About

Thimo is an early career researcher and science communicator with high expertise in medical sciences, protein-chemistry and clinical research, biochemical, immunological and analytical laboratory techniques, and thorough experience in leading interdisciplinary and international projects. He holds a PhD (cum laude) in Medical and Molecular Sciences from JCU (primary supervision by Prof. Andreas L. Lopata), and both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biochemistry from Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf (HHU, Germany) with specialised research training in Europe and the Asia-Pacific. His highest research expertise is in exploring food proteins and their role in allergic diseases. He is globally known for his work on fish allergy. In his pioneering PhD thesis and associated publications, he tackled this highly complex food allergy from the molecular to the global level. He has evaluated the allergenicity (ability to trigger an allergic reaction) of more than 100 fish species and other related vertebrates, unravelling the multifaceted causes of fish allergies and identifying better ways to diagnose and manage this potentially deadly immune disease, which afflicts millions globally.

His primary research activities focus on molecular interactions between food and humans with an emphasis on the immune system. Aiming for translational collaborative research excellence, he is always interested in hearing from students keen on HDR projects, academics, companies and other stakeholders. Overall and foremost, Thimo seeks to help overcome challenges in securing humanity's (alternative) food protein needs under careful consideration of food safety, allergic diseases and planetary health.

Thimo is a Research Fellow at the Tropical Futures Institute (TFI, JCU, Singapore) and The Bioinformatics Institute (BII, A*STAR, Singapore). He is Adjunct to JCU’s College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences (CPHMVS), Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), Centre for Molecular Therapeutics (CMT), Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology (CTBMB), and Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture (CSTFA). He is also a member of the Singapore Society for Mass Spectrometry (SMSS), Australia’s National Allergy Centre of Excellence Food Stream Advisory Group (NACE, only overseas member); Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR, first international scholar), a Centre of Research Excellence by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC);the World Allergy Organization (WAO), Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI), Asia Pacific Association of Pediatric Allergy, Respirology and Immunology (APAPARI), European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI), Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA), and inVIVO Planetary Health Network (inVIVO).

Media and Stories - print, online, radio and TV

Interests
Professional
  • Tackling food challenges and exploring novel opportunities while walking the allergy tightrope
  • Science Communication
  • Planetary Health
Research
  • Improving tropical futures through translational research that has impact for people, environments and economies
  • Food allergies - Seafood allergies - Allergy Diagnostics and Management
  • Proteomics - Allergology – Immunology - Molecular medicine
  • Food safety - Sustainable food security
  • Promoting safe and healthy diets
  • Food authenticity and quality
  • Aquatic and human health
Teaching
  • Training the next generation of scientists through translational collaborative research excellence
Experience
  • 2022 to present - Research Fellow, The Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, (Singapore)
  • 2021 to present - Research Fellow, Tropical Futures Institute, JCU (Singapore)
  • 2020 to present - Adjunct Lecturer, College for Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, JCU (Townsville)
  • 2015 to 2020 - Casual Academic and Research Worker, College for Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, JCU (Townsville)
  • 2010 to 2015 - Presenter, Plant for the Planet (Worldwide)
Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Honours
Awards
  • 2022 - Alternative protein research grant, Good Food Institute (~128,000 SGD)
  • 2022 - Singapore Food Story R&D grant on food safety, science and innovation with A*STAR and NTU (1,774,800 SGD)
  • 2022 - Allergy award (best presentation), Annual Conference, ASCIA
  • 2021 - Winner 3MT competition, James Cook University Singapore, staff category
  • 2021 - Best poster award during International Congress of 50th Anniversary of KAAACI
  • 2021 - Seal of Excellence for first-class innovative idea, European Commission
  • 2021 - Special JCU-S infrastructure grants (35,450 SGD)
  • 2021 - Best oral presentation at APAAACI International Conference
  • 2020 - Best PhD thesis, CSTFA
  • 2020 - Research grant, CMT (3,000 SGD)
  • 2020 - Doctoral publication grant, JCU (3,000 SGD)
  • 2019 - National Famelab Finalist - live science communication competition by the British Council
  • 2019 - Congress travel grant, APAPARI (~1,000 SGD)
  • 2019 - Travel grant, Robert Logan Memorial Bursary (2,750 SGD)
  • 2019 - Allergy school travel grant, EAACI (~420 SGD)
  • 2019 - Best oral presentation in the session during the Annual Congress, EAACI
  • 2019 - Congress travel grant, EAACI (~2,200 SGD)
  • 2018 - Winner ‘My Research Rules’ Oral Competition, Research Festival, JCU
  • 2018 - Travel grants, ASI, CFAR (5,000 SGD)
  • 2018 - Congress travel grant, APAAACI (1,030 SGD)
  • 2018 - Publication grant, JCU (3,000 SGD)
  • 2018 - Best postgraduate student poster, Research Festival, JCU
  • 2018 - Queensland’s fastest in tip racking, Interpath Services
  • 2017 - Winner 'My Research in 8 Minutes', Scientific Retreat, CMT
  • 2017 - Best oral presentation in the session during the Annual Congress, EAACI
  • 2017 - Winner ‘So you think you can research’ Competition, Research Festival, JCU
  • 2017 - Travel grant, JCU (3,000 SGD)
  • 2016 - People’s Choice Award Reperio - Innovation Pitching competition
  • 2016 - Runner up ‘My Thesis in 3 Minutes’, Scientific Retreat, CBMDT
  • 2016 - Travel grants, CFAR, JCU (3,025 SGD)
  • 2016 - Poster and oral presentation awards, Student Conference, JCU
  • 2016 - Allergy award (best presentation), Annual Conference, ASCIA
  • 2014 - Travel grant for Life Sciences, Wolters-Vollhardt-Foundation Germany (~4,680 SGD)
  • 2014 - Research grant, Wolters-Vollhardt-Foundation, Germany (~3,200 SGD)
Fellowships
  • 2015 to 2019 - Full-time postgraduate scholarship, CFAR (87,500 SGD)
Memberships
  • World Allergy Organization (WAO)
  • inVIVO Planetary Health Network (inVIVO)
  • Singapore Society for Mass Spectrometry (SMSS)
  • Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI)
  • Asia Pacific Association of Pediatric Allergy, Respirology and Immunology (APAPARI)
  • European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI)
  • American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI)
  • Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI)
  • Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
  • Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA)
  • Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR, first international scholar), a Centre of Research Excellence by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
  • Australia’s National Allergy Centre of Excellence Food Stream Advisory Group (NACE, only overseas member)
Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 21+ research outputs authored by Dr Thimo Ruethers from 2016 onwards.

Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current
  • Allergen profiles in Asian and American prawns for the development of improved diagnosis and immunotherapy (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • Understanding Protein differences to make Healthier and Safer Seafood (Masters , Secondary Advisor)
  • Seafood allergy and food innovations - Molecular and Immunological approaches (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.

  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

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