Biography

Dr. Lingyun Chen is Canadian Research Chair in Plant Protein, Structure Function and Nutraceutical Delivery, and Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta. She joined UofA in October 2007. Prior to her current position, Dr. Chen served as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, at the University Laval, Quebec, Canada. In 2006, she was invited to join Faculty of pharmacy, Université d’Auvergne in France as a vising scholar funded by Canadian Government. Dr. Chen earned her PhD in Natural Product Chemistry from Wuhan University, China, in 2003.
Dr. Chen is recognized internationally for advancing our basic understanding of structure-function  relationships of biopolymers and polymer matrices with emphasis on proteins and polysaccharides (gels, films, micro-/nanoencapsulations, nanofibers). This is true and consistent throughout her research career,  from her doctoral research on polysaccharide, to her recent focus over the last 10 years on food proteins.
Her  research  program  has  more  recently  evolved  to  focus  on  molecular  level  understanding  of  functionalities of proteins from plant resources. The purpose is to develop natural and sustainable alternatives to replace synthetic ingredients through R&D, and demonstrate value-added applications of plant proteins for better profitability and sustainability of the Canadian crop industry.
Special interests include:  1) Protein based networks for controlled delivery of bioactive molecules;
 2) Plant protein modifications and structure-function relationships; and 3) bioactive molecules derived from proteins and polysaccharides.

These works are documented in 68 refereed publications. Many of these manuscripts are in high-impact journals, such as Biomaterials (IF 7.6), J. Mater. Chem. (IF 6.1),  Biomacromolecules (IF 5.5), and J. Agri. Food Chem. (IF 2.9). Her review article “Food protein-based materials as nutraceutical delivery systems” is the 4th most downloaded article in Trends Food Sci. Technol. since 2006 with 194 citations.  Her research  manuscript “Alginate-whey  protein  granular  microspheres  as  oral  delivery vehicles for bioactive compounds”, published in Biomaterials, was highlighted by Nature Materials (IF 35.7) for its excellent contribution to the field (2006, 5, 512). The frequent invitations asking Dr. Chen to contribute to book chapters, and speak at international conferences, and her international network of collaborations additionally demonstrate her leadership in the field. Dr. Chen has been invited to serve as a reviewer for 20 journals and several granting agencies including NSERC, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Agriculture Funding Consortium and the US Government.