at Agri-Food Discovery Place
Marleny Aranda Saldana, PhD
My research focuses on emerging processing technologies and the use of near-critical and supercritical water and carbon dioxide to treat biomass and agricultural materials for use in nutraceutical, food and industrial applications. We have worked on protein, and starch processing. My research group has vast experience on food/Natural health product/by-product processing using various unit operations. We have processed food and by-products using conventional methods as well as innovative processing techniques. Crops that are currently under study in my research team include potato, flax, wheat, triticale, lentils and peas. Among crops previously studied are barley, canola, fava beans, coffee and cocoa beans, guarana seeds, carrots, tomatoes, Echinacea roots and tea leaves.
Dave Bressler, PhD
Dr. Bressler’s general area of research is the industrial application of chemical, thermal, and biological systems for the catalytic conversion of conventional agricultural products to platform chemicals, fuels, and value-added commodities. The recognition of novel mechanisms and the optimization of catalytic biochemical pathways are of special interest. His research program is unique in that it utilizes a multidisciplinary approach combining industrial microbiology, biotechnology, and analytical chemistry with previous experience in petrochemical conversions and upgrading in conjunction with scale-up and engineering. Much of the biological work involves production, modification, purification, and design of biocatalytic systems.
Patricia Dolez, PhD, PEng
My research is focused on protective clothing/ personal protective equipment (PPE) and industrial applications, as well as knowledge transfer to the next generation and the industry: it is rooted in an interdisciplinary approach that involves collaborations across multiple disciplines and partnerships with the industry and end-users. What motivates me is sharing my passion for innovation and team work.
Michael Gaenzle, Dr. rer. nat. habil.
Current research projects focus on the functional characterization of lactic acid bacteria for use as starter cultures, protective cultures, or probiotics in food with a focus on cereal-associated lactic acid bacteria; production of oligosaccharides from sucrose or lactose by lactic acid bacteria and biological activities of oligosaccharides; novel, non-thermal preservation methods with a focus on high pressure processing and biopreservation; and intestinal microbial ecology with focus on the use of prebiotic carbohydrates and dietary fiber to improve host health.
Roopesh Syamaladevi, PhD
The Food Safety and Sustainability Engineering (FSSE) Research lab run by Dr. M.S. Roopesh at the University of Alberta focuses on improving the safety, quality, and utilization of water, food, and biomaterials. We are working towards developing applications of the following advanced, green technologies to improve food safety and overall sustainability of food systems. Key research includes atmospheric cold plasma and plasma activated water, ultrafine (nano/micro) bubble technologies, ultraviolet light emitted from LED, and 3D printing/additive manufacturing of food/biomaterials.
Ruurd Zijlstra, PhD
My research interest is in ingredient evaluation and feed processing. The vision is to create a decision model that optimizes feed processing following ingredient evaluation. The end goal is to ensure a predictable performance of agricultural species. Within each feed ingredient, a range exists in quality characteristics that must be validated in animal models, but should be measured for a large number of samples using laboratory-based technologies. Subsequently, equipment, for example near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy, can feed quality following proper calibration. The range in quality is usually related to a change in factors such a fiber or other anti-nutritional factors that negatively influence nutrient digestibility or rate of digestion. Feed processing, including grinding, pelleting, expansion, extrusion, etc. can be used to reduce the negative impact of these factors and thereby improve digestibility characteristics.
Jianping Wu, PhD
The central goal of my research program is to improve protein sustainability and human health through 3 distinctive yet interrelated research fields. Bioactive peptides, with the ultimate goal to develop food-derived bioactive peptides for the prevention and mitigation of oxidation, inflammation, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis. Egg science and technology, with the aim to strengthen the profitability of the growing egg industry through advancing the knowledge of egg for health and improvement of egg uses. Protein sustainability, to upcycle/reclaim food proteins from agriculture co-products for new applications.
Ning Xiang, PhD
Cellular agriculture is an innovative field focused on producing animal-derived products, like meat, dairy, and eggs, without traditional animal farming. By using cell culture and tissue engineering techniques, cells are cultivated and grown in controlled environments to replicate the structure and taste of animal products. Cellular agriculture offers significant potential to address environmental, ethical, and food security challenges while providing sustainable alternatives to conventional animal-based foods. The focus of my research lies in advancing cultivated meat technology, beginning with the culture of animal cells in a nutrient-rich medium to replicate the texture and structure of conventional meat.
Cell Line Development: Establish stable cell lines from various animal species, tailored for cultivated meat. Investigate cell metabolism and flux for optimal growth.
Media Optimization: Refine culture media to meet specific cellular nutritional requirements. Develop recycling systems to reduce waste and cost.
Biomaterials for Scaffolds: Explore edible, biocompatible scaffolds to mimic the extracellular matrix and support structured tissue growth, essential for mimicking meat texture.
