Lectins in Foods

Uday Kishore, PhD FHEA FRSB FRCPath, is a researcher, teacher, an academic leader with a wide research network internationally and across Higher Education, charity, pharma and biotech sectors, and an inventor of biologics for clinical trials. He is a teacher and a scientist with special interest in innate immunity. He was the Founder-Director of the Centre for Infection, Immunity and Disease Mechanisms, Brunel University London. After spending a year at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, he moved to the University of Oxford for the major part of his post-doctoral training, first at the MRC Immunochemistry Unit, Department of Biochemistry, and then at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital. His research focuses on how innate immunity, including lectin and their receptors, plays a crucial role in human health and disease.Dr. Priti Mudgil is a leading researcher in food science and technology, with over a decade of experience focusing on food microbiology, biotechnology, and protein chemistry. Her research explores functional aspects of food, particularly through bioconversion, fermentation, and microbial safety. Dr. Priti has published 67 indexed papers in top-tier journals, 9 book chapters, and holds an impressive h-index of 30. She is closely involved in addressing food security and sustainability in the UAE, with innovative research on the valorisation of indigenous food resources like camel milk, meat, and dates. Her work also delves into sustainable production of bioactive compounds and value-added products from food waste. Prof. Khaled Masmoudi is a plant biotechnologist and molecular biologist who earned his PhD from University Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris 6), France, in 1993. Since joining UAEU in 2016, his research has used genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics and functional genomics approaches to investigate salinity tolerance in arid-land plants and date palm, as well as the role of rhizosphere microbiota in root development and environmental stress tolerance in cereals and date palm. He has also developed transgenic crops for trait improvement. He currently serves as Vice Dean of UAEU’s College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. His notable achievements include developing a novel thermostable recombinant biopesticide to control the red palm weevil pest in date palm, resulting in two USPTO patents.

• Section I: Introduction to Lectins1. Lectins: Definition, Classification, and Function2. Historical Perspectives on Lectins and Human HealthSection II: Sources and Biochemical Properties of Lectins3. Molecular Structure and Binding Mechanisms of Lectins4. Plant-Derived Lectins: Diversity, Biological Roles, and Health Implications5. Animal-Derived Lectins: Structure, Function, and Biological Roles6. Microbial Lectins: Structure, Function, and Biological RolesSection III: Health Implications of Dietary Lectins7. The Role of Lectins in Gut Health and the Immune System9. Lectins and Chronic Diseases: Evidence for and Against10. Lectins, Inflammation, and Autoimmune Disorders11. The Role of Lectins in Cancer Prevention and Treatment12. Lectin-Free Diets: Trends, Myths, and Scientific EvidenceSection IV: Medical and Therapeutic Applications of Lectins13. Lectins as Diagnostic Tools: Biomarkers and Detection Methods14. Therapeutic Uses of Lectins in Medicine15. Lectins in Antimicrobial and Antiviral TherapiesSection V: Managing and Mitigating the Effects of Lectins16. Food Preparation Methods to Reduce Harmful Lectins17. Genetic Modification and Breeding to Reduce Lectins in CropsSection VI: Future Directions and Regulatory Considerations18. Future Trends in Lectin Research and Nutritional Applications19. Regulatory and Safety Considerations for Lectins in Foods