Committee Members

Work in an institution of higher education with prestige and a high level of interest in integrating the research area into its academical processes in an environment of continuous creation and sustainable innovation for the improvement of communities. Education: Post-Doctorate in New Technologies and Law. Mediterranea University. Italia. PhD in Business and Economic Studies. University of Guadalajara. México.  Master of Business Administration. University of the Americas (SACS). Mexico. Degree in International Relations. National Autonomous University of México. Fellow of Excellence by Babson College, USA. Fellow of Excellence by the Bank of Mexico, Mexico. · Visiting Professor Master. Universite du Quebec of Montreal, Canada · Visiting Professor PhD. Nettie Lee Benson. University of Texas,USA. · Master Visiting Professor University Viadrina Frankfurt Oder, Germany · Undergraduate and Master Visiting Professor. University Autonomous of Chile, Chile. ·  Current position: Associate Professor. Department of Management and Economics, Catholic University of Temuco, Chile.

Aniela Pinto Kempka: Bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. Associate Professor level VI at the State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC), Western Education Center – CEO), Department of Food Engineering and Chemical Engineering – Pinhalzinho- SC, Brazil. Permanent faculty member of the Postgraduate Programs in Food Science and Technology – PPGCTA – UDESC and Multicentric in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – PMBqBM, proposed and coordinated by the Brazilian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SBBq). Fellow of Research Productivity (PQ) from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Experience in the area of bioprocesses (with emphasis on fermentative and enzymatic processes), more specifically: enzymatic and fermentative production of bioactive peptides and determination of specific bioactivities through in silico and in vitro studies; enzymatic extraction of compounds with bioactive properties from plant fractions and determination of specific bioactivities through in silico and in vitro studies; use of by-products and residues as fermentation media and inducers for the production of enzymes and bioactive substances. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7864-7416. Web of Science ResearcherID: ITU-8282-2023.

Xie Dongdong, a scholar and educator at Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China, earned his Doctorate from the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, in 2016, following his Master’s degree in 2013 and Bachelor’s degree in 2011. His research focuses on nutrient metabolism regulation in yeast cells under stress and the interplay between oxidative stress and yeast cell metabolism during fermentation. He also investigates cell aging using yeast as a model organism and explores the effects of active substances on enhancing yeast cell physiological status. Xie Dongdong’s scholarly contributions are well-recognized, with numerous articles published in esteemed journals. Noteworthy works include studies on calcium signals’ impact on yeast ethanol metabolism and mitochondrial function during high sugar fermentation and the role of calcium signaling in yeast antioxidant mechanisms. His dedication to advancing scientific understanding in yeast biology and fermentation processes is evident in his prolific research output. Xie Dongdong’s work significantly contributes to the field of food science and technology, enhancing knowledge and innovation in this vital area of study.

Dr Lidia Daimiel holds a PhD in Cellular Biology and Genetics. She is the leader of the Nutritional
Control of the Epigenome Group at IMDEA Food (Spain), She is also member of the International
Society of Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics, the AtheroNET European COST Action, and the American
Society of Nutrition. Her research line focuses on the identification of epigenetic mechanisms
modulated by diet and the nutritional-guided modulation of those mechanism to prevent
cardiometabolic diseases. She has published more than 140 scientific publications (h index 26) that
accumulate more than 2,000 citations, in prestigious journals like EMBO Molecular Medicine,
AJCN, MNFR or JAMA

I am the Professor of Livestock Production & Agricultural Systems at Lincoln University, as well as the director of the Lincoln University Pastoral Livestock Production Lab’ and Head of the Lincoln University Centre of Excellence for Designing Future Productive Landscapes. Internationally, I chair the International Scientific Committee for the Nutrition of Herbivores, and serve in the International Scientific Committee for farm systems design. Recently, I joined the International Scientific Board of ALEPH (Interdisciplinary consortium of scientist working on ‘the role of Animal Foods in Healthy, Sustainable and Ethical Diets), and I have been induced by invitation to NITRO-Oceania, Network of Interdisciplinary Research Organizations-Oceania.

Dr. Ritu Shandilya, an Associate Professor of Computer and Data Science at Mount Mercy University since 2023, is a versatile academic and researcher. Alongside her teaching duties, she serves as a technical advisor at eLegalls, LLC in Ames, Iowa, specializing in machine learning. Dr. Shandilya is also a research co-founder of eFeed-Hungers.com, garnering global recognition for her contributions.

With a background as a teaching assistant at Iowa State University, where she earned a Teaching Excellence Award, Dr. Shandilya has a passion for education. She has also lectured at institutions in India and conducted independent research. Her expertise spans machine learning, recommender systems, big data, and information assurance, with notable contributions as a reviewer for prestigious publications and conferences.

Outside academia, Dr. Shandilya treasures time with her family, prioritizing continuous learning and hard work as the pillars of her success.

