Alvin Lee

Alvin Lee is an Associate Professor of Food Science and Nutrition at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), affiliated with the Lewis College of Science and Letters. He leads the Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) Center for Processing Innovation and co-leads the USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative NoroCORE, focusing on food safety and defense. His research addresses bacterial and viral pathogens in food systems, leveraging funding from USDA, FDA, and industry partnerships.

Dr. Lee holds a Ph.D. in Applied Biology and Biotechnology from RMIT University, Australia. His expertise spans microbiology, food virology, and non-thermal technologies. He oversees IFSH's BSL-3 facility and teaches food microbiology in IIT's Master's program. Over 15 graduate students and postdocs have been mentored under his guidance.

Research Interests include norovirus transmission in foodservice, pathogen inactivation via high-pressure processing (HPP), and validation of food safety controls. Recent work emphasizes low-moisture food safety, sanitizer efficacy, and risk mitigation strategies. He contributes to scientific journals as a reviewer and editorial board member.

His articles explore HPP applications, pathogen survival mechanisms, and sampling methodologies. He advocates for pragmatic approaches to food safety compliance, balancing industry needs with regulatory standards. Media engagements highlight his role in explaining outbreaks like Listeria contamination in food processing.

Dr. Lee collaborates with FDA and industry on microbiology research platforms, advancing technologies to ensure food safety across supply chains. His work bridges academic research with real-world applications in food production and healthcare settings.