Located on the Saint Paul campus under the umbrella of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, the Plant Protein Innovation Center (PPIC – pronounced like pea-pick) was founded nearly five years ago based on the premise that academia and industry can work together to accelerate meaningful, significant research with real-world impact.
PPIC Founder and Director Professor B. Pam Ismail never imagined she’d be managing a research center. A food scientist with an interest in protein chemistry, Ismail confessed that she spent a lot of time conducting research in a specific academic silo. Her varied areas of interest emphasize improving the functionality and bioactivity of proteins from different sources and, due to growing interest in plant proteins for reasons including health, animal welfare, and climate change, among others, making plant proteins better suited for human consumption.
The only Center to focus on plant protein in the nation, PPIC has become well-known, drawing people from all over the world. The Center currently manages collaborations with partners in Germany, Netherlands, France, Denmark, and Finland and is trying to build connections in India and Singapore.
“We’re working really hard to make sure it’s not just research within Minnesota but that our reach is international and we do work that brings people together on a global scale,” said Ismail.
