Shishanthi Jayarathna
PhD project title: New starch for novel applications
Short description of the project
This project investigates how different types of starches—developed through novel biotechnological approaches—can be utilised in new food and non‑food applications. The research focuses on chemically characterising various starches and studying how their molecular structure influences key functional properties.
The insights gained aim to support plant breeding efforts by identifying structural characteristics important for producing tailor‑made starches with specific functionalities suited to future industrial needs.
Supervisors
Main supervisor
- Roger Andersson, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU
Co-supervisor
- Mariette Andersson, Department of Plant Breeding, SLU
Location
Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala
About me
I am from Sri Lanka and first came to Sweden as an Erasmus+ exchange student from the University of Peradeniya to conduct my MSc thesis at SLU in Uppsala. The experience was inspiring and motivated me to pursue PhD studies at the same university.
I truly enjoy my work as a PhD student, and the potential applicability of my research in contributing to a greener future makes the project even more exciting.