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Professor Xiao Dong Chen proposed the concepts of Life Quality (LQ) Engineering, Dynamic Human Nutrition, and Bio-Inspired Chemical Engineering. He created the Reaction Engineering Approach (REA) drying model together with its parameter determination methodology, as well as the Chen Method for measuring spontaneous ignition kinetic parameters of particulate materials.
Professor Chen invented and commercialized the NERDT series of in vitro bionic digestion technologies (human internal robotics), which have contributed significantly to the basic research and industrial developments of food, nutrition, probiotic products, and oral drug delivery systems. His research spans applied mathematics, computational fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, food engineering, powder technology, and drying technology, with strong integration between fundamental research and industrial applications.
Professor Chen has received numerous professional recognitions and honors, including Distinguished Contributor, China’s 50 year celebration of drying technological developments (2025), Founding Fellow of the International Academy of Drying Science and Technology (International Research Association for Drying Science and Technology) (2024), Original Innovative Contribution in Drying R & D and Extensive Achievements in Food Science and Technology given by International Drying Technology (2023), Distinguished Mentor of Shenzhen X-Institute (2023), Honorary Doctorate from Agrocampus Ouest in France (2017, the first recipient in its 170+ year history), Most Favorite Teacher Award at Soochow University (2017), Next Power Distinguished Professorship at Hsinchu Tsing Hua University (2017), the Arun Mujumdar Medal — the highest international award in drying research, and the International Association for Engineering and Food (IAEF) Lifetime Achievement Award (2015) (the highest honor in the field of food engineering). By December 2025, Professor Chen had published 780+ SCI journal papers, authored 6 books, contributed 23+ book chapters, and completed more than 50 comprehensive industrial consultancy reports. He holds 30+ patents and has delivered 120+ plenary, keynote, and invited lectures across Europe, Asia, and Oceania. He has been recognized for multiple consecutive years as an Elsevier Highly Cited Chemical Engineer and is ranked among the top 0.05% scientists worldwide in the Lifetime category by ScholarGPS. Professor Chen is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand (2001–), a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (2007–), a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK) (2001–), and a Chartered Engineer (UK).
Sep 2011 – Jul 2014, University of New South Wales, Masters of Mathematics
Sep 1988 – Jul 1991, University of Canterbury, PhD in Chemical and Process Engineering
Sep 1982 – Jul 1987, Tsinghua University, Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Thermophysics
Nov 2025 – Present, Professor at Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen
Jan 2013 – Oct 2025, Distinguished Professor and Founding Head, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou
Jan 2010 – Dec 2012, National Chair Professor and Head, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen
May 2006 – Dec 2009, Chair Professor of (Biotechnology) Chemical Engineering and Associate Dean of Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Sep 1993 – May 2006, Lecturer (1993), Senior Lecturer (1995), Associate Professor (1999), Chair Professor (2001); Leader of the Food and Bioproduct Processing Group; Co-Leader (1/3) of the Biotechnology Undergraduate Program at the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
Jan 1991 – Sep 1993, Engineer (1991) and Senior Engineer (1992), New Zealand Dairy Research Institute (now Fonterra Research Centre),
EAB Member of Trends in Food Science and Technology (Elsevier) （2024-）
EAB Member of Powder Technology (Elsevier) （2015-）
EAB Member of Journal of Food Engineering (Elsevier) （2019-）
EAB Member of Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering (Chinese Version) （2018-）
EAB Member of International Journal of Food Properties (Taylor & Francis) （1998-）
EAB Member of Drying Technology (Taylor & Francis) （2003-）
Founding Editor of the International Journal of Food Engineering (De Gruyter, Germany) （2004-）
Major research areas include Life Quality (LQ) Engineering (new concepts, contexts, and driving-force analysis), Dynamic Human Nutrition), bio-inspired chemical engineering (including soft-elastic reactor engineering and in vitro bionic gastrointestinal internal robotics), food and biochemical engineering (large-scale production, process-related technical challenges, fundamental research, and small-scale product development), drying technology (spray drying - from laboratory to industrial scale, freeze drying and freezing processes), powder and particulate technology (particle production and quality analysis), fouling and cleaning of equipment surfaces in food and pharmaceutical processing, probiotic product production and gastrointestinal phenomena, spontaneous ignition phenomena, as well as mathematical modelling and process analyses.
