The Food and Soft Materials Research Lab – Our Group Members
![View the Group Members for the Food and Soft Materials Group.](/content/dam/rousseau/groupmembers/3-ryerson-faculty-of-science-rousseau-group-members-hero-2019-BG.png)
At the Food and Soft Materials Research Group,
we’re an active group with a great working vibe.
Each member adds to our diversity – often with a variety of academic backgrounds and a unique perspective
on food as a material. We're always looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team and expand our research efforts.
Many alumni have gone on to do great work in science.
Postdoctoral
Researchers
![Khakhanang Wijarnprecha Khakhanang Wijarnprecha](/content/dam/rousseau/groupmembers/Yim1.jpg)
Khakhanang (Yim) has been working on the crystallization of fats in different systems, ie., oleogels, animal fats, and emulsions. She is studying the properties of the fat components of crème fillings including their thermal behaviour, microstructural characteristics, polymorphic transitions, rheological, and textural properties.
Credentials
Ph.D. Food Science
(Silpakorn University, Thailand)
![Danilo Corsi Vidotto Danilo Corsi Vidotto](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/Danilo_Cropped.jpg)
Danilo studies the stability of plant protein emulsions aiming to understand the interaction of protein-surfactants. He is interested in exploring the role of fat crystallization in the stabilization of plant protein emulsions. His interests also comprehend the impact of the protein-surfactant interaction and the fat crystallization in drug release.
Credentials
Ph.D. Food Science
(University of Campinas – Brazil)
![Goly Fayaz Dastgerdi Goly Fayaz Dastgerdi](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/Goly Large.jpeg)
Goly is currently working on oil-in-water emulsion systems in terms of their shear resistance and robustness to temperature-cycling. The ultimate aim is to develop a non-dairy cream that mimics the functionality of UHT dairy cream. She is interested in understanding the relationship between surfactants and fat crystallization, intra-droplet fat crystal morphology and polymorphism, and the rheological properties of oil-water interfaces
Credentials
Ph.D. Food Science and Technology
(Isfahan University of Technology – Iran)
Ph.D.
Candidates
![Jessica Phulchand Jessica Phulchand](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/Jessica1.jpg)
Jessica is interested in understanding functional foods and developing foods with clean labels. She works on the effects of surfactant concentration on fat crystallization.
Credentials
M.Sc. Human Health & Nutritional Science
(University of Guelph)
![Malek El-Aooiti Malek El-Aooiti](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/ws_Malek.jpg)
Malek specializes in controlling the stability of Pickering emulsions by modifying the interfacially-bound particles in-situ. Malek's focus is on using secondary surfactants and studying how they interfact with particles at the oil-water interface. This involves the use of interfacial rheology and advances microsocpy techniques.
Credentials
B.Sc. Chemistry
(Toronto Metropolitan University)
![Selvyn Simoes Selvyn Simoes](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/ws_selvyn.jpg)
Selvyn is developing novel methods of edible oil structuring to replace saturated and trans fats and minimize their deleterious effect on human health. He uses particle properties, their interaction with immiscible fluids, and oleogelators (oil gelling agents) to give liquid oils a solid-like structure via combination of capillary suspensions and oleogel networks. Selvyn's focus is the characterization of the individual and combined interactions between the components of his system and how they contribute to overall rheology and microstructure.
Credentials
M.Sc. Chemistry 2019
(Toronto Metropolitan University)
![Natália Mello Natália Mello](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/Natalia1.jpg)
Natália works with water-in-oil high internal phase emulsions, systems composed of over 74% v/v of water. She is currently focused on understanding how changing the composition of these emulsions may tune their functionality. Combining results, especially from rheology and microscopy, structure-function relationship may be elucidated.
Credentials
M.Sc. Food Science
(University of Campinas, Brazil)
![Veronica Hislop Veronica Hislop](/content/dam/rousseau/groupmembers/01.png)
Veronica is interested in tailoring the texture and rheology of water-in-oil emulsions by tuning the interfacial design of dispersed water droplets and their interaction with fat crystals. The aim is to control the structure formation and breakdown behaviour of these emulsions.
Credentials
B.Sc. Chemistry
(Toronto Metropolitan University)
![Shweta Lad Shweta Lad](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/ws_Shweta.jpg)
Shweta studies the formation of liquid crystals, and how parameters (such as concentration, and surfactant types) affect nucleation and crystallization at the oil/water interface versus in bulk. She works at improved rheology, stability, texture of emulsion and formation of different LC structures, such as lamellar, nematic and hexagonal.
Credentials
B.Sc. Materials and Nanosciences
(Waterloo University)
![Raphael De Henau Raphael De Henau](/content/dam/rousseau/groupmembers/Raphael2.jpg)
Raphaël explores food structuring using hydrocolloids. He designs functional food scaffolds and studies the microstructure governing the resulting mechanical properties. His work focuses on the development of soft-materials for use as meat analogs.
Credentials
M.Sc. Industrial engineering
(Institut supérieur industriel agronomique de Huy, Belgium)
![Robert Jordan Carrillo Zurita Robert Jordan Carrillo Zurita](/content/dam/rousseau/groupmembers/Jordan1.jpg)
Robert "Jordan" is currently exploring the structuring of oil-based systems, using proteins as an oleogelator. He currently works on functionalizing protein isolates for their co-option as building blocks in polymeric, 3D networks capable of assimilating and embedding oil. The aim is to apply oleogelation to oil-based systems incorporating organic particles.
