Research topics that are available for the summer of 2027.
Carefully review each project as you will need to rank your top three choices in your application.
*Note: in your application you first select your top three faculty mentors, and then select your top three research projects from the available projects (= 2-3 research projects for each of the three faculty mentors).
Faculty Mentor: Kathleen Keller
Project 1: SPARK: Smoothie Program for Achieving and Resilient Kids
The relationship between what we eat and how our brains work is receiving greater attention. Conditions of the brain, including cognitive decline and dementia, are directly related to our overall diet and metabolic health. These relationships are important early in life, as well. Eating a healthy diet may be able to improve brain health and cognitive function in childhood at a time when the brain’s connections are still developing. The goal of SPARK is to test whether the addition of fermented dairy (i.e., Activia) into 7-9 year old children’s diets can improve their brain health, microbiome composition, and cognitive function. This intervention is funded by the National Dairy Council.
Students working on this project will learn to administer a randomized dietary intervention in children. Students will also learn to conduct cognitive tests of working memory and hippocampal dependent memory in children. They will learn to assess anthropometrics, measure neural function using functional near infrared spectroscopy, assess dietary quality, and monitor compliance in this dose-response, randomized controlled trial. Students will gain exposure to body composition testing, taste tests in children, neuroimaging methodologies, cognitive testing, data processing, and data presentation. Students will also acquire training in the conduct of human subjects research with children. To work on this project, students will need to complete food safety training, background checks to work with children, and research ethics training.
Project 2: MealTime Study
Research in adults and children has demonstrated that how we eat (e.g., eating speed, bite size) is an important risk factor for the development of obesity. Children who eat more quickly and take larger bites tend to gain more weight over time, and this puts them at risk for development of obesity. However, the majority of research in this area has been done in laboratories. It is not known if the same relationships between eating rate and energy intake will be observed in the home environment, where children consume the majority of their calories. Mealtime is a study funded by the National Institutes of Health that will compare 6-9 year-old children’s eating behaviors in the lab and at home (through parent-recorded videos) to determine whether they are similar.
Students working on this project will learn to conduct cognitive tests of working memory and inhibitory control in children. They will learn to conduct computer tasks to see how motivated children are for tasty foods. They will learn to assess anthropometrics from children, collect survey data from parents, and learn how to conduct behavioral coding of children’s meal intake. They will gain exposure to body composition testing, taste tests in children, data processing, and data presentation. Students will also acquire training in the conduct of human subjects research with children. To work on this project, students will need to complete food safety training, background checks to work with children, and research ethics training.
Project 3: Behavioral coding of children’s laboratory eating behaviors
How children eat at a meal (e.g., eating rate, bite size, and how frequently they switch between foods) are consistent behaviors that are risk factors for obesity. Understanding this relationship may help to identify novel targets for intervention studies. To collect information about these behaviors, students are trained to manually code video data to record information on when children are taking bites and what foods they are consuming.
Students working on this project will learn how to use Noldus software to develop coding protocols. They will learn how to follow a specific coding protocol to record data on 4-9 year old children’s eating behaviors. They will get exposure to research on coding of meal microstructure and learn how to analyze and interpret data in this field. To work on this project, students will need to complete food safety training, background checks to work with children, and research ethics training.
Faculty Mentor: Helene Hopfer
Project 1. Which factors affect protein-related mouthfeel?
Many proteins, especially at higher concentrations, elicit lesser appreciated mouthfeel sensations, such as chalkiness, mouth-drying, and cloying. These perceptions however appear to differ between individuals (see e.g., Ma et al. 2024). We are interested in evaluating different protein powders and comparing their mouthfeel characteristics using a large group of consumers. In parallel, we conduct a range of instrumental measurements to reveal which protein characteristics are important for these mouthfeel perceptions.
You will work with our research team on developing, creating, conducting, and analyzing large consumer sensory tests using a variety of different food-grade protein ingredients. You will also develop how to best present these proteins (e.g., beverage vs. non-beverage application) and learn a variety of instrumental characterization methods (e.g., rheology, microscopy, thermal analysis, chemical analysis, etc.). You will gain exposure to experimental protocols used for human testing, instrumental analyses, human data collection and processing, as well as data analysis and presentation. You will also acquire training in the conduct of human subjects research with adults and in safe handling of bodily fluids (e.g., human saliva) as well as chemical laboratory safety.
Project 2. Smallest Perceivable Differences across Sensory Methods
Holistic sensory methods such as Projective Mapping (PM) and Free Sorting (FS) are commonly used with consumers due to their ease of use. Presented with a set of samples participants are asked to group or sort them based on their perceived similarity. Blind duplicates are commonly included to evaluate participants ability to conduct the task, but what happens if sample differences are too small for participants to perceive differences? This project will study how small of a difference participants can reliably detect with these methods and compare them to traditional discrimination tests.
