Graduate Group Faculty

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Daniela Barile, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor and Chemist
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3164 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Discovery of bioactive components in foods and food processing streams through advanced analytical mass spectrometry.

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David E. Block

  • Position Title
    Professor
  • Unit
    Viticulture and Enology

Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Development of novel optimization methods for bioprocessing, including use of artificial neural networks; optimization based on historical data and efficient methods of bioprocess development; process monitoring methods for wine processing; fermentation of biological control agents active against grape plant pathogens.

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Gail Bornhorst, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor and Engineer
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
    Biological and Agricultural Engineering
3056 Bainer Hall

Quantitative methods to understand material transport, breakdown, and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract to improve food safety and quality, increase consumer health benefits, and optimize food processing operations.

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Kyria Boundy-Mills, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professional Research Microbiologist
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology

Conversion of food and agricultural waste streams to value-added products using yeast, characterization of yeasts from the Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, food fermentations

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Juliana Maria Leite Nobrega de Moura Bell, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Associate Professor
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
    Biological and Agricultural Engineering
2212 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Development and application of environmentally friendly technologies to replace the incumbent technology for extracting and fractionating of major food components such as oil, protein, and carbohydrates.

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Julien Delarue, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Associate Professor in Sensory & Consumer Science
  • Unit
    Food Science & Technology
2032 Robert Mondavi Institute - Sensory

Dr. Delarue’s research focuses on methods to measure sensory perception and preferences and on their effective use in food design. He seeks to develop high validity consumer-oriented methods. In particular, his research explores the role of context in hedonic measures using immersive environments and digital technologies. He also works to develop and validate rapid and flexible descriptive analysis methods with application to new product development and consumer research. Using these methods, he seeks to understand the sensory determinants of food preferences and to finds levers to drive healthy and sustainable food behaviors.

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Erin DiCaprio, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension in Community Food Safety
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3208 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Community food safety and applied food microbiology with emphasis in foodborne viruses.

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Stephanie R. Dungan, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor and Engineer
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
    Chemical Engineering
2202 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Food Science Graduate Admission Chair. Partitioning and transport in emulsions and microemulsions; effect of proteins and polysaccharides on micelles and microemulsions; separations and controlled release applications using micelle/gels and microemulsions.

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Susan E. Ebeler

  • Position Title
    Professor
  • Unit
    Viticulture and Enology
3148 RMI North

Flavor chemistry and analysis; interaction of flavors with other (non-volatile) food/beverage components. correlation of instrumental and sensory methods of flavor analysis; health effects of wine; development of analytical methodologies for analysis of wine components.

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Oliver Fiehn

  • Position Title
    Professor
  • Unit
    Genome Center
1315 GBSF

Metabolomics, Molec & Cell Bio, UC Davis Genome Center - Application of metabolomic techniques to study the impact of food on health and, response of biochemical networks to malnutrition and stress.

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Glen Fox, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
2158 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Professor Glen Fox is the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor Malting & Brewing Science. He has interests in raw materials used in malting, brewing and other fermented beverages as well as defining the composition of these materials and their compositional effects on brewing efficiency.

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Jacquelyn Gervay-Hague

  • Position Title
    Professor
  • Unit
    Department of Chemistry
5463 Chemistry Annex

Research in our laboratory centers on the chemical synthesis of natural products to enable integrated chemical measurements of microbial biomarkers associated with symbiotic relationships between plants and animals. Access to pure glycolipid standards is necessary to fully utilize and integrate mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements to track metabolites and determine their origin.

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Andrew J. Gravelle, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Assistant Professor
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
2208 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Dr. Gravelle’s research focuses on characterizing the relationship between structural properties and functionality in foods using a materials science approach. To this end, his research activities focus on establishing a more fundamental understanding of how the composition and molecular architecture of multi-component foods impacts their mechanical and sensory response. Particular emphasis is given to characterizing fat-filled food gels, with a target of developing rational design principals that can be used to effectively implement new and emerging ingredients (such as plant-derived proteins).

A second focus of Dr. Gravelle’s research program is the development and characterization of structured oil systems, commonly referred to as “oleogels”. This technology shows promise for mimicking the desirable functional and sensory attributes of traditional fats, while providing an opportunity to optimize the nutritional profile and reduce environmental impact. Further applications include the delivery and controlled release of bioactive compounds.

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Jean-Xavier Guinard, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor and Sensory Scientist
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
2034 Robert Mondavi Institute - Sensory

Taste chemoreception in man; psychophysics of fats and oils; oral sensitivities and saliva; sensory evaluation methodology; sensory properties of alcoholic beverages; chemical senses and nutrition; sensory determinants of food acceptability; consumer research.

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Linda J. Harris, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor of Cooperative Extension in Microbial Food Safety
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3212 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Microbial food safety and applied microbiology with emphasis on the safety of fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, and nut meats.

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Hildegarde Heymann

  • Position Title
    Distinguished Professor
  • Unit
    Viticulture and Enology
2030 RMI Sensory

Sensory evaluation of wines and other food products. The study of descriptive analysis and time-intensity methodology and the use multivariate data analyses to integrate sensory and consumer ratings. The use of sensory science to study food and wine.

