Brigitta is a senior double majoring in Food Science and Nutrition. After completing her URS and UROP on lactic acid bacteria and multidrug-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg, she joined Ismail lab in Spring 2020 as an undergraduate research assistant. She is planning to pursue a master's degree in Food Science at the UMN in Fall 2020, focusing on plant-based protein. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, exercising, baking with bizarre ingredients, and spending some time at the farmer's market or grocery store. She is also passionate about the zero-waste lifestyle - especially when it comes to food waste! Brigitta has completed her M.S. degree and works at Milk Specialties Global as an R&D Scientist.

Rachel completed her B.S. in Food Science in 2015 and M.S. in Food Science in 2017 at Oklahoma State University. Her M.S. research was completed under the guidance of Dr. Ramanathan focusing on the effects of aging on beef biochemical properties and color stability. After working as a summer intern at Cargill, she decided to pursue doctoral studies under Dr. Ismail in proteins and phytochemicals, shifting her focus from muscle proteins to plant proteins. Rachel is a full-time researcher studying the functionality and quality properties of pennycress protein and oil. Outside of the lab Rachel enjoys traveling, visiting with family and friends, and exploring new places to eat. Some other fun facts about Rachel is that she has lived in 8 different states and moved 10 times, she can lick her elbow, has a pet tarantula, bearded dragon & cat, and has never mowed a lawn. Rachel has completed her PhD degree and works at MGP Ingredients as a Senior Scientist.

Leslie completed her B.S. in Food Science and Technology in May 2020 at Iowa State University. She worked as an undergraduate research assistant and lab supervisor for Dr. Lester Wilson working on a variety of projects for Iowa companies. In the fall of 2020 Leslie started her M.S. degree in Food Science at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on the storage stability of different intermediate wheatgrass cultivars. Leslie likes to spend her free time cooking/baking, trying different crafts, playing the clarinet, and being outdoors. Leslie has completed her M.S. degree and works at PURIS as a Research Scientist.

Holly joined the University of Minnesota and the Ismail lab family in Fall 2018. After graduating with a B.S. in Food Science and B.S. in Nutrition in December 2020, Holly started her Masters degree under Dr. Ismail in January 2021 while also working on several PPIC projects, all involving plant proteins. Her research in this space has been enforced by R&D Product Development summer internships at SunOpta in 2019 and Cargill in 2021, in which she worked on application work involving non-dairy barista milks and whole-muscle meat alternatives, respectively. For extra-curricular activities, Holly is an active participant in the Food Science and Nutrition Club and has been part of finalist teams in IFT competitions including the 2020 Developing Solutions for Developing Countries and 2021 Smart Snacks for Kids. Outside of the lab, Holly tries her best to keep tabs on her young golden retriever, Kylo and thinks of new justifications for purchasing fresh athleisure. #Joggers. Holly has completed her M.S. degree and works at Cargill as a Food Scientist.

Allie joined the lab in the summer of 2017 as an undergraduate research assistant. She primarily worked with Jenny to gather data for her honors thesis regarding the antioxidant content and activity of stored intermediate wheatgrass flour. After completing her B.S. in Food Science in May 2019, Allie joined Cargill for the summer as an intern. She returned to the lab in the fall to pursue a M.S. degree in Food Science under Dr. Ismail. Her work involves developing a novel procedure to produce glycated pea protein and assessing the structure and functionality of the protein. Outside of the lab, Allie loves cooking, exploring new restaurants and parks, and enjoying movies and live music with friends. Allie has completed her M.S. degree and works at Cargill as a Food Scientist.

Laura completed her B.S. in Dietetics at the University of Georgia in 2015 and her dietetic internship program at Vanderbilt University in 2016. After surviving three winters in Chicago while working as a dietitian in corporate wellness, she moved even further north to begin her M.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in 2019. Her work in the lab focuses on optimizing hemp protein extraction methods for structure, functionality and nutritional quality. In her free time, she enjoys doing 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, trying out new healthy recipes, playing saxophone, and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs in football. Laura has completed her M.S. degree and works at Cargill as a Food Scientist.

In Fall 2018 Fan completed her B.E. in Food Quality & Safety at Southwest University in China. Fan joined the lab in Spring 2019 and was co-advised by Dr. George Annor. Her research focused on the utilization of cold plasma to modify protein structure and functionality. Fan graduated in 2021 and started her PhD in plant protein research at the University of British Columbia in Canada. In her free time Fan enjoys swimming, cooking, and playing the clarinet!

