• Valorization of agro-industrial side streams via physical, chemical, and biological methods • Integrated biorefinery development and microbial conversion to produce value-added products (e.g., polyphenols, proteins, pectins, polymers, microbial oils, bacterial cellulose, fatty acid esters, multi-enzymes) • Batch, fed-batch, and solid-state fermentation processes • Development of bio-based food packaging materials and applications in food systems • Modification of biopolymers to nanostructures • Oleogelation and emulsions for food-related systems