Got milk? VU student wins three global awards for dairy research

It’s been a big year for VU PhD student, Davor Daniloski. He’s just returned from Ireland and the USA where he picked up three awards recognising his dairy research. 

The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Teagasc, has awarded him the Walsh Scholars Gold Medal and The Walsh Scholar of The Year in the Food Programme. This follows the Early Career Scientist Prize IDF Professor Pavel Jelen award the month before in the USA by the International Dairy Federation. 

“These awards serve as a tremendous source of pride and motivation. They validate the countless hours spent in research, experimentation, and the pursuit of knowledge. 

“I see these awards as a responsibility - a responsibility to continue pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration, to mentor and inspire other scientists, and to contribute even more meaningfully to the field that I am so passionate about,” Davor said.

They all relate to his ground-breaking research on the potential impact of β-casein phenotype on the structure-function relationship of milk and dairy products. For the first time, because of Davor’s work on the pathways of these proteins and peptides, more is known about the impacts of conventional and A2 dairy commodities on the dairy industry, but also the human health. There is now acclaimed research that also captures the environmental factors that might affect the functionality of these products. 

Davor insists he wouldn’t have gotten this far without the enormous support he’s received.

“I am immensely grateful for the invaluable guidance and support provided by my supervisors, Professor Todor Vasiljevic (Victoria University, Australia) and Dr Noel McCarthy (Teagasc, Ireland). Their expertise, encouragement, and mentorship have been instrumental in shaping my research endeavours, and I owe a significant part of my success to their guidance. 

“My family, especially my parents and sister, to whom I dedicate all my awards, I owe a debt of gratitude for their unwavering support, belief in my abilities, and sacrifices that have been the cornerstone of my journey as a researcher. I am immensely thankful to my friends, particularly those from Teagasc in Ireland, who have been an integral part of my success,” he added.

Davor is now back in Melbourne to finalise his PhD thesis with VU. He is excited about the opportunities to come and confident his work will enhance Australia’s food security by maximising efficiency, minimising waste, and ensuring the highest product quality.