THE FOOD AI LAB

MEET THE TEAM

The people teaching machines to understand food

Victoria Coppack

Mel Holmes

Associate Professor of Food Processing

My primary research interests focus on the application of partial and ordinary differential equations to model physical systems, such as heat transfer during processing methods, electromagnetic microwave models, and thermoacoustics, to gain insights into the complex interactions occurring in real systems. Solutions to these problems can be obtained both analytically and numerically, with validation achieved through comparison with appropriate experimental results. Additionally, I am interested in Monte Carlo models and other statistical techniques to utilise dietary data for conducting exposure assessments from contaminants. This involves using large datasets, such as National Dietary and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS) and specifically conducted dietary surveys, along with appropriate concentration data related to the target compound. Current areas of research include modelling and measurement of ultrasound propagation through emulsions, ultrasonic characterization of the bulk viscosity of fluids, probabilistic dietary exposure assessments, and mathematical modelling of physical systems related to food topics.
Nicholas Watson

Nicholas Watson

Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Food

Nik is a Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Food in the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds and a founding member of the Food AI Lab (www.foodailab.co.uk). He is also a deputy co-director of the UK’s National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (www.napic.ac.uk).

Nik’s research focuses on leveraging digital technologies to tackle pressing challenges in environmental sustainability, food safety, resilience and health within food production systems. His research has a particular emphasis on integrating low-cost sensors (e.g., acoustic and optical) with advanced machine learning methods for controlling and optimising food production processes and monitoring key material properties in real-time. His current activities have a strong focus on the circular bioeconomy and alternative proteins. Although his research spans all technology readiness levels, he has particular expertise collaborating with industry partners across a variety of food sectors and business sizes (micro-SME to multinational).

Nik holds an MEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hull (2006) and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Leeds (2010). Following his doctoral studies, he served as a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant in the Food Physics Lab at the University of Leeds from 2010 to 2014. He then advanced to roles as an Assistant and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Nottingham. In 2023, Nik returned to the University of Leeds to take up his current professorial appointment, where he continues to drive innovation at the intersection of artificial int
Victoria Coppack

Darren Greetham

Lecturer in Yeast Fermentations

Darren works in the Food AI Lab on an AI platform for producing sustainable protein from agri-food waste, funded by the Bezos Earth Fund in collaboration with CSIRO. His expertise in yeast biology and fermentation underpins the experimental side of the platform, generating the biological data used to train and validate its predictive models. His wider research centres on yeast tolerance to fermentation stresses, particularly the conversion of plant-derived, non-starch feedstocks into protein and other high-value products. Darren completed his PhD at Aberystwyth in 2002 and has since held research positions at Manchester, Nottingham, Huddersfield and Sheffield.
Victoria Coppack

Alexander Lim

PhD Student

Alex’s research project is focused around the development of AI models to predict solid fat content and crystallisation kinetics in various oil blends. The project is a blend of computational and experimental work, combining traditional fat analysis methods with modern machine learning applications. His research is being conducted in conjunction with Nestlé and the BBSRC.

PhD project title: Artificial Intelligence Platform for Lipid Functionality in Food Products
Victoria Coppack

Tom Bailey

Research and Innovation Fellow in Colloid Science @ NAPIC

Tom’s research primarily focuses on modifying plant proteins to improve their colloidal properties, with the aim of finding a plant based replacement for beta-Casein. This work will be a blend of both experimental and computational research, with the computational side focusing on the development of machine learning models using the experimental data gathered to predict ideal operating conditions to modify these proteins and potentially predict the emulsion capabilities these modified proteins may show.

