Jiahua Shi

Dr Jiahua Shi got her PhD in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore in 2015, followed by three years postdoc training at NTU Food Technology Centre, Singapore, as well as APEC Centre for Sustainable Development in Agriculture & Fishery Sectors, Singapore. She also worked four years at School of Environmental Engineering and School of Medicine at University of Wollongong before joining UQ. As a FaBA Senior Research Fellow and Future Research Leader, Dr Shi's research at UQ focuses on premium food and beverge products aligning with the Trailblazer of Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA).

With a strong foundation in food science, fermentation, analytical chemistry, and sustainable food systems, Jiahua’s work focuses on microbial transformation of natural food into high-value functional food products using advanced fermentation technologies, including food grade fermentation and solid-state fermentation. Her research helps address critical industry challenges such as food waste reduction, upcycling of processing residues, development of novel food ingredients, and improvement of nutritional profiles in food and beverage products. Another key focus of Jiahua’s role is developing innovative food products and conducting shelf life testing. She transforms novel ideas into market-ready products by carefully balancing functionality, nutrition, sensory quality, and commercial feasibility.

Jiahua has led and contributed to numerous nationally and internationally funded research projects, collaborating with food industry partners, government agencies, and research institutions across Australia, China, Singapore, and Denmark. Her translational research supports industry needs in product innovation, ingredient development, and sustainable processing. Since 2015, Jiahua has attracted 6 research grants (>1.2 million) as chief investigator (lead CI and/or co-CI).

Jiahua recently secured a $5.6 million research project in May 2025 as the Lead Chief Investigator for “Premium Oat Innovations: Developing High-Value Oat-Based Food Products for Emerging Markets.” This project aims to create innovative, oat-based solutions tailored to evolving global consumer needs, with a strong focus on nutrition, sensory quality, and market differentiation.