PTFI was featured in The Analytical Chemist’s Special Edition on “Mass Spectrometry in 2025: Trends, Challenges, and Change”. Specifically, PTFI is highlighted in a write-up by Susan Richardson, former ASMS president, about the current trends and challenges for the field. “They’re analyzing metals, nutrients – pretty much everything – in order to determine all of […] The post PTFI Featured as Highlight of ASMS 2025 appeared first on UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and H...| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
Abstract Monosaccharides exist in either “D” or “L” conformations, with L-sugars being much less abundant in nature and therefore classified as “rare sugars.” Rare sugars hold significant potential due to their unique interactions with biological systems, offering health, food, and crop benefits. One such sugar, L-sorbose, serves as a critical precursor to Vitamin C and […] The post Rare Sugars: Production of rare L-sorbose from abundant D-glucose appeared first on UC Davis Inno...| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
Abstract Rare sugars are valuable for food and pharmaceutical applications. D-Mannose, a low-calorie sweetener, is traditionally produced via chemical extraction from plant biomass, which is unsustainable, while enzymatic methods suffer from low yields due to equilibrium limitations. Here, we demonstrate that Escherichia coli can naturally synthesize D-mannose from D-glucose through a phosphorylation–isomerization–dephosphorylation pathway. We enhanced D-mannose production […] The pos...| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
“The Devil Is in the Quantitation”: Dr. Carlito Lebrilla and the Molecular Map of Health Dr. Carlito Lebrilla, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Molecular Medicine at UC Davis, has navigated decades of scientific discovery with a blend of curiosity and humility. He often recalls a moment early in his career: “I was watching that […] The post Faculty Collaboration Spotlight: Dr. Carlito Lebrilla appeared first on UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
The partnership between Mars and IIFH is a testament to the power of collaborative, science-led discovery, providing a model for how academic institutions and industry leaders can work together to drive impactful, sustainable and science-based solutions.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
We collaborate with food industry leaders to find healthier ways to make delicious food.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
A new review led by UC Davis researchers explores how multi-omics technologies and AI can revolutionize our understanding of how wine, food, and the gut microbiome interact to impact human health. This article highlights a major research gap: while wine is often consumed with food, little is known about how these combinations influence gut function. […] The post Wine’s “dark matter”: UC Davis creates multi-omics framework to unlock gut impacts appeared first on UC Davis Innovation Ins...| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
More than anything, this experience has shown me that the boundaries between science, innovation, and business are far more fluid than I ever realized and that meaningful careers can take shape far beyond the lab.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
– by Sarah Kakadellis, July 2025 As I reflect on my experience in FoodTech venture capital (VC) over the past six months, I see a parallel between entrepreneurship and my own journey landing the IIFH Innovator Fellowship: both are the result of serendipity, tenacity, and network cultivation. A serendipitous encounter A book club […] The post An Investment with High Returns: A Journey from Academia to FoodTech VC appeared first on UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
New York, NY – July 10, 2025 – Phenotap, Inc. today announced it has been awarded $3 million in a Program Related Investment in the form of a loan from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to support the continued development and optimization of KetoTap™ Core, a novel enzymatic technology, to make […] The post Phenotap, Inc. Receives Program Related Investment from the Helmsley Charitable Trust to Advance Breakthrough Ketone Sensor Technology for People Living with Type...| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
This review explores how advancements in multi-omics technologies can be leveraged to characterize wine’s “dark matter” and to consider interactions of wine components with complex food matrices to influence gut health.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
IIFH will lead research for a new AI-powered food sustainability tool, as PTFI is named a Phase I awardee of the Bezos Earth Fund AI Grand Challenge.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
Throughout my academic career, I have always been highly motivated by the innumerable ways we can leverage fundamental scientific breakthroughs to provide creative solutions to global problems. I’m particularly interested in the intersection of agriculture, public health, and our changing environment. As a fourth-year PhD candidate in Dr. Philipp Zerbe’s lab in the Plant Biology […] The post Beyond the Bench: A Scientist’s Journey into FoodTech VC appeared first on UC Davis Innovation...| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health
Amplified African Food (AAF) will address malnutrition and stunting in Africa with precision nutrition and by improving protein digestibility in foods rooted in culture.| UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health