Previously, Tom completed a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Leeds (2019-2023), focusing on the microfluidic synthesis of Metal-Organic Frameworks, completing a thesis by publication which included a machine learning based paper. Following this, Tom joined C-Capture Ltd as an R&D Engineer, performing both computational and experimental based research to improve C-Capture’s solvent based carbon capture technology. Tom returned to the University of Leeds as an Research and Innovation Fellow with the recently established National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) in March 2025.
Victoria Coppack

Poppy Daniels

PhD Student

Following my recent graduation from the University of Leeds, I have continued at Leeds to undertake a PhD exploring the application of machine learning within chocolate processing. My research project focuses on understanding how traditional and novel processing methods impact the retention of key compounds in chocolate. I am working to determine how machine learning could support the optimisation of processing parameters and the development of products with enhanced nutritional and functional properties.

PhD Project: Designing chocolate products with enhanced health, wellbeing, and technical performance using AI.
Victoria Coppack

Subas Rana

Research Software Engineer

I hold a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Georgia, USA. My research began in cloud computing before shifting toward machine learning and predictive modelling. My focus was time series forecasting for infectious disease data, including COVID-19, RSV, and Influenza. Over the course of this work, I gained hands-on experience with statistical time series models, Graph Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks, and Transformers. At Leeds, my role will be primarily on the engineering side of the platform, covering operations, deployment, API development, component integration, and database management. Alongside this, I’ll be supporting team members on their papers and contributing my machine learning background where it’s useful to the wider team.
Victoria Coppack

Alex Bowler

Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Food

SC
My work encompasses AI, sensing, life cycle assessment and techno-economics. My PhD (Chemical Engineering, University of Nottingham) focused on the combination of ultrasonic sensors and machine learning for process monitoring. My postdoctoral work has included near-infrared spectroscopy, process optimisation, and open-source carbon footprinting in the brewing sector. At Leeds, I am currently developing AI models to simulate microbial protein production on food waste substrates. This is part of a BBSRC-funded project in collaboration with Australia’s CSIRO.
Victoria Coppack

Aakriti Ahuja

Research Support Technician

I support the Bezos Earth Fund project through the management of the Digital Fermentation Studio, where I collaborate with academics to deliver fermentation experiments and bioprocess development activities. My work includes operating specialist equipment, training users on equipment, providing technical support, and developing documentation for laboratory equipment and fermentation processes. I also support sample preparation, product testing and regulatory activities associated with the commercialisation of novel products. In addition, I contribute to the development of workshops delivered across six continents and participate in open days and outreach events to promote the facilities, engage stakeholders and showcase the capabilities of the Digital Fermentation Studio.
Victoria Coppack

Neil Rigby

Research and Teaching support technician

I help oversee and manage the day-to-day running of ultrasound and colloid related equipment located across the School of Food Science & Nutrition. I support student laboratory teaching in the School, providing advice on the use of equipment and supervising projects as necessary. In addition, I also contribute to the work of the School Safety Team and support the organisation of work on laboratory building projects and perform experimental research as required within the school.
Victoria Coppack

Ryan O’Shea

Research Fellow

Ryan is a Research Fellow focused on the scale-up and sustainability-oriented optimisation of recycling systems, spanning process development to operational stages using multi-scale and hybrid modelling approaches. He is based in the Food AI Lab, where he is co-developing an AI-driven optimisation platform for alternative protein production from agri-food residues, in collaboration with CSIRO and with funding from the Bezos Earth Fund.
Victoria Coppack

Yener Fatih Sur

Part-time PhD Researcher

I am a postgraduate researcher in the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds. My work brings food safety, regulatory compliance and data analysis, with a particular interest in how AI (Artificial Intelligence) can support the assessment of online food supplement market.

Alongside my research, I work as a Technical Manager, with responsibilities of food safety, quality management (Including ISO, BRC audits), new or existing product development and regulatory compliance. My 17 years of career has included production, quality and technical management roles, with first-hand experience of the challenges. I hold BSc in Teacher Training in Mechatronics and MSc in Information Technologies. These interdisciplinary programmes combine understanding of technical systems on the manufacturing ground and digital technologies in food safety and quality assurance. My decision for doctoral research grew from firstly as an interest and then a necessity of regulatory challenges. Through my research, I aim to contribute evidence that connects academic investigation with the practical regulators, industry and consumers.
Victoria Coppack

