Professor Andrea Liceaga has a PhD in food chemistry from The University of British Columbia. In 2009, she became a faculty member in the Food Science Department at Purdue University where she oversees the Protein Chemistry and Bioactive Peptides Laboratory. Dr. Liceaga has established her research efforts at fomenting the study of emerging proteins (e.g. insects, hemp, chia and hairless canary seeds) in food formulation to advance food security. Her research also looks at their allergenicity and potential biological activity for therapeutic use known as “foods for health”. She has over 30 publications that highlight the application of food proteins as novel ingredients for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Dr. Liceaga’s research on biological active peptides from traditional and emerging protein sources has generated new knowledge on the development, characterization and mode of inhibition. For example, her research team has demonstrated the application of microwave- assisted enzymatic proteolysis to develop biopeptides with enhanced biological activity against hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, and obesity, among others. In addition, the research done by Dr. Liceaga’s Lab has identified chia-seed (Salvia hispanica) bioactive peptides with antidiabetic, anti-hypertensive and antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, these biopeptide sequences showed potential cosmeceutical applications by inhibiting some skin aging-related enzymes. The notoriety of Dr. Liceaga’s research on emerging protein sources and biological active peptides is evidenced by several invited oral presentations, including. She has also been invited to participate as Scientific Committee Member in national and international conferences in the areas of bioactive peptides and emerging protein sources, and has participated in several research grant review panels.

As Director of the Sensory Evaluation Laboratory, Dr. Liceaga studies the sensory & consumer acceptability of these emerging proteins and also conducts daily consumer acceptability tests for the food industry sector. Through the Sensory Lab efforts she has obtained over $1.4 million dollars in industry-sponsored funds that have been applied to grow her research program.

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