Vaidehi completed her B.Tech in Food Engineering and Technology in 2018 at the Institute of Chemical Technology, India. She completed her MS in the Ismail Lab in 2021 and started a career as a Food Scientist at General Mills in Minneapolis, MN. In Fall 2018, she began her M.S. degree in Food Science at the University of Minnesota. Vaidehi has worked on the development of bakery products and dairy-based beverages during her summer internships with General Mills and O-AT-KA. She is currently investigating the isolation methods of camelina protein, aimed at providing a functional plant-based protein ingredient for food applications. She is engaged in product development competitions and also volunteers with the IFT Food Chemistry Division. Vaidehi enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing board games, cooking, hiking, and traveling. Vaidehi has completed her M.S. degree and works at General Mills as an R&D Scientist.

Chelsey completed her B.S. in Food Science in 2013, her M.S. in 2016, and her PhD in 2020 from the University of Minnesota. Her doctoral research focused on the utilization of a whey coproduct and functionally enhanced whey protein concentrate for microencapsulation. Her master's research focused on using limited enzymatic hydrolysis and partial Maillard glycation to produce a functional, hypoallergenic soy ingredient. After graduation, Chelsey worked for ADM as a Senior Food Scientist before starting her new role at The ISH Food Company! A lifelong gopher (10 years and running!), she did "hop the pond" to complete seven months of her doctoral research in Germany at the Technical University of Berlin. In her spare time, Chelsey can be found making messes in the kitchen, traveling, exploring the Twin Cities dining scene, running through Minneapolis, reading anything she can get her hands on, and spending time with her nephews!

Ben completed his B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in the Spring of 2017. He worked as an undergraduate research assistant for Antonio Lourenco studying the thermal resistance of Salmonella in dry extruded cereals. After receiving his B.S., he worked as an Operations Manager for a Minneapolis based cold brew coffee startup. After two years in industry, Ben decided to pursue his M.S. in Food Science, and joined the Ismail lab in the Summer of 2019 and will be working on a PepsiCo project that evaluates protein fractions in oat lines for protein quality and functionality. In his free time he enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, trying new foods, and drinking coffee.

Lucy began working in the lab as a junior, primarily helping Claire with her research on camelina protein while also working on her own Honors thesis project. Lucy graduated from the University of Minnesota in Spring 2018 with majors in food science and nutrition. After completing a summer internship in product development, Lucy returned to her home in the lab and began her M.S. program in Fall 2018 working with pea protein. Her project is looking at how different extraction methods affect the structural and functional properties of the resulting pea protein isolates. Outside of lab, Lucy enjoys spending time with friends and family, solving puzzles, trying out new foods, and traveling to escape the Minnesota

Jenny completed her B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in May 2017. She previously joined the lab as an undergraduate research assistant in May 2015, studying the potential of millet varieties grown in Minnesota for future use in food products.  In September 2017, Jenny returned to pursue an M.S. degree. Her research focused on intermediate wheatgrass flour storage stability, focusing on the enzymatic activity, rancidity, and antioxidant activity changes over time in various degrees of flour refinement.  Jenny finished her M.S. in spring 2020 and is now working full time at Cargill in Food Applications R&D.

Claire completed her B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in the fall of 2014. She previously joined the lab as an undergraduate research assistant in the summer of 2013, helping Kirsten Ruud with her thesis work, as well as conducting independent research for her Honors thesis, which investigated the digestibility and nutritional quality of Maillard glycated whey protein hydrolysates. In the spring of 2015, Claire transitioned to a full-time researcher, studying the emulsification properties of enzymatically hydrolyzed proteins. After a quick year-long hiatus from lab life where she interned with a non-profit in Paris, France, Claire returned to the U of M in the fall of 2016 to pursue her M.S. degree. Her research centers on the oilseed camelina, and she investigated the characteristics and functionality of camelina's extracted protein and fiber for food applications. Claire is currently a Food Scientist at Brandless in the Twin Cities. Outside of the lab, Claire loves to paint, eat potato chips, and try her hand at pub trivia.

Amy was introduced to the phytochemical/protein lab in Fall 2014 before being officially admitted to the Graduate Food Science program in January of 2015. She is honored to be a member of the Ismail 122 lab family and has enjoyed every moment spent with them. Amy graduated from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN in August 2014 with a B.S. in both Dietetics and Food and Nutrition Science. She is currently pursuing a Master’s of Food Science at the University of Minnesota with the goal of melding her affinities for the nutrition and food sciences. Her research explores the storage stability and safety of intermediate wheatgrass, a novel grain with low environmental impact and high nutritional prospects. When she is not learning new laboratory methods or researching grains with her partner-in-crime and fellow intermediate wheatgrass research colleague, Citra Rahardjo, Amy enjoys scouring the town for new coffee joints, running, walking dogs, and going on adventures with her husband, Colin.

