Professor Mike Morgan
- Position: Professor
- Areas of expertise: immunoassay; immunochemistry; food safety; diet and health; plant secondary metabolites; cyanogenic glycosides; mycotoxins; aflatoxins; food allergy
- Email: M.Morgan@food.leeds.ac.uk
- Phone: +44(0)113 343 3368
- Location: 7.61 EC Stoner
Profile
Prior to moving to Leeds in 2000, I worked for 20 years at the BBSRC Institute of Food Research, Norwich. I had previously worked in the Medical School at the University of Manchester and took my interest in clinical applications of immunochemistry into food applications at Norwich.
I became Head of the School of Food Science and Nutrition in 2007, and carried out this role for 10 years.
Research interests
Mike Morgan is the Professor of Food Biochemistry. Mike's research interests are as follows:
- Development of sensitive detection methods, particularly immunoassays, for the study of low molecular weight components and contaminants of plant-based foods in food and human tissues
- Particular interests have included aflatoxins and other mycotoxins, and cyanogenic glycosides
- Understanding more about food composition as related to plant secondary metabolites and low molecular weight food contaminants, and the effects of processing procedures on bioactivity and bioavailability
- Understanding aspects of absorption and metabolism of dietary plant secondary metabolites
- Understanding how interactions between food components can modify bioactivity and bioavailability
- Utilisation of the techniques of food processing alters bioavailability of secondary metabolites from plant-based foods and the development of novel foods with enhanced health-related properties
- Development of rapid and sensitive detection methods, particularly immunoassays, for food allergens; development of appropriate extraction techniques regarding preservation of aspects of protein epitope conformation
- Some of my research on the development of rapid detection methods has been commercialised in kit form
Qualifications
- PhD, University of Sheffield, 1974-77
- MSc, University of Leeds, 1973-74
- BSc, University of Sussex, 1970-73
Student education
My major work in student education has been to increase the relevance of the teaching of Food Science to health issues, and, indeed, I introduced degrees in Nutrition to the School and built up the portfolio seen today. My specific teaching interests include modules relating to food safety.
Research groups and institutes
- Food Chemistry and Biochemistry