Dr Helen Onyeaka

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Dr. Helen Onyeaka’s research interests lie primarily at the intersection of industrial microbiology and food science, focusing on understanding microbial responses to environmental stresses and their implications for food safety and processing. Her work explores the use of natural preservatives and fermentation techniques to enhance food quality and safety, addressing critical issues such as antimicrobial resistance, food spoilage, and the safety of reformulated foods. Additionally, she investigates innovative approaches to food waste valorization, seeking sustainable bioprocessing methods that not only reduce waste but also add value to by-products within the food industry. Her research aims to bridge fundamental microbial physiology insights with practical applications in industrial settings to optimize processes and ensure consumer safety.

Beyond food microbiology, Dr. Onyeaka is deeply involved in addressing broader environmental and public health challenges through her research. She supervises projects on environmental bioremediation and sustainable technologies like bioenergy production from waste materials. Her multidisciplinary approach integrates microbial biotechnology with chemical engineering principles, focusing on developing eco-friendly, scalable solutions to food safety and environmental sustainability. Her extensive publication record and active involvement in professional training reflect a commitment to advancing knowledge and practice in these fields, supporting both academic growth and industry development worldwide.

Research Groups

Food Security

School of Chemical Engineering

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: I am a supportive and outcome-oriented supervisor. I will try my best to ensure a pleasant and fruitful PhD journey for my students.

Provision of Training

I prefer to take responsibility for your technical training at the start, leading to more independence later.

Progression Monitoring and Management

We will have a weekly group meeting as well as individual meetings. I like to be kept up to date and will expect to see evidence of method development/data generation and results on a weekly basis. If these progression criteria are not met, we will always discuss a plan of action together. Of course, I am here for advice and guidance to help you reach the goals we set together.

Communication

My team uses email/Zoom meeting/Microsoft Teams/WhatsApp with which we regularly communicate during the week and weekends. Whilst I expect you to keep up with my/ team communications, I will expect you to manage your work/life balance.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once per week

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once per week

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once per week

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once per week

The meetings will be a mixture of face to face, or video call and I am usually contactable for an instant response (if required) on every working day.

Working Pattern

Certain tasks in my lab need to occur at set times, and students need to be able to commit to a rota/timetable shared with other members of the team.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 1 week’s notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Algae as Superfoods: Sustainable Production of Protein-Rich Microalgal Flour for the Baking Industry

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Algae as Superfoods: Sustainable Production of Protein-Rich Microalgal Flour for the Baking Industry

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Taghi Miri

University of Registration: University of Birmingham

BBSRC Research Themes: Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Microbial Food Safety)

Project Outline

Algae are nutrient dense foods that can supply high quality protein, minerals and vitamins with a small land and water footprint. This project will develop a safe, food grade microalgal flour that is rich in protein and suitable for bread and other baked products. The work responds to demand for sustainable proteins and will give clear guidance to bakers on how to use microalgal ingredients without harming product quality or consumer acceptance.

The aim is to produce a protein rich flour from food approved microalgae and to test how it performs in doughs and finished baked goods. The objectives are to select suitable strains, increase protein yield during cultivation, design simple food grade processing steps to make stable flours and protein enriched fractions, and set evidence based inclusion levels for different bakery recipes. Safety and quality will be assessed throughout.

The methodology is practical and integrative. Cultures will be grown in shake flasks and bench photobioreactors while adjusting light, carbon dioxide, nutrients and temperature to raise protein content and overall productivity. Harvested biomass will be dried and milled using food safe methods. Where useful, dry fractionation or mild water based extraction will be used to enrich protein. Composition will be measured using standard food analysis for protein, amino acids, lipids, fibre and minerals. Functionality will be tested by water absorption, emulsifying and foaming capacity, and simple rheology. Baking trials will compare control and test loaves across dough handling, loaf volume, crumb structure, texture, colour and basic sensory checks, with options to blend or pre treat flour to manage colour and taste. Microbiological quality and metals will be monitored to confirm safety. The project will deliver a validated process, performance data and practical guidance for industry use.

APPLY HERE

Co-supervisor on a project with: Dr Bunmi Ibrahim, Dr Taghi Miri.