Sonia completed her B.A. in Biochemistry in 2013 from the University of Northern Iowa.  She worked in the food industry for Cargill Inc. for two years before joining the lab to pursue an M.S. degree in Fall 2015.  Her research focuses on characterizing the structure and functionality of a vegetable protein with Cargill.  She continued to work at Cargill full-time while she worked on her degree.  In her free time, she enjoys running, eating/cooking with friends, and knitting!

Citra completed her B.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign in Spring 2012. She then worked in the food industry for two years before she joined the lab as a graduate student pursuing her M.S. degree in Fall 2014.  Her research project focuses on the chemical characterizations, functionalities, and applications of intermediate wheatgrass, a novel grain with low environmental impact and high promise for use in biofuels and foods. In her free time, Citra enjoys running, singing, traveling to new places, shopping, and watching Korean dramas/ TV shows!

Lu completed her B.S. in Food Science at Shanghai Ocean University, China in the spring of 2012. She joined the lab group in the Summer of 2013 to pursue her M.S. degree, which she obtained in June 2016. Her research focused on optimizing proteolysis and Maillard-induced glycosylation conditions, using response surface methodology (RSM), for the production of hypoallergenic sodium caseinate ingredient, while maintaining nutritional quality, bioactivity and emulsification properties. In her free time, she loves to watch movies, go shopping, and play ping pong!

Matt completed his B.A. in Chemistry at Gustavus Adolphus College in the spring of 2011. He started pursuing his M.S. degree in the spring of 2013 and joined the lab group in the summer of 2013. Matthew’s main research focused on the effects of Maillard-induced glycation on whey protein’s solubility and thermal stability following industry-friendly techniques. He attained his Master's degree in May 2016. In his free time, he enjoys watching football and basketball, and playing any sport, especially basketball and golf.

Courtney completed her B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2013. She had previously worked as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Tonya Schoenfuss’s lab working on quantifying toxins in fermented cheese using high-performance liquid chromatography. She joined our lab in Fall 2013 to pursue her M.S. degree and successfully defended her thesis in June 2015! Her research focused on studying the effect of Maillard-induced glycation on whey protein hydrolysate solubility, bioactivity, and allergenicity. She now works as a Research and Development Scientist at General Mills.  In her free time, Courtney makes her way around Minnesota’s many outdoor hiking trails, parks, and lakes. And of course, she wouldn’t be a true food geek if she didn’t visit all the top food destinations in the Twin Cities, one restaurant, winery and brewery at a time.

Kirsten completed her B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2012. She had previously joined the lab group as an undergraduate researcher in 2011. She continued on and finished her M.S. degree in Food Science in Spring 2015. While she has worked on several research projects, her main research was on the effect of Maillard glycation on the reduction of aggregation and quality deterioration of protein hydrolysates during storage. She is currently working as a Research and Development Scientist at General Mills in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

Aimee completed her B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, Fall 2008. She was an undergraduate researcher for the last few semesters of her B.S. degree in the lab and now works as a Senior Technician at General Mills. She continued on to pursue her M.S. degree while working full time and graduated with her M.S. degree in Food Science in Fall 2014. Her research pertained to the quantification of sucrose crystallization using FTIR spectroscopy.

Jordan is now a Sensory Scientist at General Mills in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Jordan completed her M.S. degree in Food Science in Spring 2014; her research focused on protein modification techniques to reduce the allergenicity of soy protein. Jordan completed her undergraduate degree in Nutrition at the University of Minnesota in the Spring of 2012.

Lauren is now a Research Scientist at General Mills in Golden Valley, MN. Lauren completed her M.S. degree in Food Science in Spring 2014; her research focused on investigating the product quality and nutritional degradation of soy protein isolate and hydrolysate powders as a result of moisture-induced aggregation.  Lauren completed her B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in the Spring of 2011 and then worked at Milk Specialties Global for 7 months before returning to the U of M for her M.S. degree.

Brian successfully defended his M.S. thesis in Spring of 2014.  He now works for Land O’Lakes as a Scientist. His research focused on the degradation of the mycotoxin patulin by yeast. Brian completed his B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota in the Fall of 2010.