Recent projects completed include: operation studies of the Soft-Elastic Tubular Reactor (SETR) with colon-like characteristics based on bio-inspired chemical engineering concepts; development of key technologies and equipment for reducing losses during fruit and vegetable drying; optimization of an in vitro soft-elastic rat stomach digestion system; development of mono-disperse droplet generators and spray drying systems; technologies for high-concentration fluid handling and spray/fluidized drying to produce high-quality particulate products; development of infant digestion simulation systems; full-process bionics of the adult gastrointestinal tract including mouth, esophagus, stomach, pylorus, intestines, and colon; investigations into freezing (including droplet freezing) and freeze concentration processes (such as wine concentration); development and application of micro-texture analyzers; studies on the effects of pre-digestion on poorly digestible and absorbable foods, and food components; development of standard bionic feces systems etc.
Publications in 2025-2026
1. Fan Y., Annamalai P., Wang J., Gu B., Chen X. D., Bhandari B., Prakash S. Influence of extrusion processing conditions on fibrous structure, texture, and digestibility of plant-based meat analogues incorporating faba bean protein and brewers’ spent grain. Food Hydrocolloids, 2026,170:111706.
2. Qin Y., Pillidge C., Harrison B., Chen X. D., Chen J., Adhikari B., Digestion behaviour of protein-rich soft foods produced using milk protein, soy protein, and their blends under simulated elderly gastrointestinal tract. Food Hydrocolloids,2026,172:112150
3. Qin Y., Chen X. D., Sun H., Yu A., Wu Y., Xiao J., In Silico Modelling of Physiologically Based Intestinal Digestion. Journal of Food Engineering, 2025,408:112863.
4. Dong X., Wang J., Wu P., Selomuly C.，Wang Y., Chen X. D., Unraveling the Role of Gastric Clots in Proteolysis and Lipolysis Kinetics: Insights from a Novel In vitro Dynamic Infant Digestion System for Animal and Plant-Based Formulas. Journal of Food Engineering,2025,407:112859
5. Chen X. D., Freeze drying mechanisms viewed from a reaction engineering angle: Attending to freezing before and melting during drying. Drying Technology, 2025,1-10.
6. Wu Z., Chen X. D., Wu P., Gastric clot formation and its role in modulating proteolysis of dietary fiber-fortified milk under simulated elderly gastrointestinal conditions. Food Hydrocolloids, 2025,172,Part 3:112183
7. Zhang P., Wu P., Li C., Deng R., Chen X. D., Modeling age-related gastrointestinal changes in food digestion: Progress and challenges in transitioning from in vivo studies to physiologically relevant in vitro systems. Current Opinion in Food Science, 2025,66:101357
8. Lv B., Xu Y., Wu P.*, Chen X. D., Unrevealing the impact of impaired mastication capacity on the kinetics of proteolysis of egg white gel boluses formed using the bio-inspired oral mastication system (iBOMS-III). Food Research International, 2025,221,Part 4:117621
9. Qiang W., Yang S., Wu P., Chen X. D., Biorelevant simulation of GI variability and its impact on the release behavior of non-disintegrating formulations: A case study using DHSI-IV (NERDT) system as a novel in vitro tool. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025, 684: 126161
10. Wang J., Wu P., Chen X. D., Yu A., Dhital S., Effect of Food Matrix and Administration Timing on the Survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG During In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion. Foods, 2025, 14:3076
11. Chen Y., Wu P., Hu Z., Wang L., Jin X., Chen X. D., Enhancing DHA algal oil delivery with emulsions: Impact of high-pressure homogenization and ultrasonication on in vitro digestion and ex vivo absorption efficiency. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2025,104:104124
