Mahesha Manjunatha Poojary serves as Associate Professor in Food Protein Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Food Science, a position he has held since January 2023 and advanced to Associate Professor on the Promotion Programme in September 2024. His career at UCPH spans postdoctoral research (2017-2018), tenure-track Assistant Professor (2018-2022), and current leadership roles in major research initiatives. His academic foundation includes a PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Camerino (2017) and an MSc in Chemistry from India's National Institute of Technology Karnataka (2011). International research mobility includes fellowships at RMIT University, DTU, and TU Dresden. Dr. Poojary's research centers on food protein chemistry with emphasis on microalgal biotechnology and analytical food science. His work systematically investigates protein oxidation mechanisms, Maillard reaction dynamics, and protein-polyphenol interactions using advanced LC-MS/MS and chromatography techniques. Current projects focus on valorizing food byproducts, improving dairy/plant-based product stability, and extracting high-value compounds from microalgae. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal strong thematic concentration on protein modification pathways in food systems, cold plasma applications for grain proteins, and microalgal valorization strategies. These works demonstrate methodological rigor in chromatography and mass spectrometry while addressing industry-relevant challenges in sustainable food production. His scientific recognition includes five major awards: FOOD Junior Scientist (2020, 2021), The Nils Foss Talent Prize (2022), AOCS Early Career Travel Award (2023), and The Australia Awards-Endeavour Fellowship (2016). Dr. Poojary supervises four PhD candidates and leads four significant research projects totaling 56 million DKK in funding. Key grants include DFF-funded initiatives on dairy wastewater valorization using microalgae (Two-in-one project) and cold plasma effects on grain proteins (PROPLASMA), alongside Novo Nordisk Foundation's SEEDFOOD project where he serves as Co-PI and Theme Leader. His research operates within UCPH's Food Proteins group through strategic industry partnerships with Arla Foods, Teagasc Ireland, and academic collaborations with DTU and RMIT University, focusing on translating fundamental protein chemistry discoveries into sustainable food solutions.