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Annie J. King, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor
  • Unit
    Department of Animal Science
1217 Meyer Hall

Prevention of lipid oxidation and determination/reduction of cholesterol oxides in poultry muscle, eggs, and commercial products; use of horticultural by-products and their antioxidants as nutrients in poultry feed and products.

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Elizabeth Maga

2125 Meyer

Biotechnology to improve human health; translation of the use of lysozyme-rich milk to fight intestinal diseases; gut biota modulation and relation to health and resistance to disease; impact of milk at the level of the intestine; relationship between casein genotypes and milk quality in goats.

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Maria L. Marco, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor; Chair of the Food Science Graduate Group
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3200 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Most-microbe interactions of lactic acid bacteria; functional genomics of probiotics in food matrices and mammalian gastrointestinal tracts; ecology of lactic acid bacteria on plants and fermented fruits and vegetables.

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David A. Mills, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Distinguished Professor, Peter J. Shields Chair in Dairy Food Science
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3142 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Molecular genetics and microbial ecology of lactic acid bacteria employed in food and beverage fermentations; characterization of mobile genetic elements in lactic acid bacteria; profiling of mixed culture fermentations using molecular techniques.

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Elizabeth Mitcham

  • Position Title
    Associate Research Biologist
  • Unit
    Animal Science
1047 Wickson

Alternatives to postharvest chemicals for control of insects, decal and physiological disorders; fruit response to postharvest handling systems.

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Ben Montpetit, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Associate Professor (Yeast Biology)
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
    Viticulture and Enology
3150 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Control of gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, including regulation in response to stress, using genetic, biochemical, and cell biological tools that include fluorescent imaging technologies.

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Nitin Nitin, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Department Vice-Chair; Professor and Engineer
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
    Biological and Agricultural Engineering
2214 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. Micro and Nano-Encapsulation Technologies; Nanoscale Coatings and Material Design for Controlled Release; Nanoparticles for Improved Detection Technologies; Molecular Imaging and Spectroscopy for applications in Food Quality and Safety (e.g. Food-Microbe Interactions); Transport Processes.

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Anita Oberholster, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Associate Specialist in Cooperative Extension in Enology
  • Unit
    Department of Viticulture & Enology
3146 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Dr. Oberholster's research focuses on two main parts: firstly, the influence of both viticulture practices and environmental factors on grape ripening and composition and related wine quality. The emphasis is specifically on tannin and carotenoid biosynthesize. Both are important contributors to grape and wine quality; tannins contribute to mouth-feel (astringency) and bitterness, whereas carotenoids are the precursors to norisoprenoids which are important volatile compounds with a low olfactory threshold. The second core research focus is investigations to determine the influence of different vinification practices on wine composition and quality. This includes studies to determine the influences of different cap management techniques and the impact of oxygen (macro- and micro-oxygenation) and wood (barrel aging and oak alternatives) on wine aging and quality. Sustainability in both focus areas are important and alternative practices to enhance sustainability is investigated, including the use of new technologies and 'green' chemicals' in the winery and the re-use of winery waste water for the irrigation of vines.

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Zhongli Pan

  • Position Title
    Adjunct Professor
  • Unit
    Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
3018 Bainer Hall

Value-added processing of agricultural products for food and non-food applications; characterization of thermal, chemical, physical and rheological properties of food products.

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Pramod K Pandey

  • Position Title
    Associate Specialist
  • Unit
    VM: Population Health and Reproduction
4021 Vet Med 3B, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive

My research focus is controlling disease risks associated with food and animal waste; recycling of organic waste intro soil amendment; fate and transport of herbicides in food and water; and microbial water quality. I use mathematical models supported by lab and field scale data to understand contamination in environment, which has potential to impact food and water, and poses risks to the public and animal health.

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Alda Pires

  • Position Title
    Assistant Research Scientist and Assistant Specialist in Cooperative Extension
  • Unit
    Population Health & Reproduction

Quantitative methods to identify strategies that improve animal health and control infectious diseases in livestock on small-scale farms. Interested in applying and developing epidemiological tools to monitor potential food safety hazards and identify strategies to reduce the dissemination of foodborne pathogens in pre-harvest small farm environments and the spread of infectious disease in the food supply. Also interested in integrating epidemiological methods such as temporal-spatial, molecular analysis and risk assessment in order to support risk-based surveillance and infectious disease control strategies, and the improvement of animal health and food safety.

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William D. Ristenpart

  • Position Title
    Associate Professor
  • Unit
    Chemical Engineering
3012 Bainer Hall/3202 RMI South

Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science; Dept. of Food Science and Technology. Researches how metabolites of different foods affect the response of red blood cells to change in their micro-environment, using microfludic techniques.

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Moshe Rosenberg, D.Sc.

  • Position Title
    Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Technology and
    Professor Emeritus of Cooperative Extension
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
2200 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Cooperative Extension. Dairy technology and chemistry; physiochemical properties of dairy products; cheesemaking technology; quality attributes of dairy products; physico-chemical properties of milk-derived solids; food microstructure; microencapsulation techniques and products.

