Anton Blencowe, PhD

Anton is a research and teaching academic, and the Applied Chemistry and Translational Biomaterials (ACTB) Group leader at the Clinical and Health Sciences (CHS) Unit at the University of South Australia (UniSA). His research group works at the interface between chemistry, biomaterials and pharmaceutical sciences to develop innovative solutions to current and emerging biomedical and environmental challenges. Anton also teaches into first year chemistry, and second year analytical and organic chemistry courses.    
The ACTB Group has a strong focus on the translation of fundamental principles to applied outputs and end-user informed solutions. Currently the group is collaborating with various biotech (Carina Biotech; Vetter Pharm.; D&R Pharm.; CRC CTM) and conservation (FAME; Ecological Horizons) groups to develop innovative technologies to deliver more efficient, efficacious and sustainable processes.  
After completing a PhD in Organic and polymer chemistry from the University of Reading (UK) under the supervision of Prof. Wayne Hayes in 2006, Anton joined the Polymer Science Group at the University of Melbourne as a Postdoctoral Fellow, where he worked on several CRCs (CRC for Polymers; Cotton Catchment Communities CRC) and ARC Linkage (DuPont; PolyActiva) funded projects. In 2009, he was awarded an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 2013, Anton moved to UniSA as a Senior Research Fellow to contribute and manage several CRC projects (Vision CRC; Wound Management Innovation CRC; CRC for Cell Therapy Manufacturing (CTM)), before joining Pharmacy School (now CHS) in 2015 to establish the ACTB Group.