Yuwei Xiang

Yuwei Xiang holds a Bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology (2019) from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), China, and a PhD in Food Microbiology (2024) from The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. Following her PhD, she continued her academic career as a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Prof. Mark Turner at UQ.

Her research focuses on food microbiology, microbial biotechnology, and synthetic biology, with particular expertise in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and microbial strain engineering. During her PhD, she investigated the genetic mechanisms underlying osmoresistance in LAB, particularly the role of c-di-AMP-associated pathways in regulating cellular responses to osmotic stress. This work aimed to improve the robustness and performance of LAB under industrial fermentation conditions.

Her current research has expanded to the discovery and application of microorganisms for food fermentation and innovative ingredient production, as well as the development of engineered microbial cell factories. She is currently working on Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) strain engineering, including CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, synthetic biology tool development, gene expression engineering, and recombinant protein production.

Research Areas

• Microbial Strain Engineering and Synthetic Biology: Developing genetic engineering strategies and molecular tools for microbial cell factories, particularly K. phaffii, including CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, targeted gene integration and knockout, and engineering of gene expression.

• Precision Fermentation and Innovative Food Ingredients: Applying microbial biotechnology and engineered microorganisms to the production of proteins, functional ingredients, and other value-added compounds for food applications.

Keywords: Komagataella phaffii; Pichia pastoris; CRISPR-Cas9; synthetic biology; strain engineering; precision fermentation; recombinant protein production.