AC24 IFST Pre-Conference Dinner and Networking Event

Speaker: Professor Gleb Yakubov, University of Leeds

Professor Gleb Yakubov holds the Chair in Food Biopolymers at the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds. He completed his postgraduate research at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany, where he earned his PhD in physical chemistry, focusing on investigations of biopolymer systems using colloidal probe AFM force spectroscopy. Before taking up the chair position at the University of Leeds, Gleb served as an Associate Professor in the School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham and as a Lecturer in the School of Chemical Engineering at The University of Queensland, Australia. Prior to his academic career, he gained eight years of experience in industrial R&D at a UK-based global fast-moving consumer goods company.

His primary expertise lies in applying principles of colloidal, soft matter, and polymer science to tackle challenges in food research, digestive health, and biomolecular technology. Gleb leads the Food Biopolymer Research Team, which focuses on applying these scientific principles to improve the nutritional value of foods. His team specifically explores how processing of grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables can influence the nutritional quality of everyday foods. Recently, his team also pioneered machine learning and computer vision-based approaches for modelling oral processing for improving health and wellbeing.