Research Overview
My research addresses challenges across the aquatic food supply chain, from animal production to post-harvest preservation. I study how environmental conditions affect aquatic animal health, develop PLGA-based delivery systems to improve disease management in aquaculture, design bio-based passive radiative cooling materials for sustainable cold chains, and investigate the mechanisms underlying seafood quality deterioration during processing and storage. Together, these efforts aim to improve the sustainability, safety, and quality of aquatic foods from farm to plate.
1. Aquaculture Environment, Animal Health, and Seafood Quality
My earlier research examined how farming conditions and environmental stressors influence the physiology, biochemical composition, and flavor-related quality of shellfish. Working primarily with oysters and mussels, I investigated how parameters such as temperature, salinity, and microplastic exposure shape physiological responses, metabolic status, and flavor compound accumulation. Using physiological, biochemical, and metabolomic approaches, this work established how the aquaculture environment translates into measurable differences in shellfish quality at harvest.
Research topics:
- Effects of temperature on mussel physiology and metabolism
- Effects of salinity on oyster growth and biochemical status
- Flavor-related biochemical changes in oysters and mussels
- Microplastic contamination and biological impacts in oysters
- Metabolomic analysis of environmental stress responses
By linking farming conditions to quality outcomes, this research provides scientific insight for precision aquaculture management—informing how rearing decisions can be optimized to consistently produce shellfish of higher quality and safety.
2. Aquaculture Health and Oral Delivery Systems
An important component of my doctoral research explores biodegradable delivery platforms for probiotics and inactivated pathogens in aquaculture. Oral administration is the most practical strategy for large-scale disease prevention in fish and shrimp, yet preserving the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds throughout feed preparation and digestion remains challenging. My work investigates PLGA-based microparticle systems that aim to protect encapsulated cargo during feed processing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit while providing controlled release and enhancing immune responses in aquatic species.
Research topics:
- PLGA microparticle delivery systems
- Oral delivery of probiotics and immunostimulants
- Controlled-release technologies
- Functional feed development
- Aquaculture disease prevention
By making oral immunization and probiotic delivery more reliable, this work offers an alternative to the antibiotics that disease losses would otherwise demand.
3. Sustainable Cold Chain and Thermal Management
My primary doctoral research focuses on exploring bio-based passive radiative cooling materials for sustainable post-harvest food preservation. These materials are designed to provide cooling without external energy input, offering a promising approach for improving the energy efficiency of food transportation and cold-chain systems. Through reducing thermal loads during storage and distribution, they may help preserve product quality and extend shelf life.
Research topics:
- Passive radiative cooling materials
- Bio-based cooling films and coatings
- Thermal management for food preservation
- Sustainable storage technologies
By reducing thermal loads during transportation and storage without relying on external energy input, these materials offer a practical pathway toward more sustainable cold-chain management and improved product quality.
4. Seafood Processing, Storage, and Flavor Quality (Post-harvest)
If Section 1 examines how farming conditions shape shellfish quality before harvest, this line of research turns to what happens once the animals leave the water. During my earlier training, I investigated the physiological, biochemical, and flavor-related changes that occur in oysters and mussels during post-harvest processing, live holding, and storage—to identify the mechanisms driving quality deterioration and inform more effective preservation strategies.
Research topics:
- Shellfish quality evaluation
- Seafood preservation technologies
- Flavor-related quality changes
- Live storage and shelf-life extension
By identifying the processing and storage conditions that best preserve flavor integrity and freshness, this research supports the development of practical, evidence-based post-harvest strategies that improve the eating quality and market value of shellfish products.
Research Interests
Sustainable Aquaculture • Seafood Quality and Preservation • Biomaterials and Delivery Systems • Passive Radiative Cooling • Food Biochemistry