Julia Keppler

Dr. habil Julia Keppler is an Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Food Process Engineering, Wageningen University & Research. Her work focuses on protein functionalization for meat and dairy alternatives, leveraging plant, insect, mussel, and single-cell proteins. She leads a research group exploring protein interactions across scales (nano to macro) to optimize processing conditions and sustainable ingredient sources.

Educated at Kiel University (PhD 2014, Habilitation 2021), she previously led a junior research group there and held a visiting post-doc position at INRA (France). Her current projects include cellular protein production, plant protein modification with phenolics, and recombinant casein aggregation for vegan cheese. She has authored 79+ peer-reviewed papers and holds 3 patents.

Research interests span protein-ingredient interactions, precision fermentation, and sustainable protein sourcing. Projects involve collaborations with NIZO, WFBR, and industry partners. She advises multiple PhD students on topics like mussel protein processing, insect protein fractionation, and allergenicity reduction in milk proteins.

• Awards: 3 patents, extensive peer-reviewed publications
• Grants: Funding from Dutch Ministry, German Research Foundation (DFG), and EU programs

Labs/Teams: Leads the Protein Functionalization Group at WUR and collaborates internationally on bio-based food solutions. Her work bridges fundamental science and industrial application, addressing global protein demand and sustainability challenges.