You will work with our research team to conduct a literature review on the topic, design and execute experiments to test different types of food samples, varying in difference and complexity, and compare the results to traditional difference test outcomes, using e.g., triangle or tetrad tests. You will also acquire training in the conduct of human subjects research with adults as well as chemical laboratory safety.
Project 3. Consumer Perception of Novel Foods
Which factors shape consumer acceptance of cell-cultivated meat and other novel foods, such as mycoprotein? How do consumers differ in their acceptance of novel foods and novel food technologies and how much is this dependent on prior knowledge and understanding? What information is critical for consumers' understanding and acceptance? This project will use qualitative and quantitative tools from consumer insights to explore consumer sentiment about novel foods and technologies.
You will with our research team to conduct a literature review on the topic, design and execute experiments to test different research questions, and analyze data to identify critical factors for consumer acceptance. You will also acquire training in the conduct of human subjects research with adults.
Faculty Mentor: Misha Kwasniewski
Project 1. How Does Sunlight Exposure Influence Grape Chemistry During Development?
The chemical composition of grapes begins developing long before the fruit is ripe, and vineyard management practices can influence these processes. One important practice is leaf removal, which changes the amount of sunlight reaching developing grape clusters and may influence the production of phenolic compounds, including tannins.
In this project, students will investigate how leaf removal and sunlight exposure influence phenolic development in young grapes. Students will spend approximately one week at Penn State's Lake Erie Regional Grape Research and Extension Center (LERGREC), establishing vineyard treatments, measuring growing conditions, and collecting samples. Returning to University Park, students will extract and analyze phenolic compounds using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, gaining hands-on experience in field research, analytical chemistry, and data interpretation.
Project 2. Understanding How Tannins Interact with Proteins in Foods and Beverages
Tannins are naturally occurring phenolic compounds found in many foods and beverages, including grapes, wine, tea, and chocolate. Their interactions with proteins can influence important sensory properties, such as astringency, as well as the stability and quality of food products. However, the strength of these interactions can vary considerably depending on the chemical structure of the tannins and the properties of the proteins.
In this project, students will investigate how differences in proanthocyanidin (condensed tannin) composition influence interactions with selected food proteins. Working in the laboratory, students will isolate and characterize tannin fractions, evaluate their ability to bind or precipitate proteins, and relate these interactions to tannin composition using analytical chemistry techniques. Students will gain hands-on experience in food chemistry, protein–polyphenol interactions, chromatography, and data analysis.
Project 3. Exploring Forest Terroir: How Does Oak Origin Influence the Flavor of Spirits?
Oak barrels contribute many of the flavors and aromas associated with aged spirits, including whiskey and brandy. However, the chemical composition of oak wood can vary depending on where the trees grow, potentially influencing the flavor and quality of the finished product. Understanding these differences could help distillers better utilize locally sourced oak and develop products with distinctive regional characteristics.
In this project, students will investigate how the geographic origin of white oak influences the extraction of flavor compounds during spirit maturation. Working with oak samples from different regions of Pennsylvania and the United States, students will conduct controlled extractions and characterize aroma compounds and tannins using gas and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Students will gain experience in analytical chemistry, experimental design, and data interpretation while exploring the relationship between forest resources and food and beverage quality.
Faculty Mentor: Travis Masterson
Project 1. Marketing of energy drinks and dairy products towards Gen Z
Energy drinks are heavily advertised towards youth and adolescents through marketing and positioning in e-sports events and leagues. We are interested to understand how energy drinks and dairy products are positioned and marketed to Gen Z. Comparing the differences in marketing of these two product groups will allow us to shift acceptance and consumption away from energy drinks to more healthy beverage alternatives, such as dairy products.
You will work alongside investigators to develop, test, collect, and analyze survey and other experimental data. You will gain exposure to conduct research with younger adults, experimental protocols, data processing, and data presentation. You will also acquire training in the conduct of
Project 2. Impact of GLP-1 medication on food cravings
GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic, emerge as effective treatments for weight management and treatment of obesity in adults and children and adolescents 12 years and older. Anecdotal reports from patients and clinicians alike point to a reduction in what has been colloquially termed "food noise", as patients report experiencing less rumination and obsessive preoccupation about food. Here we want to study the impact of GLP-1 medications on food preferences, food cravings, and thoughts of food in a patient population.
You will work alongside investigators to assist with human subjects research data collection. You will gain exposure to conduct research with adult patients, experimental protocols, data processing, and data presentation. You will also acquire training in the conduct of human subjects research with adults.