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Dr. Ron C Runnebaum

  • Position Title
    Assistant Professor
  • Unit
    Department of Viticulture & Enology
    Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science
3160 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Dr. Runnebaum's research program aims to combine his interests in sustainable winemaking with his research background in nanomaterials, adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis, and reaction engineering. Winemaking-related projects include 1) Developing materials to capture CO2 and volatile organic compounds, especially from fermentation; 2) Developing fundamental understanding for the production of chemicals from winery waste streams; and 3) Designing solid-state materials for the replacement of solution-based treatments, particularly those that could improve sustainability. In addition, Dr. Runnebaum continues to investigate fundamental structure-activity relationships in chemical adsorption and reaction by nanomaterials, including zeolites and supported organometallic clusters.

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Justin Siegel

  • Position Title
    Associate Professor
  • Unit
    Department of Chemistry
5212 Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility

My scientific efforts are focused on combining computational and experimental tools to develop a fundamental knowledge of enzyme catalysis, and applying those principles to design novel proteins of therapeutic or commercial interest. Currently I am working with an international community on the development of Rosetta computational methodology for predicting and designing macromolecular structures, interactions, and functions. Using this methodology I have completed the de novo design of enzymes capable of catalyzing chemical reactions not found in nature, such as the Diels-Alder reaction. This was followed up by working with an online community, Foldit, to further engineer these proteins for enhanced activity. Most recently I have worked on the redesign of naturally occurring enzymes for the degradation of immunogenic gluten proteins, to develop a novel CO2 fixation pathways, and design of a novel anthrax therapeutic. My current focus is on the design of novel biofuel and commodity chemical biosynthetic pathways, the development of novel therapeutics, and the general understanding of the relationship between protein sequence, structure, and function.

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Christopher Simmons, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Department Chair; Professor
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3202 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Dr. Simmons' research focuses on improving energy and water use efficiency in food processing by reclaiming energy from waste biomass streams and developing strategies for waste water treatment and recycling. Specifically, high-throughput, massively parallel sequencing and bioinformatics approaches are used to characterize microbial communities that are able to deconstruct waste biomass into fermentable sugars under industrial conditions. These data are used to discover enzymes and molecular pathways that can improve industrial bioconversion of waste biomass into biofuels. Additionally, the microbial ecology of plant-soil systems exposed to food processing effluents is studied to develop strategies for recycling of food processing waste water to agriculture.

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Carolyn Slupsky, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor and Nutritionist
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
    Nutrition
3206 Robert Mondavi Institute - South

Dept. of Nutrition. Metabolomics; Measuring human health; Relationship between gut microbes and disease; Modulation of gut microbial metabolism; Measuring crop health.

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Jennifer T. Smilowitz, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
    Foods for Health Institute

As a Lactation Education Counselor, Dr. Smilowitz supports breastfeeding and researches dietary solutions that support the health of the mother-infant dyad. She regularly gives lectures on the benefits of breastfeeding and its impact on the infant gut microbiome to health-care practitioners across northern Californian hospitals, clinics and Women Infants and Children (WIC) staff.

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Edward Spang, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Associate Professor
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
2036 Robert Mondavi Institute - Sensory

Characterizing and optimizing the efficiency of linked water, energy, and food resource systems. He is particularly interested in applying methodologies for measuring and monitoring these systems and their interrelationships in high-resolution and across multiple scales, both geographic and temporal.

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Ameer Taha, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3162 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Linoleic acid is a type of fat found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and animal products. Small amounts of linoleic acid are required for proper nutrition, but too much may be detrimental. Americans whose diet includes a lot of processed foods typically consume too much linoleic acid, which can contribute to chronic inflammation, heart disease, and other health problems.

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Luxin Wang, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Professor
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
3210 Robert Mondavi Institute – South

Dr. Wang’s research lab studies the microbial safety of fresh produce, aquaculture products and animal products. Her program uses conventional microbiological technologies and new precision approaches, such as comparative genomics and metagenomics, to study the behavior of foodborne pathogens and their interactions with the background microbiome.

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Selina Wang, Ph.D.

  • Position Title
    Department Vice-Chair; Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension in Small Scale Fruit & Vegetable Processing
  • Unit
    Food Science and Technology
2160 Robert Mondavi Institute - North

Dr. Wang’s research program focuses on chemical quality, purity, and nutrition parameters that occur during fruit and vegetable post-harvesting, processing and storage. This includes but not limited to (1) identifying the important chemical markers that are important for quality, purity and nutrition in food products; (2) developing robust (faster and cheaper) detection methods so they can be easily adopted by industries; and (3) modifying processing methods to improve quality, purity and nutrition. Dr. Wang is also the research director of UC Davis Olive Center.

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Xiang Crystal Yang

  • Position Title
    Assistant Professor
  • Unit
    Animal Science
2237 Meyer Hall

Meat safety; meat quality; shelf-life of meat and meat products; post-harvest foodborne pathogen detection and control; characterization of microbiome profile for meat and meat production related environment.

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