2013-current: UNSW Scientia Professor (to 2018) 2008-2012: ARC Federation Fellow 2005-2012: ARC Professorial Fellow, School of BABS 2000-2004: ARC Research Fellow, School of BABS 1997-1999: ARC Postdoctoral Fellow, UNSW School of Microbiology and Immunology 1996: Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship, Humboldt University, Berlin 1995: NASA Planetary Biology Fellowship, Stanford University

The Neilan research group at UNSW is considered to be one of the world's leaders in the genetics of toxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). As its founding member, Brett has undertaken the research that has led to the discovery of all four biochemical pathways responsible for the production of potent bacterial and algal toxins that contaminate our water supplies and accumulate in seafood. The results of this basic research and other studies of the evolution of cyanobacteria have revolutionised an entire field of environmental biology.

Brett's current research encompasses two main areas: 1) the origins, evolution, diversity and unique physiologies of microbial life on Earth, especially in extreme ecosystems such as stromatolites, volcanoes, Antarctica, as well as in symbioses; and 2) non-ribosomal peptide, polyketide, and alkaloid biosynthesis in aquatic bacteria and algae as the basis for the production of toxins, traditional medicines and potential pharmaceuticals. Work on these projects involves the disciplines of microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry.

Brett has been recognised as an international expert and one of the top molecular biologists in the field. Achievement has been measured by numerous invited reviews, seminars and visiting appointments, including an Adjunct Professorship at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Nationally, the research has been awarded Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (2001, 2005, 2009), the Australian Academy of Science Fenner Medal in Biological Research (2004), the Walter Burfitt Prize (Royal Society of NSW, 2006), and a Federation Fellowship (Australian Research Council, 2008). Research has been continually funded by the ARC for many years and has involved the research training of in excess of 30 PhD students, and collaboration with colleagues in Germany, USA, Italy, Japan and Norway. More than 160 peer-reviewed publications have resulted from this research.