Our Contributors

Colin Hill has a Ph.D in molecular microbiology and is a Professor in the School of Microbiology at University College Cork, Ireland. He is also a founding Principal Investigator in APC Microbiome Ireland, a large research centre of over 300 scientists devoted to the study of the role of the gut microbiota in health and disease.

Sonja Nodland, PhD received a master’s degree in Cell Biology from Washington University in St. Louis and a PhD from the Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology program at the University of Minnesota. Since that time, her scientific interests have expanded to include macrophages as well as how our immune system is influenced by our diet and the microorganisms present in our bodies.

Paul Vos is Senior Researcher and Expertise Leader Nutrition Quality & Health at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (part of Wageningen University & Research). The Nutrition Quality & Health team focuses on in vitro research in relation to gut health, digestion, fermentation and gut-immune interactions, connecting directly with human studies and working across disciplines.

David Deeley is the Insights Manager for Kerry’s Europe Business, where he focuses on crafting insights that inspire and inform. With over 10 years of experience across industry, agency, and Big Four management consulting, his career has been built on the belief that everything must start with a solid foundation of insight.

Emma is a Global Strategic Marketing Director in Food Protection and Preservation at Kerry. Emma has a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Science and an MSc in International Marketing Practice, both from University College Dublin, Ireland. Emma partners with her technical colleagues, to translate microbiological innovation into actionable insight for the market, informing the next generation of consumer-friendly food protection.

Dr. Lisa Ryan, a Registered Nutritionist, joined ATU in 2015 from Monash University. Lisa co-founded the Irish Concussion Research Centre and is widely published in concussion, nutrition, and functional foods, with research focusing on female rugby players and concussion management.

Sarah Corcoran was always passionate about the area of health and nutrition and then completed a master’s in Public Health Nutrition in ATU Sligo, graduating in 2022. She also presented some of her research at the Nutrition Society of Ireland conference in Cork University.

Dr. Mimmi Lundahl is an Immunology Scientist, working for (RDA) ProActive Health at Kerry. Her research focuses primarily on how functional ingredients interact with the innate immune system. She has a Molecular Biology degree from Lund University in Sweden, a M.Sc. in Immunology and a PhD in Immunology and Chemistry from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

Saurabh Kumar is a Senior Global Director of Business Development and Innovation for Kerry Food Protection & Preservation. Saurabh has a MS in Food Microbiology from University of Nebraska Lincoln in the United States. Prior to joining Kerry, Saurabh has had over 15 years of experience in food and beverage preservation with global roles of increasing responsibility in the R&D function and business.

Joyjit Saha is a R&D Manager for Kerry Food Protection & Preservation. Joyjit has a Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from Oklahoma State University and post-doctoral training from University of Florida in the United States. Prior to joining Kerry, Joyjit has had over 5 years of experience in food safety and preservation with roles in the R&D function.

Dr Laura Collins is the RD&A lead for Cognitive Health at Kerry. Laura completed a PhD in Immunology at Dublin City University investigating possible therapeutics for inflammatory diseases. Laura took the learnings from her PhD into her postdoctoral research for Food for Health Ireland (FHI) to identifying foods with immune-modulating capabilities.

Hilary McCahill is a registered dietitian fascinated with food safety, quality, and sustainable nutrition. She has a qualification in human nutrition and dietetics and is registered in both Ireland and the UK. She is passionate about high quality food production and using nutrition communication effectively to breakdown scientific findings (to ensure they are accessible to all).

Rebecca is a research and development scientist in Food Protection and Preservation at Kerry. She has a Ph.D. in Meat Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In her research, Rebecca looks to uncover the “invisible” meat microbiome, to help processors optimize their formulas and production to extend shelf life.

Graduated with honors from INRS-Armand-Frappier Institute, Dr Mathieu Millette is an authority on probiotics for over 20 years. Seasoned microbiologist, lecturer and Scientific Director for Kerry company, he leads a team of talented scientists dedicated to elucidate the mechanisms of action of probiotic bacteria and to understand the interactions between beneficial microorganisms, the gut microbiome and the immune system.

Alex is the founder and CEO for W2O, a flavor technology firm for the past fifteen years based in the USA. He specializes in creating Better Food with niche expertise in contemporary taste & smell neuroscience and state of art clean label plant-based ingredients.

Katherine Ceschi is a dedicated Scientist for Taste Innovation at the Beloit Kerry Center. With a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from UW-Whitewater, Katherine began her journey at Kerry as an intern in the Taste Innovation department six years ago. Her passion and expertise quickly made her an invaluable member of the team, leading to a full-time position at the end of her internship.

A global thought leader, Jack has delivered more than 500 keynote speeches in 50 countries on the future of food. Degrees include: J.D. in Law, M.S. in Environmental Science, B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Psychology and Chemistry.

Juan Aguiriano is a corporate sustainability pioneer with over 30 years’ experience leading businesses and working at C-suite level at some of the world’s biggest food, chemical and fibers companies to provide strategic guidance in helping develop and implement innovative strategies to transform businesses and operations towards triple-bottom line sustainability.

Beatriz is driven by a passion for creating a delicious and resilient food future for all. She works with companies, organizations, and investors to push forward breakthrough solutions. She has travelled around the globe meeting “food heroes”: farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, transforming the way we eat.

João is an entrepreneur, breakdancer, agroforester, and recreational scuba diver who has lived in Portugal, Mexico, United States, Brazil and Spain (his current home). Currently, João is Director of Growth & Innovation at HowGood, a Sustainability Intelligence Platform with the world’s largest food product sustainability database.

Angelia is a leading futurist and strategist in APAC. She is a storyteller with a speciality in creative “connecting the dots” for Asia. An expert in the Asian consumer, her work spans industries –from FMCG, lifestyle to design-led fashion, beauty, consumer appliances – to introduce disruptive thinking to innovation pipelines.

Oliver has become one of the leading advocates in Singapore for sustainable food, being a founding member and chair of the Singapore F&B sustainability council. Oliver recently opened Re:Growth, a consultancy for regenerative hospitality.

Simon has over 20 years’ experience across multiple roles in innovation, commercial and marketing, working with some of the biggest global foodservice brands. He is a strong supporter of Kerry’s ambition to provide sustainable food and beverage solutions to more than 2 billion consumers by 2030.

Mollie is a marketing executive on Kerry’s Global ProActive Health Marketing team for immune health. She holds an MSc in Insight & Innovation from Dublin City University, a BSc in Human Nutrition from University College Dublin and is a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr).