Sali Atanga Ndindeng | Food Quality | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Environmental Scientists

Dr. Sali Atanga Ndindeng | Food Quality | Best Researcher Award

Africa Rice Center | Ivory Coast

Dr. Sali Atanga Ndindeng is a distinguished Grain Quality and Post-Harvest Scientist and Program Leader of the Rice Sector Development Program at the Africa Rice Center, where he also serves as Principal Scientist in Grain Quality and Post-Harvest Technology, Co-Lead for Scaling for Impact, and Interim One CGIAR Country Convenor for Côte d’Ivoire. With a PhD in Agriculture from Hokkaido University, Japan, and extensive experience in biochemistry and agricultural sciences, he has dedicated his career to developing, testing, and scaling innovations in rice post-harvest management and grain quality enhancement. He collaborates closely with breeders under the Global One Rice Program, National Agricultural Research Institutes across Africa, and development partners to advance varietal screening, parboiling technologies, fortified rice products, and low glycemic rice-based foods. He has successfully established multi-stakeholder rice platforms in numerous African countries and led the creation of Healthy Diets Living Laboratories to promote nutritious food systems. His work encompasses designing climate-smart rice value chains, coordinating major donor-funded projects, and fostering public-private partnerships to strengthen research, policy, and market linkages. Ndindeng has developed a range of innovations, including improved artisanal parboiling technologies, rice husk stoves, multipurpose grinders, fortified rice recipes, and methodologies for assessing post-harvest losses. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrating the impact of his research on agricultural productivity, nutrition, and sustainable development, with 603 citations by 514 documents across 40 publications and an h-index of 14. Fluent in English and French, he also mentors emerging scientists and guides the next generation of rice sector innovators across Africa, reflecting his commitment to advancing agricultural science and improving livelihoods on the continent.

Profile: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar | LinkedIn | Researchgate 

Featured Publications

Wanji, S., Tanke, T., Atanga, S. N., Ajonina, C., Nicholas, T., & Fontenille, D. (2003). Anopheles species of the mount Cameroon region: Biting habits, feeding behaviour and entomological inoculation rates. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 8(7), 643-649.

Ndindeng, S. A., Mbassi, J. E. G., Mbacham, W. F., Manful, J., Graham-Acquaah, S., … (2015). Quality optimization in briquettes made from rice milling by-products. Energy for Sustainable Development, 29, 24-31.

Wanji, S., Tendongfor, N., Esum, M., Ndindeng, S., & Enyong, P. (2003). Epidemiology of concomitant infections due to Loa loa, Mansonella perstans, and Onchocerca volvulus in rain forest villages of Cameroon. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 192(1), 15-21.

Ndindeng, S. A., Manful, J., Futakuchi, K., Mapiemfu-Lamare, D., Akoa-Etoa, J. M., … (2015). Upgrading the quality of Africa’s rice: A novel artisanal parboiling technology for rice processors in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Science & Nutrition, 3(6), 557-568.

Zohoun, E. V., Tang, E. N., Soumanou, M. M., Manful, J., Akissoe, N. H., Bigoga, J., … (2018). Physicochemical and nutritional properties of rice as affected by parboiling steaming time at atmospheric pressure and variety. Food Science & Nutrition, 6(3), 638-652.

Anqi Chen | Food microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Environmental Scientists

Assist. Prof. Dr Anqi Chen | Food microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor, Jiangnan University, China ✨

Anqi Chen is an Assistant Professor at Jiangnan University, China, specializing in food science and fermentation. With a Ph.D. in Food Science from Cornell University, her research focuses on microbial interactions in fermented foods, optimizing flavor profiles, and enhancing nutritional benefits. Anqi combines synthetic biology and metabolic engineering to innovate sustainable, health-promoting food products. Her interdisciplinary expertise bridges food science, microbiology, and biotechnology, fostering novel advancements in the food industry. 🌱🧬

Profile

Scopus

Education 🎓

Anqi Chen completed her Ph.D. in Food Science with a minor in Microbiology and Genetics at Cornell University, graduating in December 2021. She also earned her B.S. in Food Science, graduating magna cum laude with a GPA of 3.84/4.0 in 2017. During her academic journey, she received several honors, including Distinguished Research Honors in Biological Science and was consistently on the Dean’s list from 2015 to 2017. 📚🎓

Experience 💼

Anqi has a diverse academic and research background. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor at Jiangnan University, focusing on microbial fermentation in food science. Before this, she was an adjunct assistant professor at Cornell University and a program coordinator for a dual-degree program with China Agricultural University. She also worked as a postdoctoral associate at Cornell, where she furthered her research on trehalose metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Her teaching experience spans across several institutions, where she has mentored and lectured students in food science and microbiology. 🧑‍🏫💡

Research Interest 🔬

Anqi’s research aims to understand microbial dynamics in fermented foods and their role in flavor development and nutritional enhancement. She is particularly interested in optimizing yeast strains for better fermentation outcomes, focusing on stress tolerance, metabolic pathways, and engineering microbes for bioactive compound production. Her work is crucial for developing sustainable food systems through advanced metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. 🍞🌾

Awards 🏆

Anqi has received several prestigious awards and grants throughout her career. Notably, she secured a National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant for her project on trehalose regulation in yeast. She has also received multiple research and teaching fellowships, including the China Postdoctoral Science Fund and the Yinchuan Science and Technology “Champion Initiative” Project. Her excellence has been recognized by institutions like Cornell University and the Western New York Institute of Food Technologists. 🥇🔬

Publications Top Notes📑

Anqi Chen has authored numerous publications in high-impact journals. Here are some of her notable works:

Chen, A., Pan, C., Chen, J. (2024). Comparative Analysis of Bread Quality Using Yeast Strains from Alcoholic Beverage Production. Microorganisms, 12, 2609. Link to publication

Chen, A., Cheng, Y., Meng, L., Chen, J. (2024). Key Amino Acid Residues of the Agt1 Transporter for Trehalose Transport by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Journal of Fungi, 10, 781. Link to publication

Chen, A., Stadulis, S. E., deLeuze, K., & Gibney, P. A. (2024). Evaluating Cellular Roles and Phenotypes Associated with Trehalose Degradation Genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics, jkae215. Link to publication

Chen, A. & Yuan, J. (2024). Fermentation Utilizing Engineered Microbes: Revolutionizing the Production of Commercial Products from Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds. In Y. Wei, X. Ji, & M. Cao (Eds.), Scale-Up and Chemical Process for Microbial Production of Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds: From Laboratory to Industry. Elsevier Science & Technology. Link to publication

Chen, A., Tapia, H., Goddard, J. M., & Gibney, P. A. (2022). Trehalose and Its Applications in the Food Industry. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 21(6), 5004–5037. Link to publication

Conclusion

Anqi Chen’s research excellence, innovative contributions to food science, and her clear passion for advancing sustainable food production through microbial engineering make her an exemplary candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her strong academic record, leadership in research initiatives, and commitment to education and mentoring contribute to her suitability for this prestigious recognition. With continued interdisciplinary collaboration, her work holds the potential to make a significant global impact on both scientific and societal levels.