After getting her B.S. in Food Science at the University of Milan (in Italy) in 2013, Ingrid started her M.S. degree and decided that for her final thesis work she wanted to have a research experience abroad and chose to work on a project about gluten-free pasta made of millet, here at UMN. Like every other Italian she likes pizza and pasta! When not in the lab she likes spending time with her husband Ethan and she devotes time to her hobby: interior design.

Vamsi completed his Ph.D. in the Summer of 2013. His research was focused on the detection, structural characterization, and bioavailability of soy isoflavones and their derivatives.  Previous to his Ph.D., Vamsi completed his B.Tech in Food Technology at Osmania University, India, and he joined the lab group as one of the first trios of masters students in Fall 2007. He completed his M.S. degree in Spring of 2009.

Edem is working as a Global Product Development Specialist at Mead Johnson Nutrition. He completed his B.Tech in Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Lomé, Togo. Edem joined the lab in Fall of 2009, and he completed his M.S. degree in the Summer of 2012.  His research was on enhancing the functionality of delactosed whey by enzymatic hydrolysis using response surface methodology approach.

Tracy completed her B.S. in Biology at Kansas State University. She joined the lab in January of 2009. She completed her M.S. degree in Spring 2011. Her research was focused on improving soy protein solubility and stability in beverages and determining sensory acceptability.

Wynnie is currently working in R&D at a food company in Indonesia. She completed her B.S. in Food Science at Purdue University. She joined our lab group as one of the first trios of masters students in Fall 2007. She completed her M.S. degree in Spring of 2009. Her MS research was focused on using unique and selective enzymatic systems to produce bioactive peptides from soy proteins.

Priya is currently working as a R&D Lead Scientist at Lawrence Foods, after graduating with her Ph.D. in Food Science from Purdue University. She previously had completed her B.Tech in Food Technology at Osmania University, India, and joined our lab group as one of the first trio of masters students in Fall 2007. She completed her M.S. degree in Spring of 2009. Her M.S. research was on the effect of protein content and denaturation on the extractability and stability of soy isoflavones.

Kevin is currently working as a Scientist at Nestle in Lausanne, Switzerland, after completing his Ph.D. at UNC-Chapel Hill in Nutrition Epidemiology. Kevin completed his M.S. in Food Chemistry at Purdue University and his B.S. in Food Science at Cornell University. Kevin was the first member of our lab group! He joined us in June of 2007 as a Research Fellow. He installed and operated our major equipment, trained new students, established analytical techniques and participated in on-going research.

Abbie Krentz joined PPIC in May 2022 as a Researcher IV and moved into the role of Research Project Manager February 2023. As PPIC's Research Project Manager, she oversees PPIC projects by drafting project budgets and timelines, coordinating research progress, and delivering project updates and final reports. She collaborates with PPIC members and supporters to meet their ongoing research needs and goals. She still leads various PPIC research projects as she continues to be passionate and curious for novel innovations. Previously, she completed her B.S. in Food Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in internship programs with Nestle Nutrition (Gerber), Dairiconcepts, and Lindt & Sprüngli. She completed her M.S. in Food Science and Technology at Ohio State University in 2021. Her research focused on the blending of milk caseins with pea protein and the upcycling of dairy industry by-products. Her most recent position was in product development and commercialization at Nature's Fynd, where she worked on novel fungi-based vegan products. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the twin cities, running in local races, and cheering on the Green Bay Packers. As of January 2024, Abbie is working as an R&D Scientist at General Mills for their Nutrition Technology & Sciences Protein Team. 

Dr. Samira Feyzi joined Plant Protein Innovation Center (PPIC) and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at University of Minnesota as a postdoctoral associate in Feb 2021. Samira earned her bachelor and master degrees in Food Science and Technology and completed her Ph.D. in Food Science- Food Chemistry at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Samira did part of her Ph.D. research at University of Naples Federico II (Italy). Her research is on Food Chemistry and Analysis in particular Food Proteins and Flavor Compounds. Accordingly, her research focuses on extraction optimization, characterization and enhancement of the structural and functional properties, and thermal stability of proteins, including mainly plant and dairy proteins, following novel processing and analytical approaches. Also, she investigates the interactions of proteins with other food components especially flavor compounds and effects of the complexation on structural properties and stability of proteins along with flavor release and perception. Samira has been working as a lecturer of Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, and Food Analysis courses for Food Science students at different universities including UMN. She is also the co-editor and reviewer of several international journals in Food Chemistry, and a leader of Protein Division at IFT. As of January 2024, she is an Assistant Professor (Food Chemistry and Analysis, Protein Chemistry) at the University of Arkansas. 

