Food Microbiology

Biography

Dr. Vivian C. H. Wu is Professor in the School of Food and Agriculture (Former Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition merged into the new School) at the University of Maine. She leads the Pathogenic Microbiology Laboratory at UMaine. Her research areas are food safety, pathogenic microbiology, functional foods, rapid methods and automation in microbiology, and gut microbiota. Her particularly research interests are in the development of new systems for rapid determination of pathogenic injured and non-injured microorganisms in foods, the development of strategies to control, eliminate, or prevent foodborne pathogens in foods and the discovery of natural functional ingredients to control pathogens, balance gut microbiota, and protect human health. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including Applied Food Microbiology and Sanitation, Food Microbiology, and Food Fermentation. Dr. Wu serves on 14 journal editorial boards. She is an Adjunct Professor of several universities in China and Taiwan.

Research Interest

Discovery of natural functional ingredients to control pathogens and elucidation of mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds on cellular and molecular levels against pathogens; Investigation of the beneficial maintenance of native gastrointestinal microbiota through the consumption of functional foods; Development of advanced methods such as biosensors for the detection and identification of pathogens using molecular, genomic-based methods and nanotechnology; Application of innovative pathogen intervention technologies for controlling pathogens; Injury of microorganisms; Risk Assessments for food Safety; Development of biofuels from food waste or renewable sources