12. Chen H., Iqbal S.，Pan R., Zhu H., Bhutto R., Chen X. D., Wu P., Enhanced Rheology and Lipid Absorption Modulation in Oil-in-Water Emulsions by Aggregation of Pea Protein Isolate and Peach Gum Microspheres. Journal of Food Engineering,2025,403:112742
13. Qi Z., Kirk T., Wu P., Chen X. D., Bile salt sensitive fluorescent probes for visualization of enzymatic proteolysis of hydrogels: Development and application to whey protein digestion. Food Chemistry, 2025,492 :145374
14. Wang J., Wu P., Chen X. D., Yu A., Dhital S., Fortification of Cereal-Based Food with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 and Their Survival During Processing. Foods, 2025, 14: 2250
15. Wang K., Wu P., Hu Z., Chen X. D., pH-Sensitive, Edible Chitosan-Based Hydrogels with Extremely High Swelling and Reinforced Mechanics: A Chemical-Free Crosslinking Strategy for Gastric Retention. Food Hydrocolloids,2025,169:111654
16. Xue B., Liu Z., Wen Y., Lu Y., Zhang Y., Wang J., Chen X. D., Wu P., Comparative Gastrointestinal Digestion Dynamics of Air-Dried and Freeze-Dried Yak Jerky: Insights from a Dynamic In Vitro Human Stomach–Intestine (DHSI-IV) System. Foods, 2025,14(12):2086
17. Zhu H., Wu P., Hu Z., Chen H., Wang N., Chen X. D., Unraveling the impact of polystyrene microplastics with varying particle sizes and concentrations on lipid in vitro digestion and ex vivo absorption. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2025,495:138821
18. Luo J., Li X., Chen L., Min N., Sun S., Chen X. D., Fu N., Exploring the Effects and Mechanisms of Epigallocatechin Gallate and Ascorbic Acid as Antioxidative Components in Producing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG Powder via Spray Drying. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 2025,18: 5589–5604
19. Wang L., Hu Z., Kirk V.T., Wu P., Chen X. D., Design, construction and application of an in vitro bionic small intestine absorption model based on dialysis membranes. Food and Bioproducts Processing, 2025, 153:111–120.
20. Wang J., Wu P., Dhital S.，Yu A., Chen X. D., Impact of Freezing and Freeze Drying on Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Survival: Mechanisms of Cell Damage and the Role of Pre-Freezing Conditions and Cryoprotectants. Foods, 2025,14(10):1817
21. Zou S., Xiao J., Chen X. D., A Comprehensive Comparison of Different Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Turbulence Models in Modeling Turbulent Plane Jets. ACSOmega, 2025,10:19873−19886
22. Wang Z., Li Y., Su Y., Sun S., Wang X., Wu Z., Wu W. D., Chen X. D., Anchored highly stable Fe–Mn bimetallic catalyst in Al2O3 ceramic membranes for boosting Oxone activation and efficient degradation of emerging micropollutants. Journal of Membrane Science,2025, 724:123988
23. Zhao Y., Qin Y., Chen X. D., Xiao J., Acid-base regulation in duodenum by intestinal fluid secretion: A simulation study, Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2025, 81:76e86
24. Zha J., Zhu H., Shang L., Lu Y., Wu W. D., Chen X. D., Xiao J., On‐aim generation of monodisperse droplets from piezoelectric pulsation‐driven glass nozzles. AIChE Journal, 2025, 71: e18744
25. Pan R.，Iqbal S.，Wang N., Chen H., Ahmed R., Rehman W., Chen X. D., Wu P.*, Konjac glucomannan and curdlan modulate the rheological properties and digestive behaviors of oil-in-water emulsions during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Journal of Food Engineering, 2025,392:112475
26. Jiang M., Hu Z., Chen X. D., Wu P. Unlocking the release, digestion and absorption kinetics of DHA from different fish oil delivery systems: An in vitro and ex vivo study. Food Hydrocolloids, 2025, 162:110966
27. Lv B., Xu Y., Wu P., Chen X. D., Insights into the digestive processes of normal and high-amylose rice using realistic boluses formed in the bio-inspired oral mastication simulator (iBOMS-III). Food Chemistry, 2025,471:142799
