Applied Science

Our Applied Science research is focused on key areas dedicated to using science in real world applications: forensic science, chemistry, and biomedical science.

Within Forensic Science, the team has a broad knowledge base of applying forensic and chemical analyses to investigate crime with the use of our dedicated crime scene house.

We also have the first taphonomic facility in Wales to help examine the decomposition of remains.

Within the team, there’s expertise in food hydrocolloids and food processing, particularly surrounding the uses of naturally occurring water-soluble polymers in improving the cellular stability of consumables.

In recent years, we have developed a strategic research collaboration with the Maelor Academic Unit of Medical & Surgical Sciences (MAUMSS) in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and are co-supervising a number of PhD students in biomedical science.

Recent Publications
Lingyu Han, Ruiyi Zhai, Bing Hu, Peter A Williams, Jixin Yang, Cunzhi Zhang, Nuo Dong, Tingting Li (2024) Preparation and characterization of hydrophobically-modified sodium alginate derivatives as carriers for fucoxanthin. Food Hydrocolloids, 157, 110386. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2024.110386)

Lingyu Han, Yaoyao Li, Bing Hu, Wei Wang, Jianming Guo, Jixin Yang, Nuo Dong, Yingmei Li, Tingting Li (2024) Enhancement of calcium chelating activity in peptides from sea cucumber ovum through phosphorylation modification. Foods, 13(12), 1943. (https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13121943)

Lingyu Han, Junzhe Zhu, Kevin L Jones, Jixin Yang, Ruiyi Zhai, Jijuan Cao, Bing Hu (2024) Fabrication and functional application of zein-based core-shell structures: A review. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 272(1), 132796. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132796)

Lingyu Han, Ruiyi Zhai, Ruitao Shi, Bing Hu, Jixin Yang, Zhe Xu, Kun Ma, Yingmei Li, Tingting Li (2024) Impact of cod skin peptide-ι-carrageenan conjugates prepared via the Maillard reaction on the physical and oxidative stability of Antarctic krill oil emulsions. Food Chemistry: X, 21, 101130. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101130)

Bing Hu, Cunzhi Zhang, Junzhe Zhu, Jixin Yang, Qiuyue Zheng, Xiaobo Zhang, Jijuan Cao, Lingyu Han (2024) Liquid− liquid biopolymers aqueous solution segregative phase separation in food: From fundamentals to applications—A review. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 265(2), 131044. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131044)

Junzhe Zhu, Lingyu Han, Meini Wang, Jixin Yang, Yapeng Fang, Qiuyue Zheng, Xiaobo Zhang, Jijuan Cao, Bing Hu (2024) Formation, influencing factors, and applications of internal channels in starch: A review. Food Chemistry: X, 21, 101196. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101196)

Yisu Yang, Lingyu Han, Jijuan Cao, Xi Yang, Chuhuan Hu, Jixin Yang, Qiuyue Zheng, Xiaobo Zhang, Bing Hu (2024) Preparation and characterization of gliadin-based core-shell microcapsules by three antisolvent approaches. LWT, 191, 115635. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.115635)

Paige Tynan (2023) The integration and implications of artificial intelligence in forensic science. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology. (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-023-00772-6)

Paige Tynan (2023) Unveiling decomposition dynamics: leveraging 3D models for advanced forensic analysis. International Journal of Legal Medicine, 138, 895–897. (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-023-03142-7)

Lingyu Han, Ruiyi Zhai, Bing Hu, Jixin Yang, Yaoyao Li, Zhe Xu, Yueyue Meng, Tingting Li (2023) Effects of octenyl-succinylated chitosan—whey protein isolated on emulsion properties, astaxanthin solubility, stability, and bioaccessibility. Foods, 12(15), 2898. (https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12152898)

Hongyan Wang, Jiukai Zhang, Lingyu Han, Jijuan Cao, Jixin Yang, Ying Zhang, Bing Hu (2023) Calcium ion regulation of sodium alginate in pure buckwheat noodles shown by in vitro simulated digestion. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 1105878. (https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.1105878)

Kevin L Jones, Bing Hu, Wei Li, Yapeng Fang, Jixin Yang (2022) Investigation of rheological behaviors of aqueous gum Arabic in the presence of crystalline nanocellulose. Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications, 4, 100243. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carpta.2022.100243)

Lingyu Han, Jiao Sun, Peter A Williams, Jixin Yang, Shubiao Zhang (2022) Octenyl-succinylated inulins for the delivery of hydrophobic drug. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 221, 1112-1120. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.068)

Bing Hu, Yisu Yang, Lingyu Han, Jixin Yang, Wenjie Zheng, Jijuan Cao (2022) Characterization of hydrophilic and hydrophobic core-shell microcapsules prepared using a range of antisolvent approaches. Food Hydrocolloids, 131, 107750. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2022.107750)

Zhiming Gao, Chao Zhang, Yuehan Wu, Fangfang Chen, Bing Hu, Ran Wang, Jixin Yang, Katsuyoshi Nishinari (2022) Composite oleogels formed by cellulose particles and sorbitan acid esters. Food Structure, 31, 100242. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foostr.2021.100242)

Xun Zhang, Bing Hu, Yiguo Zhao, Yisu Yang, Zhiming Gao, Katsuyoshi Nishinari, Jixin Yang, Yin Zhang, Yapeng Fang (2021) Electrostatic interaction-based fabrication of calcium alginate–zein core–shell microcapsules of regulable shapes and sizes. Langmuir, 37(35), 10424-10432. (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01098)

Bing Hu, Jing Hu, Lingyu Han, Jijuan Cao, Katsuyoshi Nishinari, Jixin Yang, Yapeng Fang, Dongmei Li (2021) Conformational transition and gelation of κ-carrageenan in electrostatic complexation with β-lactoglobulin aggregates. Food Hydrocolloids, 118, 106764. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2021.106764)