Tom Hazlehurst

Research and Innovation Fellow

Tom is a Research and Innovation Fellow at the University of Leeds, working within the School of Food Science and Nutrition. Their research focuses on applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to tackle challenges in food security and alternative protein development, particularly through the NAPIC project. With a background in applied mathematics and extensive experience in both academia and with industrial partners, Tom has contributed to cross-sector collaborations involving machine learning for process control, particle analysis, and materials discovery. Their work bridges data science and food systems to support sustainable and scalable innovation.
Victoria Coppack

Pawat Srisiriwat

PhD Student

Experienced in working at a sauce production factory as a project engineer. Later pursued an MSc degree in Food Process Engineering at UON. Currently interested in the application of AI in the food industry and pursuing a PhD on how transfer learning techniques can support the development of machine learning models specifically for production processes. The aim of this project is to minimise the data required in training ML or AI models, eliminating the time investment in data collection and labelling processes, which are burdensome, costly, and in some particular areas, data is hard to collect.

PhD project title: Application of Transfer Learning in Ultrasonic Sensor Technology for Production Process Optimization

FORMER MEMBERS

Victoria Coppack

Simha Sridharan

MCSA Research Fellow

Simha’s current research focuses on understanding how plant protein processing impact their oral perception. Specifically he uses a combination of experimental and computational methods to unravel the molecular basis for various surface interactions that lead to different oral perception of proteins. Prior to his postdoc, he was working as a plant protein scientist at Planted Foods in Switzerland and completed his PhD on pea protein based as structuring agent in soft food materials from Wageningen in the Netherlands.
Victoria Coppack

Joanna Sier-Fuller

Senior Research technician (Biological)

I provide support to a diverse range of biological research activities including cell culture, microbiology. I manage equipment maintenance and training across these areas. I am currently working with various researchers within the group and agri food partners on utilisation of waste fruit and veg in fermentation systems.
Victoria Coppack

Megan Povey

Professor of Food Physics

Over the last five decades, I have developed novel ultrasound/acoustic methods for food characterisation and processing. Most recently, in collaboration with colleagues from Jiangsu University, economic colorimetric sensors have been developed for food supply chain tracing purposes.

Research Interests:
Megan is a Physicist who has worked with food for over five decades, developing novel ultrasound/acoustic methods for food characterization and processing. More recently, in collaboration with colleague Jianshe Chen, she has highlighted the importance of sound in the human appreciation of food. She is designer, together with Phillip Nelson, of several instruments for analyzing food and its stability including the Cygnus UVM ultrasound velocity meter and the Acoustiscan scanner. She is co-inventor of the Ultracane blind aid. She jointly invented with Paul Smith the dry fractionation process that transformed the refining of vegetable oils.

Currently Professor of Food Physics collaborating with colleagues from Nottingham, Newcastle, Cambridge, Valencia, Jiangsu and Madrid Universities. She has welcomed many visiting students and overseas colleagues to her laboratory.
Victoria Coppack

Emma Wilkins

Research Fellow

I am a Research Fellow in Nutrition and Lifestyle Analytics within the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds. I have a strong interest in quantitative research and data analytics, particularly of large and complex datasets relating to food and nutrition. I have an undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Oxford, and an MSc in Sports and Exercise Nutrition from Leeds Beckett University. My PhD used big data to understand the relationship between the retail food environment (e.g. spatial access to food stores) and obesity. Since my PhD, I have worked across a range of projects utilising non-traditional ‘big data’, such as transaction data from major UK supermarket retailers to characterise food purchasing patterns, evaluate the effectiveness of national policy and quantify the environmental sustainability of food purchasing behaviours.

I have a strong interest in science communication, and between my PhD and current position as research fellow, I built a successful company providing scientifically-grounded training and nutrition resources for athletes. This involved authoring three books, writing numerous commissioned articles for well-known magazines and websites (e.g. Bikeradar), and creating other educational products.