Commercial services
We appreciate the value of working together, and offer our expertise and equipment to help our research, government and industry partners achieve their goals.
Our varied laboratories at St Lucia and Gatton house equipment that's often not available in industry, and our staff are experts in analysis.
Our academics and technical colleagues can also provide consultation and opinion on a diverse range of areas within the animal, food and fibre industries.
Analytical Services Unit
The Analytical Services Unit offers analytical chemistry services for UQ colleagues and external clients at both the Gatton and St Lucia Campus.
There are options for standard/routine analyses or conduct method development on non-standard analysis.
Sample matrices often received include: soils, plants, water, animal/biological tissues and fluids and food materials. Other sample types are not usually restricted, please specify on enquiry.
Sample submissions
In person: please ensure submission form is filled and signed on arrival:
Contactless sample submissions St Lucia Campus: Hartley Teakle Building (#83)_Northwing_Level 1_N105
Contactless sample submissions Gatton Campus: TBA after enquiry submission
By courier: address on application/enquiry.
Contact us
For more information, contact our Analytical Services Unit: safs_asu@uq.edu.au
- ASU Scientific Manager: Ms Zofia Ostatek-Boczynski
- ASU St Lucia staff: Mr David Appleton and Mr Stephen Appleton
- ASU Gatton staff: Dr Hung Hong
Food Sensory Laboratory
The Food Sensory Laboratory is a teaching, research, training and development unit.
We design and implement analytical sensory tests, including difference tests, threshold tests and descriptive sensory analysis.
We can also characterise the rheological and textural properties of test products.
The facility is well-suited for controlled sensory evaluation of food and beverages by trained and semi-trained panels.
It houses a panel-tasting area with five individual tasting booths equipped with computer for data collection using Compusense® five software.
The tasting area features lighting of variable intensity and colour, and controlled air temperature and flow.
A kitchen and conference room adjoin the tasting area for sample preparation and panel training.
Contact us
If you have an enquiry about the Food Sensory Laboratory, contact Dr Sangeeta Prakash.
Centre for Spray Technology Application Research and Training
The Centre for Spray Technology Application Research and Training (C-START) is an internationally-recognised scientific research, training and consultancy group.
We're based at Gatton, and enjoy a long history of assisting governments and industry.
We achieve best practice in balancing crop protection and production with protection of the environment.
Our research areas include:
- particle size and velocity measurement
- flow field assessments
- spray drift studies
- spray drift modelling
- droplet spectrum analysis
- field and laboratory studies
- pesticide exposure studies
- liquid physical properties and evaporation.
Our wide range of world-class specialist facilities includes:
- Wind Tunnel Research Facility
- Dantec Phase Doppler Analyser (PDA)
- Oxford Lasers Imaging System
- laser diffraction particle sizers (Sympatec, Malvern)
- field equipment.
Contact us
For more information, contact Dr Andrew Hewitt.
SAFS Glasshouse Services
The SAFS Glasshouse Unit is available for:
- container-grown plant teaching and research
- horticulture teaching and research
- plant nursery skills training
- potted-plant research and development
- community engagement activities.
Located in a secure compound at Gatton, the unit comprises a range of areas to enable potted-plant growth, including:
- propagation facilities
- open nursery beds
- tunnel houses
- greenhouses
- research quality, controlled environment glasshouse
- lysimetry research facility
- nursery support (teaching, office and storage areas).
School experts and colleagues from the Centre for Native Floriculture’s Australian Plant Breeding Program used the unit to breed a range of drought-hardy, ornamental Australian native plants and to create UQ start-up company Aussie Colours.
Contact us
For more information, contact Bec Archer
Email: safs_glasshouse@uq.edu.au
Mobile: 0448 292 998
Consultation and opinion
Our academics and technical experts can provide professional advice and comment on a diverse range of areas within the animal, food and fibre industries.
We welcome consultation and collaboration with industry partners and government on research and development ventures, and our expertise across a broad range of disciplines ensures high-quality outcomes.
We provide professional advice on:
- literature reviews
- management plans
- scoping studies
- business strategy and policy development
- development of fact sheets, guides, manuals and tools
- survey design
- viability of new technologies.
We provide expert, independent and impartial opinion in a range of situations, including:
- reviewing of facts
- analysis
- written reports
- litigation and court cases.
Contact us
For more information, contact the relevant School expert if you're familiar with our people, or email us to discuss your needs.