Alejandra Acevedo-Fani is a Senior Research Officer working at the Riddet Institute. Dr Acevedo-Fani oversees several projects investigating modifications of the food structure in the digestive tract, particularly bioactive compounds-enriched foods, food emulsions, and plant protein-based foods. She also works with the innovation team to develop intellectual property in healthier and more sustainable foods.
Professor Osvaldo Campanella is the Carl E. Haas Endowed Chair in Food Industries at Ohio State University. His research focus is in food engineering, heat transfer modeling, food extrusion and rheology, and is involved in research related to new methods to characterise the formation of complex compounds using novel accoustic/ultrasound techniques.
Professor Lingyun Chen is in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Science at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on the fundamental understanding of the molecular structure and functional properties of biopolymers with specific interest in food proteins and polysaccharides from plant resources. This fundamental knowledge has led to a systematic approach to develop new protein and polysaccharide applications in food and non-food areas.
Professor Bo Jiang is a professor at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China. His research focuses on biochemistry, food science, enzymes, starch and chromatography. He has over 240 publications.
Professor Stefan Kasapis has over 30 years of experience working with the food industry to develop and improve novel and healthy formations. He is currently at RMIT, and his research focuses on the structural, nutritional, and bioactive functionality of materials. His research has resulted in ten patents for novel food products.
Professor Aiqian Ye is based at the Riddet Institute, and has over 90 published papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds seven patents. His research delves into the physical and chemical properties of food, particularly milk proteins and fats, exploring their role in food systems and their behaviour during digestion, with a focus on understanding structure-function relationships and their impact on nutrition and absorption in the body.
Prof. Shaoping Nie is distinguished professor of Nanchang University, and also Vice President of Nanchang University. Prof. Nie is the Associate Editor for Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Associate Editor of Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre, Founding Editor in Chief of Food Frontiers, also the editorial board member for Carbohydrate Polymers, Scientific Report, Food Science and Human Wellness, Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. Prof. Nie’s research interests are focused on food chemistry and nutrition, food safety and analysis, especially on the structure, conformation and bioactivities of dietary fibre and bioactive polysaccharides and the relationship of their structure and bioactivities. He also focuses on developing bioactive ingredients for the functional foods and nutraceutical products; developing novel dietary fibre and polysaccharides from natural agricultural products and explores their applications in foods, medicinal and pharmaceutical industries.
Dr Wade Abbott is a Senior Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. His research focus includes the discovery of carbohydrate active enzymes and metabolic pathways, agricultural glycomics, and carbohydrate-based innovations for the sustainable production of food. He has co-developed research projects with First Nations in Alberta (Piikani Nation) and BC (Tla-o-qui-aht Nation), weaving cutting-edge Western science approaches with traditional ways of knowing. His research team has been recognised for their contributions to Agricultural Glycomics with the AAFC Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Science. His programme has a focus on enabling-tools, which have led to the filing of five patents and one licensing agreement by a Canadian start-up.
Talk title: Combining glycomic methods and advanced molecular tools to study interactions between seaweed structural polysaccharides and ruminant gut microbes.
Dr. Yongfeng Ai is an Associate Professor and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Endowed Research Chair in Carbohydrate Quality and Utilization in the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. The primary goal of his Carbohydrate Chemistry and Utilization Program is to promote value-added utilization of carbohydrates in foods, feeds, and bioproducts. His research areas include: (1) Carbohydrate chemistry and nutrition; (2) Value-added processing of cereals and pulses; and (3) Biomaterials.
Professor Skelte Anema is a Principal Research Scientist at Fonterra Research and Development Centre (FRDC), an Adjunct Professor at Massey University and an Associate Investigator with the Riddet Institute. His research has primarily focussed on milk protein interactions and their impact on the physical and functional properties of milk products. He has over 165 publications in peer reviewed journals.
Working title: The magic of milk proteins
Dr. Sushil Dhital is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Monash University in Australia. Dr. Dhital serves as an Editor for the journal Carbohydrate Polymers and sits on the Editorial Boards of Food Hydrocolloids, Food Chemistry, and Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre. Additionally, he chairs The Australasian Grain Science Association (AGSA). His research focuses on understanding the relationships between the structure, properties, functions, and health impacts of food and food ingredients.
Brad Forrest has been with IFF for 19 years, and working in the food ingredients industry for 34 years with a focus on hydrocolloids and emulsifiers. His career also includes time in R&D in the edible oils industry, and in QA in the sugar refining industry. Presently Brad serves as a Global Technical Manager within IFF’s Innovation organization. He is based in Sydney, Australia.
Professor Qingbin Guo is in the Department of Food Science and Engineering at Tianjin University of Science and Technology. His research focus is understanding the roles of complex polysaccharides/oligosaccharides as hydrocolloids, bioactive carbohydrates and dietary fibres to establish their structural and functional relationships and facilitate their applications in food and non-food fields.
Dr Qi Wang is a Senior Research Scientist at the Guelph Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Her research focuses on developing feasible delivery technologies for bioactive substances in Agri-Food production systems, mainly as antibiotic alternatives. Her research has resulted in over a hundred publications and several invention disclosures and patents. She is the lead recipient of the 2021 Prize for Outstanding Award in Science at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Title: Microencapsulation in Agriculture and Food Production – Practical Applications
Dr. Fang Zhong is currently a Professor in the Science Center for Future Food at Jiangnan University, and the group leader of its Food Colloids and Sensory Lab. Her main research focus are characterization and modification of food macromolecule, and the design of food macro and micro structure with food hydrocolloids for specific nutritional or sensational purpose. She has published 220 international peer reviewed articles and has been authorized 36 patents within the above mentioned research fields. She currently served as co-Editor-in-Chief of Food Hydrocolloids for Health, associate editor of Food Hydrocolloids and editorial board member of LWT-Food Science and Technology.