Rate My Professor Xin Du

Xin Du, also known as Bob Du, is a Senior Lecturer at Murdoch University, affiliated with the School of Agricultural Sciences, Harry Butler Institute, and Centre for Crop and Food Innovation. He oversees the Post-harvest Biosecurity and Food Safety Laboratory, where his research centers on applied chemistry and agricultural sciences. Du investigates mechanisms of chemical and non-chemical insecticide and fumigant resistance in insects, biochemical factors contributing to resistance, and strategies for managing resistant post-harvest pest species. His work encompasses phytosanitary treatments, including fumigation efficacy of ethyl formate combined with nitrogen, toxicity assessments on pests like Tribolium castaneum, and metabolite profiling using advanced techniques such as HS-SPME GC-MS and direct immersion solid-phase microextraction. Du collaborates with national and international partners and supervises PhD students in areas like pre- and post-harvest pest management, grain protection, and food safety.

Du's contributions are documented in high-impact publications, including 'Metabolic responses of endophytic Nicotiana benthamiana plants experiencing water stress' (Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2017), 'Application of Direct Immersion Solid-Phase Microextraction (DI-SPME) for Understanding Biological Changes of Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata)' (Molecules, 2018), 'New Method of Analysis of Lipids in Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) Insects' (Insects, 2019), 'Plant growth regulators improve the production of volatile organic compounds in two rose varieties' (Plants, 2019), 'Fatty acid profiling of Western Australian pasteurised milk using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry' (Food Research International, 2024), and 'A Novel Approach for Fungal Control with Ethyl Formate in Barley' (Agriculture, 2025). His research advances biosecurity practices for grain, oilseeds, fruits, and dairy products, influencing pest control and quality preservation. In recognition of his excellence, Du received the Australian Research Council Early Career Industry Fellowship in 2024 and the Murdoch Aspire Award in 2022.