Biopolymers are a class of advanced functional materials with the potential to address several future grand challenges that include an aging population and future food shortages. The Biopolymer Research Centre has three main themes: Foods, Drug delivery and Biomaterials, and Extraction and Analysis.

The overall strategy of the Centre is to characterise and understand the fundamental and applied aspects of biopolymer behaviour using a "from source to application approach" whereby biopolymers are extracted, chemically characterised, physically characterised, engineered and potential applications evaluated. We also utilise commercially available biopolymers for new applications in food, pharmaceutical and biomedical technology

Our Mission is to

Implement an interdisciplinary research structure with an international network to maximise the chances of addressing the grand challenges associated with the health and wellbeing of a rapidly rising global population.

Our aims are to

  • Provide new solutions to complex problems by crossing the current boundaries of biopolymer research by promoting the cross-fertilisation of ideas for applications between disciplines.
  • Deliver high quality training to researchers across pharmaceutical science, food science, biomaterials science and hydrocolloid chemistry in a research environment suitable for mentoring early career researchers.
  • Produce high quality researchers with multidisciplinary skills
Flow chart from left to right showing extraction of biopolymers from sustainable resources with arrows pointing towards characterisation approaches feeding into 3 Research streams that include Food, Drug delivery and Biomaterials written in block arrows that point to potential applications written in circles.
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Projects and Research areas

Our research themes and projects

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Staff

Meet the team

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Impact

Details of the Impact of our work

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Facilities

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Outputs

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Collaborations

Our academic and industrial collaborations and partnerships

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Research Degrees

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Huddersfield research portal

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Contact Us

If you would like to know more about our areas of expertise or wish to discuss research opportunities with the Biopolymer Research Centre then please contact:

Centre Director: Professor Alan Smith

School of Applied Sciences
University of Huddersfield
Queensgate
Huddersfield
HD1 3DH

Tel: 01484 472305

Email: a.m.smith@hud.ac.uk