Jordan is also the President of the Molecular Science Graduate Course Union for the 2023-2024 academic year!
Credentials
B.Sc. Biology (Hons)
(Toronto Metropolitan University)
![Ricardo De Almeida Ricardo De Almeida](/content/dam/rousseau/groupmembers/Ricardo1.jpg)
Ricardo studies the breakdown of food microstructures. He uses in-vitro digestion models to investigate how food matrices impact their digestion kinetics. His goal is to make processed food healthier.
Ricardo also serves as one of the Ph.D. representative for the 2023-2024 Molecular Science Graduate Course Union!
Credentials
B.Sc. Pharmacy
(University of the Sacred Heart - UNISAGRADO, Brazil)
![Quinton Ropret Quinton Ropret](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/Quinton_Cropped.jpg)
Quinton studies the interfacial behaviour of emulsifiers and fat crystals at the oil-water interface. His work is focused on the emulsifier-fat crystal layer that forms at the interface, namely the nucleation of fat crystals and their interactions with various emulsifiers. He works with interfacial rheology, interfacial tensiometry and microscopy.
Quinton also serves as one of the M.Sc. representative for the 2023-2024 Molecular Science Graduate Course Union!
Credentials:
B.Sc. Biomedical Sciences (Hons)
(Toronto Metropolitan University)
M.Sc.
Students
![Katia Kent Katia Kent](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/Katia_Kent_2.jpg)
Katia is currently measuring stability differences in particle-stabilized and shell-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions. Specifically she is interested in determining how polarity and surface charge affects the interfacial film morphology of these emulsions.
Katia also holds the position of Co-Vice President of Events on the 2023-2024 executive commitee for the Molecular Science Graduate Course Union!
Credentials
BA Biology and Psychology
(Wilfrid Laurier University)
![Enea Lelaj Enea Lelaj](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/IMG_2956.jpg)
Enea is currently investigating the structure-function relationship behind the rheology-controlling effects of emulsifiers in particle dispersions. He develops molten chocolate systems and determines how different emulsifiers, either synthetic or naturally occuring, reduce low shear apparent viscosity and aggregation behavior by altering the ways in which particles see each other in suspension.
Credentials
B.Sc. Chemistry
(Toronto Metropolitan University)
Research
Technician
![Andrii Goralchuk Andrii Goralchuk](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/ws_equipment_placeholder.png)
Andrii is our lab technician, responsible for sample imaging using advanced techniques, including electron and RAMAN confocal microscopy.
In his native Ukraine, Andrii was a highly experienced product developer with a strong background in food chemistry and a track record of successfully developing and commercializing new food products.
Credentials
D.Sc Engineering, Food Science and Technology
(Kharkiv State University of Food Technology and Trade)
Visiting
Scholars
![Lorenzo De Berardinis Lorenzo De Berardinis](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/Lorenzo.jpeg)
Lorenzo is working on the development and characterisation of bioaerogels from different precursors (i.e., proteins, polysaccharides and plant tissues). Bioaerogels present high porosity and internal surface area, representing groundbreaking functional materials for food applications. Thanks to these characteristics, Lorenzo is studying the application of bioaerogel to (i) structure large amounts of liquid oil leading to plastic materials with rheological properties comparable to those of commercial saturated fats, and with an improved nutritional profile; (ii) deliver bioactive compounds during food process, storage and digestion.
Credentials
M.Sc. Food Science and Technology
(Università degli Studi di Udine - Italy)
Undergraduate
Students
![Thea-Camile Ramilo Thea-Camile Ramilo](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/ws_equipment_placeholder.png)
Thea-Camile works alongside Jordan on the development of protein-based oleogels. Specifically, she is exploring a simplified method to develop protein oleogel using novel instrumentation and treatments.
Thea also holds the position of Vice President of Community Development on the 2024 executive commitee for TMU's Association of Undergraduate Women in Science!
![Madeline Huber Madeline Huber](/content/dam/rousseau/Images/ws_equipment_placeholder.png)
Madeline works alongside Quinton
Past
Members
Former Ph.D. Students
Ruby Rafanan
Tu Tran
Ryan West
Former Undergraduate Students (Thesis)
Elisha Domingos
Jordan Carrillo-Zurita
Rebecca Liatsidis
Tenzin Tselha
Enea Lelaj
Adrian Argudo
Andrew Castillo
Melinda Das
Kyle Vollet
Former Undergraduate Students (Research Assistants)
Sarah Martin
Alessiia Bisvas
Taryn Hoffman
Alessia Pileggi
Damaris Loor
Stesi Kambo
Stephanie Almeida
Former Master Students
Enea Lelaj
Delnavaz Yazdansepas
Kayla Schindler
Adrian Argudo
Vivek Patel
Former Post-Docs & Visiting Scholars
Lorenzo de Berardinis
Prof. Sopark "Ben" Sonwai
Dr. Jeffery Powell
Dr. Auke de Vries
Prof. Jaime David Perez-Martinez
Dr. Naomi Arita Merino
Dr. Kar Yeen Chong
Dr. Johnathan Andrade
Dr. Philipp Fuhrmann
Dr. Nicole Green
Dr. Qing Guo