He Li

I presently serve as a Food Science and Technology researcher, actively involved in various aspects of our research endeavors. My responsibilities include aiding in the setup of the Laboratory for Food Chemistry and Foodomics, and actively contributing to the organization efforts of KTH FOOD. My research is primarily centered on the biotechnology of carbohydrates derived from biomass, and I play a crucial role in mentoring and supporting students.

Background

I hold a Ph.D. in biotechnology from Aalto University, Finland. I have extensive scientific research experience in the fields of Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, and Analytical Chemistry. My passion lies in the field of sustainability, and I am committed to utilizing my expertise to promote sustainable practices and contribute to a greener future. This involves researching and developing biotechnological solutions for sustainable food, agriculture, renewable materials, and energy production.

Research

Currently, my primary research focuses on developing new functional food ingredients using polysaccharides and polyphenols sourced from agricultural by- products. The EDIBLE project I am involved in, leveraging the material properties of the polysaccharides and the antioxidant properties of polyphenols, which contributes to a more sustainable and healthy food system, increasing the availability of dietary fiber and polyphenols in our food products,  thus reducing food waste and promoting a more sustainable food chain.

Additionally, I am passionate about transforming nature’s structural polymers into a diverse range of high-volume and specialized bioproducts (BioUPGRADE), this project is geared towards addressing climate change and revolutionizing material sustainability in everyday products.

Furthermore, my research interests extend to enzyme development and enzymatic processes for industrial sustainability, i.e. enzyme designing and engineering, enzymatic degradation, and modification of the major carbohydrate polymer present in nature. Over the past two and a half years (2021-2023), I have been dedicated to the "Discovery and Enhancement of Thermostable Biomass-Degrading Enzymes" project, generously supported by the Swedish Research Council, Vetenskapsrådet (VR), at the Stockholm CAZyme group, KTH. This endeavor involves uncovering new enzymes, investigating their functionalities and stability, enhancing enzyme thermostability through protein engineering, and designing enzyme combinations to optimize hydrolytic efficiency while minimizing enzyme quantities needed for reactions. This research endeavor is poised to yield a more environmentally friendly and economically viable approach to breaking down intricate biomass structures while achieving a high degree of saccharification. The newly identified and engineered thermostable enzymes will play a crucial role in the biofuel production process.

Supervised students in KTH

• Nataliia Rymyk - PhD student, KTH Glycoscience and WWSC, since September 2023. Main supervisor Professor Francisco Vilaplana. Co-supervisor.
• Pakinee Thianheng - PhD student, KTH Glycoscience and WWSC, since June 2023. Main supervisor Docent Lauren McKee. Co-supervisor.
• Rasmus Gustafsson - Research intern, summer 2023. Master's thesis student, spring 2023. Co-supervisor.
• Ida Ristola - Master's thesis student, spring 2023. Co-supervisor.
• Lova Sandin - Master's thesis student, spring 2022. Research intern, summer 2022. Co-supervisor.
• Vasiliki Makrygianni - Master's thesis student, spring 2022. Research intern, summer 2022. Co-supervisor.
• Kasane Suzuki - Master's thesis student, autumn 2021-spring 2022. Exchange from Tokyo Tech, Japan. Co-supervisor
• Elin Wedin Kvick - Summer intern 2021, Supervisor