New Zealand Winegrowers Research Centre (NZWRC) and Lincoln University have announced that Professor Brian Jordan will be joining the NZWRC team, as Acting Head of Science to assist with the NZWRC’s establishment.

While retaining his role at Lincoln University, Professor Jordan will be working part-time with NZWRC management and representatives of other universities and research institutes to shape the NZWRC science programme.

Professor Jordan is Professor of Plant Biotechnology at Lincoln University and has more than 30 years of experience in plant biochemistry and molecular biology. He received his doctorate on plant amino acid metabolism from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne University, in Britain, and carried out post-doctoral research on lipid biosynthesis at Cardiff University. Throughout his research career he has studied light regulation of plant growth and development, particularly the molecular response of plants to ultraviolet radiation.

In 2003, Professor Jordan was appointed to the Board of the Marlborough Wine Research Centre and has been involved in New Zealand viticulture and oenology since then.

Professor Jordan is now focusing entirely on viticulture research, especially effects of canopy manipulation on grape biochemistry and molecular biology.

In February 2011 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Örebro University, Sweden, in recognition of his professional excellence in plant biology and went on to spend five months undertaking research at ISVV, Bordeaux, that year. In addition to his research activities Professor Jordan has been dean of faculty and on the Lincoln University Council between 2015 and 2018.

Professor Jordan said the establishment of the NZ Winegrowers Research Centre is an excellent opportunity to develop a coordinated research strategy that will provide scientific leadership and innovation to futureproof the New Zealand wine industry. He said he was “very pleased to be able to contribute to its establishment.” 

Source:  Lincoln University