (2026)
- Mapping lipid diversity in biological systems through advanced mass spectrometry technologies (2026)
- Functional Polymer Backbones via Non-Traditional Chemistry: Redefining Step-Growth Polymers (2025)
- Photoreactive Cyclobutanes as a Tool to Control and Probe Macromolecular Structures (2025)
- Probing the Structure of Complex Functional Polymers Using Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations (2025)
- Drought survival strategies of Nicotiana benthamiana (2023)
- Mapping Changes to Lipid Metabolism Within Cancer Using Next-Generation Mass Spectrometry Technologies (2021)
- Single Chain Nanoparticles and Their In-depth Characterization via Mass Spectrometry Coupled to Size Exclusion Chromatography (2021)
- Development of Novel Derivatization Reagents for Analysis of Isomeric Fatty Acids by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (2020)
- Characterisation of Ozonolysis Reactions Relevant to Atmospheric Chemistry Using Mass Spectrometry (2017)
Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)
- Advancing Technologies for Unravelling Skin Lipidomes (2025)
- Branching Out into Lipids: Advancing the Characterisation of Branched-Chain Fatty Acids (2025)
- Mass spectrometry imaging of lipid isomers: Isomer resolved mapping of unsaturated fatty acids in mouse brain (2024)
- Compositional Analysis of New Microbial Feed Supplements Produced from Meat Processing Co-products (2020)
Supervision topics
The supervisions listed above are only a selection.