David Charles Dallas

David Charles Dallas is an Associate Professor at Oregon State University's College of Public Health and Human Sciences, where he serves as Endowed Director of the Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health. His research program focuses on the biological functions of milk proteins and peptides, with particular emphasis on infant nutrition and digestive health.

Dr. Dallas's work centers on identifying novel bioactive protein fragments in human and bovine milk, determining which milk proteins survive intact across digestion, and assessing digestive deficiencies in preterm infants. His laboratory employs clinical studies, digestion models, structural analysis techniques including peptidomics and proteomics, and functional assays to investigate how milk proteins are digested in both infants and adults.

His research has revealed significant differences in digestive capacity between preterm and term infants, demonstrating that premature infants have lower ability to digest milk proteins compared to term infants. This work has important implications for improving health outcomes for preterm infants through better understanding of milk protein digestion and bioactive peptide release.

Analysis of Dr. Dallas's recent publications (2023-2025) shows a strong focus on adult digestion of dairy proteins, processing techniques that preserve bioactive components, and the identification of functional milk peptides with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. His work spans from basic science investigations of peptide functionality to applied research on milk processing techniques that maintain nutritional value.

Dr. Dallas leads a productive research program with multiple doctoral students and has established collaborations across nutritional science, food technology, and clinical medicine fields. His work has significant implications for infant nutrition, donor human milk processing, and the development of functional dairy products for adult health.