Emerson Nolasco
PhD Dissertation Defense Advisor: Dr. Kaustav Majumder
June 24, 2025 9:30 am FIC 277 Zoom Link: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://unl.zoom.us/j/7647690037?omn=99045757127...
"Egg White Hydrolysate in Hypertension: A Mechanistic Investigation of Gut Microbiota-Dependent and -Independent Pathways"
Originally from Honduras, Emerson obtained his bachelor's degree from Zamorano University and his master’s degree in food science and technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). He gained two years of experience as a production supervisor in a Honduran palm oil refinery, aimed at extracting bioactive compounds from palm oil, sparking his interest in the direct impact of food components on human health. This experience led him to transition to academia, where he researched the health benefits of bioactive compounds derived from whole foods. His doctoral research evaluates the anti-hypertensive activity of egg white hydrolysate, the impact of its digestion-resistant protein on the gut microbiome, and its subsequent effects in hypertension. Emerson is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Food Science and Technology at UNL.
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Xiaohan Wu
PhD Dissertation Defense Advisor: Dr. Amanda Ramer-Tait
July 1, 2025 9:00 am FIC 277 Zoom Link: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://unl.zoom.us/j/96532223581__;!!PvXuogZ4sR...
"Investigating the Potential of Dietary Condensed Tannins to Promote Faecalibacterium duncaniae Growth and Modulate Colitis in Human Microbiota-Associated Mice"
Xiaohan Wu is a Master’s student in Food Science and Technology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she also received her Bachelor’s degree. Her research investigates how the gut microbiota and dietary prebiotics modulate intestinal inflammation, with a focus on the interactions between F. duncaniae, condensed tannins, and host immunity. She has experience working with gnotobiotic mouse models, microbiota sequencing, anaerobic bacterial culture, and evaluating the effects of various treatments on colitis in mice. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. with an emphasis on the role of the gut microbiome and nutrition in companion animal health and disease.
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Joshua Russo