Principle Investigator

Dr. Yangchao Luo is an Associate Professor of Food Science and Nanotechnology at the Department of Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Luo is also an affiliated faculty member at UConn Institute of Materials Science (IMS). In 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024, Dr. Luo was recognized as one of the World's Most Highly Cited Researchers in the field of Agricultural Sciences, by the Clarivate Web of Science.

  • Postdoctoral Associate, 2013, in Food Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, TN
  • Ph.D. 2012, in Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
  • M.S. 2009, in Food Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
  • B.S. 2006, in Food Science, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
Highly Cited Researcher Ribbon

Current Lab Members — Postdoctoral Research Associate

Current Lab Members — PhD Students

Xinhao Wang

Xinhao Wang

Yihang Feng

Ruiqi Wang

Ruiqi Wang

Chenyang Ji

Chenyang Ji

Emily Radican

Honglin Zhu

Honglin Zhu

Sunni Chen

Sunni Chen

Yi Wang

Muyao Du

Muyao Du

Current Lab Members — MS Students

Xinyang Qiao

Xinyang Qiao

Current Lab members – Visiting Scholars

Former Lab Members

Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Jingyi Xue (2021-2022) - Current position: Scientist at Jecho Laboratories, MD

PhD Students

  • Bai Qu (2024) - Current position: Senior Food Scientist, Balchem Human Nutrition & Health, St. Louis, MO
  • Jingyi Xue (2021) - Current position: Scientist at Jecho Laboratories, MD
  • Qiaobin Hu (2019) - Current position: Associate Professor of Food Nutrition, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, China
  • Taoran Wang (2019) - Current position: Scientist at Beyond Meat (Los Angeles) since 2021; Postdoc of Food Science and Technology, Oregon State University (2019-2021)

MS Students

  • Beifang Li (2022) - Current position: MS student in Canada
  • Muyao Du (2022) - Current position: continuing as a PhD student at Luo Lab, UConn
  • Pingxu Qin (2021) - Current position: food industry in China
  • Erika Fleming (2021) - Current position: Medical student at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (New Jersey)
  • Mingyong Zhou (2018) - Current position: Scientist at By-Health (汤臣倍健), China

Visiting Scholars

  • Dr. Suiping Wang (visiting scholar, 12/2021 - 12/2022) - Hunan University of Arts and Science, Hunan, China
  • Dr. Fumin Ma (visiting scholar, 01/2020 - 04/2021) - Changchun University, Changchun, Jilin, China
  • Dr. Zhenshun Li (visiting scholar, 09/2019 - 09/2020) - Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
  • Wusigale (visiting PhD student, 09/2018 - 09/2019) - Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
  • Dr. Chao Chang (visiting scholar, 08/2016 - 02/2017) - Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
  • Marco Veneranda (visiting PhD student, 05/2016 - 08/2016) - University of the Basque Country, Spain

Undergraduate Students

  • Alexander Sun
  • Pingxu Qin (current MS student)
  • Erika Fleming (current MS student)
  • Holly Parker
  • Zishan He
  • Wen Zhang
  • Yuhao Chen
  • Nikolas Rodriguez
  • Justine Inzero
  • Saifei (Sohpie) Xi
  • Hannah Gerhard
  • Shin Soyama
  • Lorrin Liang   
  • Keiona Khen
  • Syed Naqvi
  • Mingyong Zhou (graduated as a MS student)
  • Siqi Hu