Graduation day is here this year! Huge congratulations to Dr. Daisy Akgönüllü, Dr. Nisufyan Nimaming, Dr. Megan Holdstock, for their doctoral degrees – huge huge congratulations (Nisufyan is our 15th PhD graduate from our lab since 2019).
Dr. Daisy Akgönüllü did her PhD on Potato protein-based microgels: from bulk to interface, where she was funded by the EPSRC Soft matter and functional interfaces Centre for doctoral training (SOFI CDT) and PepsiCo.
Dr. Megan Holdstock did her PhD on Dispersion behaviour of insoluble protein particles innon-aqueous media, with relevance to confectionery systems, where she was funded by the EPSRC Soft matter and functional interfaces Centre for doctoral training (SOFI CDT) and Nestle.
Dr. Nisufyan Nimaming did his PhD on Conjugate-based hybrid particles to stabilise Pickering emulsion: design to digestion, where he was funded by Rajamangala University of Technology Krung Thep (Bangkok, Thailand).
We wish them all the best in their respective careers in industry and academia being scientists and lecturers and solve pressing problems in food systems on health and sustainability.
Papers published as a part of PhD:
Holdstock M; Murray BS; Rappolt M; Torres IC; Sarkar A; Johnson BRG (2027) The influence of pea protein and sugar particles and their blends on the rheology and crystallisation behaviour of oils. Journal of Food Engineering, 420, Article No. 113167 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2026.113167
Akgonullu DZ, Murray BS, Connell SD, Sadeghpour A, Fischer P, Fang Y, Linter B, Sarkar A. (2026). Pickering emulsion stabilisation by potato protein microgels: effect of pH and subphase. Food Hydrocolloids, 181, Article No. 113013 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.113013
Nimaming N, Sadeghpour A, Murray BS, Sarkar A (2026). Interfacial properties of plant protein–flavonoid hybrid particles: Towards influencing in vitro gastric digestion of emulsions. Food Chemistry, Article No. 150307 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.150307
Nimaming N, Sadeghpour A, Murray BS, Sarkar A. (2024). Pickering oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by hybrid plant protein-flavonoid conjugate particles. Food Hydrocolloids. 154, Art. No. 110146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2024.110146
Holdstock M, Murray BS, Paximada P, Rappolt M, Torres IC, Sarkar A. (2025). Rheology and crystallisation of cocoa butter in the presence of pea protein. Food Structure. 46, Article No. 100476 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100476
Holdstock M, Murray BS, Sarkar A, Paximada E, Rappolt M, Torres IC. (2025). Dispersion behaviour of insoluble particles with different surface properties in non-aqueous media – biopolymer based oleogels. Soft Matter, 21, Pages 7460-7475 https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SM00596E
Nimaming N, Sadeghpour A, Murray BS, Sarkar A. (2023). Hybrid particles for stabilization of food-grade Pickering emulsions: Fabrication principles and interfacial properties. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 138, pp. 671-684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.06.034
Akgonullu DZ, Marr R, Murray BS, Connell SD, Sadeghpour A, Fang Y, Linter BR, Sarkar A. (2025). Investigating the interfacial structure of potato protein microgels at the air–water interface. Langmuir, 41 (51)https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c04113
Akgonullu DZ, O'Hagan NM, Murray BS, Connell SD, Fang Y, Linter BR, Sarkar A. (2024).Bulk and interfacial behavior of potato protein-based microgels. Langmuir, 40 (41)https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01785
Akgonullu, DZ, Murray BS, Connell, SD, Fang Y, Linter B, Sarkar A. (2023). Synthetic and biopolymeric microgels: Review of similarities and difference in behaviour in bulk phases and at interfaces. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 320, Art. No. 102983 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2023.102983
