Apollinaire Tsopmo
Professor
| Degrees: | Ph.D (Lund University) |
| Phone: | 613-520-2600 x 3122 |
| Email: | apollinairetsopmo@cunet.carleton |
| Office: | 207D SC |
| Website: | Apollinaire Tsopmo |
The Tsopmo Lab is interested in the structures of food molecules and their functionalities. Our research focuses on the hydrodynamic properties of proteins and peptides obtained from by-products of food processing and study how they can be used to improve the texture of foods by performing structural characterization using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.
We investigate the role of antioxidant molecules on health, lipid, and glucose absorption and metabolism. Oxidative damage to biological molecules increases the risks of developing many chronic diseases, and antioxidants molecules are useful in mitigating the risks. Using cellular models and molecular dynamics, the Lab is involved in the discovery of new antioxidant compounds from foods and human milk that reduce inflammation, inhibit lipid and glucose absorption, or decrease the differentiation of fat cells.
Vitamins and minerals are important for various physiological functions, and the Tsopmo Lab examines how the bioavailability of these nutrients is affected in foods grown in soil-less environments (i.e. vertical farming).
Metals such as hexavalent chromium and arsenic are toxic because of their oxidative stress induced damage to nucleotides and biomolecules. We are interested in finding peptides in foods that can reduce their toxicity by converting them to stable, non-toxic species.
For more information, visit The Tsopmo Lab.