28. Wang N., Wu P., Chen X. D., New Insights into a Conceptual Bionic Colonic Bioreactor: A Model‘Probiotics in Human Colon’, Showing How Probiotics Alleviate Constipation from a Bioprocess Engineering Perspective. Foods, 2025, 14(8):1335
29. Li M., Nie Z., Yan S., Zhang S., Chen X. D., Wu W. D., Uniform Spray Dried Loxapine Microparticles Potentially for Nasal Delivery: Exploring Discriminatory In Vitro Release Evaluation Methods. AAPS Journal, 2025, 27(2):60
30. Li C., Xiao J., Chen X. D., Jin Y., In Silico Studies of Fluid Flow, Digestion of Food and Drug Dissolution in Human Stomach. Food Engineering Reviews, 2025,17:450–464
31. Wu P., Pu S., Jiang M., Hu Z., Li C., Dupont D.，Chen X. D., Enhancing food digestion and nutrient absorption through pre-digestion: Tailored strategies for special populations. Food & Medicine Homology, 2025,2(4): 9420069
32. Pan R., Iqbal S., Wang N., Wu P., Chen H., Bhutto RA., Chen X. D., Alteration in Rheological and Digestive Properties of O/W Emulsions using Controlled Aggregation of Konjac Glucomannan and Xanthan Gum in Aqueous Phases. Food Hydrocolloids, 2025, Doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd. 2024.110795
1. US 11,645,950B2, A Bionic Human Esophagus and Stomach Digestion System, U.S. Patent
2. US 12,434,170B2, A Method for Producing Particles via Spray Drying, Liquid Nitrogen Quick Freezing, and Vacuum Freeze Drying, U.S. Patent
3. 2014106779423, A Mono-Disperse Droplet Spray Drying Tower, Invention Patent
4. 2019108057528, A System and Method for Real-Time Monitoring of Rotary Evaporation Liquid Volume Using Laser Calibration, Invention Patent
5. 201910126947X, A Bionic Human Duodenum, Small Intestine, and Large Intestine Digestion System, Invention Patent
6. 2020109062668, A Bionic Oral Cavity Device, Invention Patent
7. 201810997646X, An Integrated Suspension Freeze Concentration Device and Method, Invention Patent
8. 2022110198545, A Composite Pigment and Its Application in the Detection of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Invention Patent
9. 2015110159358, A Bionic Dynamic Rat Stomach–Duodenum Digestion System Simulation Device and Simulation Method, Invention Patent
(1) 1999 Shedden Uhde Medal The best young chemical engineer award (for Excellence in Practical Services to the Profession and Practice of Chemical Engineering in Australasia made by a person younger than 40, Chemeca'99, Newcastle, Australia)
(2) 2000 Elected Fellow of Royal Society of New Zealand
(3) 2001 Elected Fellow of Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK)
(4) 2002 E R Cooper Medal Royal Society of New Zealand
(5) 2005 Hood Fellow The University of Auckland
(6) 2006 Inaugural Fonterra Award (a top award for Australasian chemical engineers)
(7) 2007 Elected Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
(8) 2008 Monash Engineering Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research Faculty of Engineering, Monash University
(9) 2010 Monash Vice-Chancellor's Special Commendation Award for Excellence in HDR Supervision Monash University,
(10) 2015 IAEF Lifetime Achievement Award (Highest honor in Food Engineering worldwide)
(11) 2017 Arun Mujumdar Medal (The most prestigious award for drying research)
(12) 2017 Docteur Honoris Causa The First One ever in the 170+ years of history of Agrocompus Quest, France
(13) 2023 Drying Technology – An International Journal Award for Original Innovative Contribution in Drying R & D and Extensive Achievements in Food Science and Technology (Taylor and Francis)
(14) 2024 Founding Fellow International Academy of Drying Science and Technology (International Research Association for Drying Science and Technology)
(15) 2025 Founding Member Global Academy of Chinese Scholars
