Alice Marciniak

Alice Marciniak is an Assistant Professor in Dairy Science at the University of Guelph’s Department of Food Science. Her research focuses on sustainable food solutions, protein functionality, and valorization of industrial byproducts. She leads a team exploring three core areas: structure-function relations in food matrices, separation technologies for high-value ingredients, and circular economy applications in food systems.

Academic History

• B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Lille University, France (2013)
• M.Sc. in Nutrition & Food Science, Lille University, France (2015)
• Ph.D. in Food Science, Laval University, Canada (2018)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships: Ohio State University, USA (2019-2020) and Laval University, Canada (2020-2021)

Research Interests

Her work bridges food chemistry, engineering, and sustainability. Key themes include optimizing protein interactions during processing, developing eco-efficient separation methods for dairy byproducts, and transforming food waste into functional ingredients. Recent projects investigate plant proteins, lactose-rich side streams, and novel protein sources like sorghum and mealworm.

Research Trends

Publications highlight advanced processing techniques (e.g., high hydrostatic pressure), protein functionality studies, and sustainability metrics. Her work emphasizes industrial scalability and nutritional outcomes, with applications in yogurt production, whey valorization, and probiotic delivery systems.

Advising & Grants

Alice mentors students across PhD, M.Sc., and undergraduate levels. Current projects include protein interactions in dairy/plant systems, lactose side stream valorization, and farm-based processing of dairy solids. Her mentoring philosophy prioritizes interdisciplinary skill development and collaborative research.

Labs & Teams

Her research group collaborates with industry partners to advance food science innovation, focusing on lab-scale experimentation and pilot-plant trials for scalable solutions.