Dr. Samy Boulos

Research area

Cereal beta-glucan is a linear, mixed-linkage homopolysaccharide of glucose that has - like many dietary fibers - various health benefits, e.g. in reducing the risk of diet-related diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes II). On one hand, analytical methods have been developed to characterize structural modifications (e.g. oxidation) that can lead to changes in the fiber's health promoting and technological properties, such as  hydrophilic interaction ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), employing selective enzymes, graphitized carbon solid phase extraction (SPE), and functional group labeling techniques. On the other hand, the structure-function relationships are investigated on a molecular level for the dietary fibers' binding of nutritionally relevant small molecules and minerals in order to understand the underlying concepts that cause these health benefits. Novel analytical methods are developed for this purpose to asses such weak interactions that cumulatively have a significant effect on health.