Project 3. Impact of repeated food marketing cues on food cue reactivity in patients on GLP-1 medications
With the increase in prescriptions for GLP-1 medications in recent years, greater research is needed to better understand the influence of such medication on typical eating behavior. Our project will seek to explore the full extent to which GLP-1 medications support weight loss in patients. Specifically, our goal is to identify whether GLP-1 medications provide a protective effect against external food cue reactivity, an eating behavior phenomenon commonly experienced in individuals with overweight or obesity. While GLP-1 medications have been shown to decrease internal appetitive drive, patients on such medications may still be vulnerable to external food cues often present in one’s environment. The impact of environmental factors on such populations may present barriers to continued weight management and metabolic health improvement. Recognizing the influence of GLP-1 medications on cue reactivity will inform clinicians and dietitians of the unique experiences among GLP-1 patients and enhance clinical support to match individual needs for long-term health benefits. This project will use a mix of EMA and iVR tools to better understand the impacts of external food cues in patients using GLP-1.
Faculty Mentor: Yi Zhang
Project 1. New food enzymes for new food ingredients
Are you interested in developing more sustainable food processing solutions? Enzymes - nature’s catalysts that drive nearly all biological reactions, offer a natural, clean-label, efficient way to tailor food properties, such as texture. This project investigates protein-crosslinking enzymes to generate new food texturizing ingredients from plant-based materials.
As part of our research team, you will work in our Food Biomolecule Lab to examine how enzyme choice, dose, and process conditions control food textures. Through this project, you will gain hands-on experience with relevant biochemical and instrumental techniques regarding food enzymes, data collection and processing, and data presentation. You will also receive training in laboratory safety practices.
Project 2. Strategies to mitigate off flavor in plant proteins
A key barrier to consumer acceptance of plant proteins is undesirable aroma, e.g., grassy/beany/green notes and bitter taste. This project explores processing strategies to reduce or transform flavor-active compounds while preserving nutrition and functionality. Chemical and enzymatic approaches will be explored.
You will work with our research team in the Food Biomolecule Lab, and the department’s pilot plant settings. You will be involved in the extraction, characterization, modification, and analysis of plant proteins. Through this project, you will gain hands-on experience with relevant biochemical and instrumental techniques regarding food proteins, data collection and processing, and data presentation. You will also receive training in laboratory safety and pilot plant safety practices.
Faculty Mentor: Joshua Lambert
Project 1. Processing cocoa is important, but does it ruin its potential health benefits? Impact of roasting on the biological activity of cocoa
Polyphenols are a large group of chemically complex molecules with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that are found in many plant foods and have. Besides fruits and vegetables, cocoa powder and chocolate are a large dietary source of polyphenols. Prior work from our group has shown that common processing operations, such as fermentation, roasting and alkalization affect polyphenol composition and biological activity, such as anti-inflammatory effects. Here we specifically want to understand the effects of different roasting temperatures and times on in vitro anti-inflammatory measures.
You will work with our research team to learn how to prepare polyphenolic extracts from differently roasted cocoa samples, characterize these extracts for their polyphenol content, and test their in vitro anti-inflammatory effects. You will gain exposure to chemical, and biochemical analysis methods, data collection and processing, and data presentation. You will also acquire training in chemical laboratory safety.
Project 2. Can waste streams from the brewing, winemaking, and distilling industries by exploited as a source of health-promoting functional food ingredients?
The brewing, winemaking, and distilled spirits industry generate large amounts of waste known as spent brewers/distillers grains or pomace. At best, these waste products are used in low-value applications such as mulch or animal feeds. Based on the high content of specialized metabolites such polyphenols, alkylresorcinols, etc., there is an opportunity to convert these waste streams into high value functional food ingredients to improve human health. In this project, you will (1) compare methods to create enriched extracts from spent brewers/distillers grains and/or apple or grape pomace; (2) compare the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts; and chemically-characterize the extracts to identify compounds that are key for biological activity. These studies will help support the development processes and products to exploit waste streams of the brewing, winemaking, increase economic benefits to these industries, and provide novel food ingredients to improve public health. You will gain exposure to chemical, and biochemical analysis methods, data collection and processing, and data presentation. You will also acquire training in chemical laboratory safety.
Project 3. Is a grape just a grape or does it matter where it is grown? Comparative studies on the impact of growing environment on the anti-inflammatory effects of grapes
Nutritional scientists and others advocate increased consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions. Grapes are a popular fruit and there is existing data to indicate that grapes can reduce inflammation and prevent cancer. But grapes come in many varieties and are grown in many different places. These varieties have different chemistry (just think about green vs. red grapes) and all of them will respond to environmental stresses by altering their chemistry.
How do these changes in chemistry affect the potential health effects of grapes? In this project, you will compare the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from grapes using cell and enzyme-based models (1) to determine if the same variety of grapes grown in different locations have different activity and (2) if the activity of the same variety of grapes growing in the same place differs between seasons. These studies, in the short-term, will help identify factors that influence the potential health beneficial effects of grapes and, in the long-term, will help identify chemical markers that can be used by grape growers and processors to produce more healthful products. You will gain exposure to chemical, and biochemical analysis methods, data collection and processing, and data presentation. You will also acquire training in chemical laboratory safety.