Bioreactor Design and Bioprocess Engineering: Create novel bioreactors with enhanced cell density, nutrient delivery, and oxygenation to achieve efficient and sustainable large-scale production.
Food Properties and Safety Assessment: Analyze and improve the flavor, texture, and nutritional value of cultivated meat. Develop food safety assessment protocols for this novel food ingredient.
Thava Vasanthan, PhD
My research focuses on value-added processing of grains (cereal and pulse grains) and tubers with an emphasis on fractionation, characterization and utilization of carbohydrates, especially starch and mixed linkage beta-glucans. Studies have included milling and air-classification of cereal grains; evaluation of physicochemical properties of prime and small granule cereal and pulse starches; oats and barley beta-glucan extraction, characterization and food applications; starch digestibility profiling (RS, SDS and RDS) and low glycemic food formulation strategies; pilot scale technical and economic feasibility studies on oat/barley starch, beta-glucan and protein refining. I have been serving as a consultant to grain, starch, fiber and food processing industries and assisted them in chemical analysis, new product development, by-product utilization and preparation of industrial research grant applications
Lingyun Chen, PhD
Dr. Chen's research has been focused on plant protein structures underlying its functional properties. The generated knowledge has been applied to develop plant protein ingredients of improved functionalities, texture and nutritional properties for food applications. The concept of designing functional organization from molecular level, has also led to fabrication of biodegradable materials based biopolymers (hydrogels, microgels, fibers, films, micro- and nano-particles) with multiple functions (self-healing, adhesive, 3D printing) for nutraceutical delivery, biomedical and environmental applications. Dr. Chen has more than 200 publications in leading journals in food and biomaterials areas, and more than 50 invited presentations at international and national conferences.
Guanqun (Gavin) Chen, PhD
Using vegetable oils as a source of dietary lipids, renewable biomaterials and biofuels is increasing worldwide. Increasing seed oil production is necessary to fulfill global demand and benefit Canada. Moreover, seed oils customized for specific markets would result in added value and diversification opportunities for oilseed producers. In addition, some microorganisms such as certain microalgal and yeast species can accumulate high amount of lipids, fatty acids and other valuable bioproducts. However, efforts to improve oil yield and quality in seeds and microorganisms are limited by our inadequate knowledge about oil formation and the lack of effective biotechnology strategies.
I am interested in expanding our knowledge of storage lipid formation and acyl editing; increasing oil yield in plants and microorganisms; producing specialty oils and other high-value bioproducts in plants and microorganisms via synthetic biology; improving agronomic characteristics of oil crops (e.g. stress tolerance, seed yield and quality).
Gurcharn Brar, PhD
Description to be added.
Aman Ullah, PhD
Since their introduction at the beginning of the 20th century, the global production of petroleum-based plastics has continuously been increasing. It is almost impossible to imagine our future without the use of the plastics. Polymers have applications in very different areas such as packaging, automotive, aerospace, construction, electronics, medical, and other industrial fields. In the recent years, the development of the polymer nanocomposites has further improved their properties and broadened their applications. More recently, due to depleting petroleum resources and environmental concerns, the research efforts have been directed towards the utilization of the polymeric material from biodegradable and renewable resources as an environment friendly and sustainable alternative for the plastic production. However, the development of the enabling technologies to transform renewable resources into monomers and biopolymers and improvements in their physical properties are among the most pressing challenges and extremely important to be addressed for these materials to be used in wide range of applications. Exploitation of nanotechnology in the field of biopolymers is an emerging and cutting-edge research with future potential to address challenges to the bio-based polymeric materials.
Our major research interests are on the synthesis of monomers, biopolymers, nano-engineered biopolymers, nano-biocomposites and bioconjugates from renewable lipid resources for various applications. More specifically the research is focused on: (1) the development of renewable monomers from lipids and preparation of biopolymers and biopolymer based nanocomposites for high performance industrial applications, (2) utilization of lipid and protein biopolymers for the preparation of bioconjugates and nano-structured biomaterials for water remediation and biodegradable packaging, (3) modification of lipids and bioconjugates for therapeutic and cosmetic applications.
Doug Korver, PhD
Doug’s research program has a strong applied research focus; relevance to the poultry industry remains an important consideration in his approach to research. In addition to practical research on feedstuff quality and dietary supplement evaluation in poultry diets, Doug’s work focuses on nutrition-immune function interactions and bone biology in meat- and egg-type poultry. In addition, he has conducted field research trials in commercial poultry facilities in Canada, Colombia and Ecuador. In 2016, he spent a 6-month sabbatical in Colombia, working with a major broiler integrator. He is currently part of the National Research Council’s committee to revise and update the 1994 Nutrient Requirements of Poultry.