Michelle has deep experience leading mission‑driven science portfolios at scale, most recently as Deputy Director (Impact) at CSIRO Agriculture and Food based in Queensland, and Vice-Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow in Food and Agricultural Proteomics at Edith Cowan University (Western Australia).  

Michelle is internationally recognised for her work applying proteomics and mass spectrometry to agriculture and food. She has led CSIRO’s Future Protein Mission and contributed to innovations including ultra‑low gluten barley and omega‑3 canola and emerging plant-based and alternative protein products, helping industry respond to global demand for sustainable, nutritious protein.

Michelle is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and brings extensiveexperience in research commercialisation, mission‑oriented innovation, and impact delivery across government, industry and university partners.  She holds a Bachelor of Advanced Science (Hons I) and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Wollongong.

The Bioeconomy Science Institute is in the process of adopting its Missions-led Framework (A missions-led science framework), aligning present and future research with six Missions:

• Biobased exports
• Climate resilient landscapes and bioeconomy
• Biosecurity and bioprotection
• Transformational technologies
• Thriving ecosystems and biodiscovery
• Biobased industries

Michelle will lead the development and deployment of these Missions, establishing the new processes required to transform the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s research framework to deliver significant impact for Aotearoa New Zealand and the world.

She will join the Institute later in 2026 and be based at the Lincoln site.