Dr. Sungil (Sun) Ferreira is a postdoctoral associate at the University of Minnesota in the Plant Protein Innovation Center developing studies in protein extraction and characterization of oats and peas. He has a bachelor in Food Science, Technology and Engineering with a PhD in Food Science and Engineering, at the Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil. Part of the bachelor was done in the University of British Columbia in Canada and part of the PhD was done at the University of Loughborough in the United Kingdom. Studied encapsulation using spray drying, complex coacervation, ionic gelation, emulsification, with a focus on influence of process parameters and polymer structure. In addition, Sun has a strong background in physics and mathematical approaches. Sun loves animals (all of them), sports in general, outdoor activities, rock climbing (indoor and outdoors), used to be a cheerleader (believe it or not) and always starts his day with a good cuppa of coffee and a crossfit session. He believes the world can be a better place, if we (all humans) make it happen. After working at the Ismail Lab, Sun began his role as a Senior R&D Scientist and Engineer at Konscious Foods in Canada before returning to being a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Washington State University. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas.

Misen is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and completed his B.S. in Food Science at the University of Minnesota Spring of 2015. After working in quality assurance at a baking company, Misen decided to join Ismail’s lab in the Fall of 2016 as a research assistant and subsequently joined the lab as a Master's student researching intermediate wheatgrass. Misen finished his Masters in 2020. Misen Luu joined PPIC after he graduated with his Master’s in Food Science under the advisement of Dr. Pam Ismail at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in January 2020. During his Master’s, he researched the storage stability of a novel perennial grain called Intermediate Wheatgrass, analyzing changes in dough functionality, flavor, and sensory attributes of the stored flour at different storage conditions. Before his graduate studies, Misen got his B.S. in Food Science from the University of Minnesota. Outside of the lab, Misen is a member of the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra as a clarinetist, loves being with his dog Elio and cat Claude, and is actively involved with the Minnesota Section of the Institute of Food Technology as chair of the newsletter committee and assistant treasurer. Misen was responsible for managing and conducting PPIC projects, with emphasis on flavor associated with plant proteins. Now, Misen is working as a Food Scientist, Project Manager at PURIS in Minneapolis, MN.

Maneka completed her Ph.D. at the North Dakota State University in Fall 2018 and joined the lab group as a postdoctoral research associate in February 2019. Maneka's research is mainly focused on enzymatic modification of pea protein isolates to improve functionality and analyzing protein secondary structure using FTIR. She also works on characterizing the different fractions of oat proteins. Outside the lab, Maneka likes to cook, watch movies and travel.

Chathurada completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Texas Tech University in fall 2013. She joined the lab group as a postdoctoral research associate in May 2015. Her research is mainly focused on understanding protein structure, network formation and protein functionality of intermediate wheatgrass. Also, she is working on identifying modifications (modified epitopes) in the hypoallergenic protein ingredients to optimize the modifications in the food proteins. In her spare time, she loves to watch movies, go shopping and traveling.

After completing her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota under the supervision of Mirko Bunzel in August 2012, Cati has been working as a post doc research associate part-time in the lab since February 2013. Her responsibilities are instrument maintenance and working on the chemical analysis of intermediate wheatgrass varieties, which she tackles with enthusiasm after her morning coffee break with Brian. She trains our graduate students in liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis. She is also the NMR wiz. Aside from their love for coffee, Catrin and Brian also share their birthday as well as the fate of always having office space in a room without windows. Catrin’s research interests include carbohydrate analysis and structural characterization.

Cherry is currently working at Kraft. She completed her doctorate degree successfully in the summer of 2012 and stayed on in the lab as a post-doc for 9 months leading several projects and training new graduate students.  Her research was focused on improving whey protein solubility and thermal stability via Maillard-induced glycation.  Before pursuing her Ph.D. in 2008, Cherry completed her M.S. in Food Microbiology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and her B.S. in Food Science at China Agricultural University.

Richard is now a Food Science faculty member at Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology (GNTECH), Korea Republic. However, the lab was lucky to have him as a post-doctoral research associate between Oct 2010 and Feb 2012. His main research was on the antihypertensive activity in enzymatically tenderized beef cuts.

Madison is a senior majoring in Bioproducts & Biosystems Engineering, with an emphasis in Food Engineering and minor in Horticulture. She joined the lab during Fall 2021 and has worked with Allie Schneider, Holly Husband, and Coleman Selfridge. Outside of the lab, Madison enjoys casual hikes, playing piano, and enjoying time with her friends & family. Upon graduation, she will be employed at Land O' Lakes full-time.