Ramaswamy was born in Hosahalli, India. He completed his bachelor’s degree from Bangalore University in 1970. In 1972, he completed his M.Sc. in Food Technology from Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, Karnataka, India. In 1978, he moved to Canada and took a M.Sc. & Ph.D. from University of British Columbia in 1979 and 1983 respectively. He joined McGill University as an assistant professor in 1987, was promoted to associate professor in 1992 and then full professor in 2002.[4]

Supported by funding from Canada Foundation for Innovation, he has established a first-of-its-kind high pressure technology pilot plant facility on Macdonald Campus of McGill University.[5]

Dr. Sugam Sharam, a highly accomplished computer scientist, holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Iowa State University in Iowa, USA. Prior to this, they earned their Master of Science degree in Computer Science from Jackson State University in Mississippi, USA, demonstrating their commitment to advancing their expertise in the field. Their academic journey began with a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science and Engineering from Roorkee, India, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from NREC, India. With a solid foundation in both theoretical and practical aspects of computer science, Dr. [Name] brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their research and professional endeavors. They are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of computer science through innovative research and practical applications.

This study investigated the use of modified tuber starches in creating surfactant-free emulsions, known as Pickering emulsions. Potato, sweet potato, and tapioca starches underwent various treatments before being used as stabilizers. Physicochemical properties of the starches and characteristics of the resulting emulsions were examined. Potato OSA-treated starch showed superior emulsifying ability, attributed to its high degree of substitution (DS = 0.0154) and fat binding capacity. Emulsions stabilized by potato OSA-treated starch exhibited high viscosity and emulsification index values, indicating their effectiveness as stabilizers. Overall, this research highlighted the potential of modified tuber starches, particularly potato OSA-treated starch, in creating stable Pickering emulsions.

María Hernández Carrión is a Chemical Engineer from the Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain), holds a Master’s degree in Food Science and Engineering, and obtained her PhD in Food Science, Technology, and Management from the same institution. She conducted a PostDoc on macro and nanoencapsulation of high oleic palm oil at Universidad de La Sabana (Colombia). Currently, she serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Food Engineering at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia). She teaches courses such as Food Technology, Experimental Design, Nutrition, and Food Design & Gastronomy, among others.

Her research interests include functional foods, new processing and preservation technologies, encapsulation, sensory analysis, in vitro digestion and bioaccessibility studies, Colombian diversity, and the utilization of agricultural residues. She has published numerous scientific articles in indexed journals.

Vasileios Fotopoulos is a Professor in Structural and Functional Plant Biology and head of the CUT Plant Stress Physiology Group established in 2008. His main scientific research focuses on the study of nitro-oxidative signaling cascades involved in the plant’s response to stress factors, while emphasis is being given in the development of chemical and biological priming technologies towards the amelioration of abiotic stress factors and promotion of plant growth. Relevant research has resulted in the publication of a patent and the provisional filing of a second one. In addition, he is involved in research studying plant secondary metabolism and antioxidant responses in fruit crops during ripening. To date, Dr. Fotopoulos is the author of 69 scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals (h-index=26; Source: Scopus), as well as 7 book chapters. He currently serves as Editorial Board member in Journal of Experimental Botany, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, BMC Plant Biology, Gene, Frontiers in Plant Science and five other journals. He has also been assigned to evaluate competitive research proposals from different countries (France, Belgium, Poland, Chile, Latvia, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Israel, Qatar, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark), EU proposals (EUROSTARS), while he participated as Review Panel Member for COST Actions (EU) in the field of ‘Natural Sciences’ and FWO (BE) in Section ‘BIO1’. Finally, he has acted as examiner of MSc theses/PhD dissertations from Italy, South Africa and The Netherlands.

Before joining the School of Allied Health academic team in 2018, Anne practised as a registered dietitian with the HSE and private consultancy for 20 years. During this time, Anne was involved in the development, implementation and support of programmes to promote health and prevent nutrition related diseases in a range of clinical & community settings. Anne continues to work in nutrition health promotion through partnerships she has developed and maintained with both HSE and community development groups. Her current research interests include: (1) nutrition care pathways for older adults; (2) understanding the factors affecting participant attendance at structured education programmes for Type 2 Diabetes; (3) development of nutrition competencies among healthcare professionals (4) faculty development to support interprofessional education; (5) Mediterranean Diet and Rheumatoid Arthritis (MEDRA). Anne also holds an MA in Teaching, Learning and Scholarship in Higher Education, and was awarded the Education & Health Science faculty individual award for excellence in teaching in 2021. Anne is a member of the Board of Directors and the chair of the Executive Council of the Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute, the professional body for dietitians in Ireland. In 2020, she was elected to the Education and Life-Long Learning committee of the European Federation of Associations for Dietetics (EFAD). Anne previously served on the Dietitian Registration Board by statutory appointment (2019-2023) of CORU, Ireland’s multi-profession health regulator.

This study conducted in Borneo focused on the impact of antibiotic usage in the bird industry, particularly concerning Enterococci bacteria. Thirty-seven Enterococci faecal bacteria samples were collected from birdhouses, revealing prevalent strains like Enterococcus qallinacum and Enterococcus faecalis. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed 27% of isolates had multiple antibiotic resistance, with a significant resistance to vancomycin. PCR assays identified potential virulence genes in E. faecalis, with 67% of isolates carrying all four virulence genes studied. The study highlighted the correlation between antibiotic resistance and virulence gene presence, underlining their importance in E. faecalis pathogenesis.