Research Themes

Food and Agricultural Chemistry​​

 Prof. Voravee P. Hoven

Future Food from Bio-derived Polymer

Due to the awareness of global environmental issues, the quest for sustainable and ethical food sources has driven innovation in both cell-cultured meat and plant-based meat alternatives. This project focuses on the design and development of advanced biopolymer-based materials that support cell growth for cultured meat and create innovative meat alternatives. By combining polymer chemistry and food science, we can address the challenges of texture, nutritional profile, and scalability in next-generation meat products.

Keywords: Polysaccharide, Future food, Plant-based meat, Cultured meat, Protein

 Assis. Prof. Nawaporn Vinayavekhin

Combating microbial plant pathogens using natural products from rhizospheric microbe-microbe interactions

Microbial plant pathogens pose a significant threat to agriculture, causing extensive crop losses and reducing food security. Traditional methods of combating these pathogens often rely on chemical pesticides, which can have detrimental environmental effects and lead to resistant pathogen strains. Therefore, there is a growing need for sustainable and effective alternatives. This research aims to combat microbial plant pathogens by harnessing novel natural products derived from rhizospheric microbe-microbe interactions. These interactions are a rich source of unique compounds with potential antimicrobial properties. Initially, we will identify and isolate natural products produced by interactions between biocontrol microbes, microbial plant pathogens, and other rhizospheric microbes using LC-MS-based untargeted metabolomic analyses. The antimicrobial activities of these isolated products will then be tested against plant pathogens, and their effects will be evaluated in plant pots and field trials. Furthermore, we will study the biosynthetic and stimulated mechanisms of these natural products using RT-PCR and other appropriate techniques. This research seeks to offer innovative and sustainable solutions for managing plant diseases, enhancing crop health, and improving agricultural productivity.

Keywords: Microbial plant pathogen, Biocontrol, Natural product discovery, Microbe-microbe interactions, LC–MS-based untargeted metabolomics

 Assoc. Prof. Monpichar Srisa-Art

Minituarised analytical methods for determination of contaminants in food/agricultural products

Contaminants e.g. bacteria, microorganisms, pesticides, chemicals and toxic metals in food and agricultural products are harmful for human health, causing diseases or illness. Therefore, highly sensitive and selective detection platforms for analysis of contaminants are crucial for public safety and environment protection. Accordingly, paper-based analytical devices (PADs) have attracted considerable attention to be developed as analytical tools for monitoring contaminants in food and agricultural products. PADs offer the key advantages including simplicity, reliability, inexpensiveness, rapid analysis, portability, ease of fabrication and disposability. Coupled with colorimetric detection, PADs have shown the ability to be used as portable platforms, which are highly suitable for on-site measurements or analysis in low-resource settings.

Keywords: microfluidics, Paper-based analytical device, colorimetry, food contaminants, pesticides