Food and Drink Innovation

Dr Madalina Neacsu is a research fellow at the Rowett Institute who trained as a biochemical engineer and did her PhD on Natural Products Chemistry. She now specialises in natural products food formulation and bioactivity and, in a previous role, worked commercially overseeing the development of several plant-based bioactive formulations for use in food ingredients that subsequently received EFSA approval.

Wendy is the Gut Health theme lead and Professor of Molecular Nutrition at the Rowett Institute. Her research focuses on developing healthy foods as part of a resilient food supply chain. This includes identifying the potential of plant-based crops, particularly in protein provision for the future and the exploitation of underutilised species to improve both nutrition and agrobiodiversity. Wendy works closely with both Scottish and Global Food Producers, as well as the wider Food and Drink Industry to identify new opportunities and was awarded FDF ‘Scientist of the Year’ for this work.

I am a principal investigator and the research in my laboratory is focused on advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in the diet. During food processing AGEs are formed as the result of the Maillard reaction and are absorbed by the body during digestion. To investigate how dietary AGEs contribute to diet induced conditions such as type 2 diabetes and dementia, we are using human intervention studies to test the effects of highly processed foods high in AGEs on sensitive measures of metabolic health and cognition.

I am a microbiologist and molecular biologist at the Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen. My research focusses on the metabolism of dietary food compounds by the microbes present in large intestine (the gut microbiota) and how this influences human health. Within the strategic programme, I am investigating how different microbes work together to ferment dietary non-digestible carbohydrates (fibre) to health-promoting products, which will help to provide scientifically sound dietary advice as well as aid the development of novel food ingredients.

Derek is the Business Sector Lead: AgriFood at the James Hutton Institute and is responsible for developing the research opportunities on agriculture, food and drink supply and value chains, production systems, biomass, waste valorisation and the (bio)circular economy. 

Luiza is an applied economist based at SRUC and specialises in agri-environmental economics. Her main research interests are behavioural economics applied to food waste and recylcing, land and water use, climate change, consumption of higher welfare and healthy food products, uptake of animal disease control technologies; economic modelling of the linkages between trade, animal health and welfare, and the environment; and analysis of environmental efficiency of knowledge and innovation transfer.