Dr. Srinivas Mettu is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department at Khalifa University. Dr. Mettu joined the department in January 2023. Dr. Mettu is a chemical engineer by training (B. Tech, M. Tech, and PhD in Chemical Engineering) with expertise of working in applied (Xerox Research USA) as well as fundamental research environment (IIT Kanpur (India), Lehigh University (USA), The University of Melbourne and RMIT University (Australia)). Dr. Mettu worked on multiple projects during his stint at Xerox Research in USA on developing novel printing technologies and nano-micro structured print surfaces. After moving to Melbourne in 2013 to work at The University of Melbourne, Dr. Mettu worked on many projects related to food engineering such as flavor encapsulation for chocolate, emulsion formulations for water encapsulation in low fat chocolate.
While in Australia, Dr. Mettu got funding support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for 3 Grand Challenges Explorations awards (GCE) to work on projects such as (’Edible Microballoons for Nutrition Enhancement’), cellulosic biomaterials for bioreactors (’Novel Radial Gradient in Fibrous-Bed Bioreactors with Cellulose Hydrogel’) and cellulosic and protein-based biomaterials for producing biodegradable sanitary pads (’Eco-Bio Sanitary Pads to End Period Poverty’).
Dr. Mettu is currently working in collaboration with industry partner to explore the use of hydrogel bioreactors (fermenters) to produce beneficial probiotic bacteria (Gut Microbes) mixture (artificial stool) to be used as Fecal Microbial Transplant (FMT) to treat gut dysbiosis and other gastrointestinal infections.
Microbial Milk: Milk Proteins and Fats Production from Precision Fermentation of Microbial Consortia
Multi-strain Gut Microbes Production using Hydrogel Immobilized Novel Bioreactors
Development of Biodegradable Tissue Adhesives from Natural Biopolymers and Biomimetic Proteins
Development of Biodegradable Sanitary Pads from Natural Biopolymers
Teaching Interests:
Bioprocessing, Process Principles, Process System Design, Transport Phenomena, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer, Physical Chemistry, Colloids and Surface Science, Numerical Methods, Thermal and Non-Thermal Food Processing, Rheology and Food Biophysics, Food Engineering. Computer Modelling for Engineers (MATLAB, COMSOL, Ansys-FLUENT etc)
Research Interests:
Bioprocessing, Fermentation, Probiotics Productions and Encapsulation, Food Engineering, Colloids and Surface Chemistry, Ultrasonic Processing, Emulsions, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Biopolymers and Biomaterials
Looking for PhD students with Biochemical and Bioprocess Engineering Background to work on Microbial Milk Project
