Dr. Shahid Iqbal | Engineering | Excellence in Research Award

Dr. Shahid Iqbal | Soochow University | China

Dr. Shahid Iqbal is an experienced educator and accomplished researcher in the fields of chemistry, biology, and biochemistry, with over a decade of teaching students from middle school to postgraduate levels. He currently serves as a Biochemistry Teacher at Myddelton College, China, and has held research and academic positions at Soochow University and Kohat University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on food and biochemistry, with specific interests in emulsions, digestion, nutrition, rheology, edible packaging, and food stability. Dr. Iqbal earned his PhD in Chemistry with a specialization in food biopolymers and colloids from Gomal University, Pakistan, conducting significant research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst under Professor David Julian McClements. He has published over fifty research papers and has been cited more than seven hundred times, with an h-index of eighteen. His career reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research, global collaboration, and innovative teaching.

Publication Profile

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Educational Background

Dr. Shahid Iqbal holds a PhD in Chemistry with a specialization in food biopolymers and colloids from the Institute of Chemical Sciences at Gomal University, Pakistan. During his doctoral studies, he conducted major portions of his research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA, under the supervision of the renowned Professor David Julian McClements. His thesis focused on the emulsification of water-in-vegetable oil, exploring advanced mechanisms in food colloid systems. Prior to his doctoral degree, he completed his MPhil in Chemistry at the same institute, where he gained foundational expertise in chemical sciences and research methodologies. His academic journey reflects a strong focus on food science, emulsions, and colloid chemistry, laying the groundwork for his extensive research contributions in biochemistry and food engineering. Through these rigorous academic pursuits, Dr. Iqbal has built a solid scientific foundation, allowing him to contribute significantly to international research and multidisciplinary collaborations.

Professional Experience

Dr. Shahid Iqbal has built a diverse and dynamic professional career across academia and research. He is currently serving as a Biochemistry Teacher at Myddelton College in Jinhua, Zhejiang, China, where he teaches IGCSE and A-Level Chemistry and Biology and supervises research projects, including competitions like ASDAN JSOE and UKChO. Previously, he worked as an Associate Researcher and Foreign Teacher at Soochow University, China, where he focused on food digestion and emulsions while supervising six master’s students. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the same institution, contributing to projects on protein-polysaccharide-based multiple emulsions and gelation. Earlier, he served as an Assistant Professor at Kohat University of Science and Technology, Pakistan, teaching undergraduate to doctoral-level students. He also held roles as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Science Teacher at Working Folks Grammar High School, and Research Associate under the Pakistan Science Foundation at Gomal University.

Research Focus

Dr. Shahid Iqbal’s research primarily focuses on food biochemistry, colloid chemistry, and chemical engineering, with an emphasis on emulsions, digestion, rheology, and functional food systems. His work explores the structural and functional behavior of protein-polysaccharide systems, starch, and lipids in various food matrices, particularly under gastrointestinal conditions. A significant part of his research addresses the development and stability of water-in-oil, oil-in-water, and multiple emulsions, including Pickering emulsions and semi-solid lipid systems. He investigates how factors like amylose content, pH, molecular aggregation, and processing methods affect the rheological, microstructural, and digestibility characteristics of foods. His studies extend to edible packaging, shelf-life improvement, and the creation of responsive food-grade materials using natural biopolymers like chitosan. Dr. Iqbal’s interdisciplinary work combines advanced analytical techniques with in vitro digestion models to bridge food structure with nutritional function, making his research highly relevant to both food science innovation and health-focused food engineering.

Publication Top Notes

Amylose content modulates maize starch hydrolysis, rheology, and microstructure during simulated gastrointestinal digestion
Year: 2021
Citations: 74

Pickering emulsions based on the pH-responsive assembly of food-grade chitosan
Year: 2021
Citations: 50

Controlling the rheological properties of oil phases using controlled protein-polysaccharide aggregation and heteroaggregation in water-in-oil emulsions
Year: 2019
Citations: 46

Controlling W/O/W multiple emulsion microstructure by osmotic swelling and internal protein gelation
Year: 2013
Citations: 45

Structuring of water-in-oil emulsions using controlled aggregation of polysaccharide in aqueous phases
Year: 2019
Citations: 42

Controlling the rheological properties of W1/O/W2 multiple emulsions using osmotic swelling: Impact of WPI-pectin gelation in the internal and external aqueous phases
Year: 2020
Citations: 36

Conclusion

Dr. Shahid Iqbal is a strong candidate for the “Research for Excellence in Research Award”. His prolific research, interdisciplinary collaborations, global mobility, and mentorship record demonstrate his commitment to academic excellence and societal impact. With minor strategic improvements in research dissemination and global visibility, he would not only meet but exceed the standards expected for this prestigious recognition.