Researcher biography
I am a food scientist and chemical engineer specialising in advanced encapsulation technologies and particle engineering for the delivery of bioactive compounds. My research focuses on developing scalable solutions to improve the stability, bioavailability, and controlled release of micronutrients in food, feed, and agricultural systems.
My work sits at the interface of food science, materials engineering, and nanotechnology, with particular expertise in alginate-based materials, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-stabilised emulsions, and spray-drying technologies.
My research aims to bridge fundamental science with industrial application, with a strong focus on scalability, cost-effectiveness, and real-world impact. I am particularly interested in collaborating with academic and industry partners to develop next-generation delivery systems that enhance nutrition, product performance, and global food security.
Journal Articles
Weng, Yilun, Serrano, Thaiza, Magallanes, Karen, Bekker, Marlize and Baldelli, Alberto (2026). Locking in flavor: Aroma chemistry and spray drying encapsulation strategies for stable food applications. Food Chemistry, 513 148598, 1-21. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.148598
Na, Yunong, Liu, Kunhao, Oguzlu, Hale, Liu, Huifan, Chen, Yi, Weng, Yilun and Baldelli, Alberto (2026). Engineering acid-resistant pickering emulsions via sustainable CNC-chitosan synergy: The effect of ionic strength. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 353 151204, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151204
Weng, Yilun, Zhu, Yan, Ren, Yue, Oguzlu, Hale, Shewan, Heather and Baldelli, Alberto (2026). Transparent and water-resistant edible coatings for sustainable post-harvest preservation of banana. Sustainable Food Technology, 4 (2), 1953-1966. doi: 10.1039/d5fb00804b
Yan, Penghui, Peng, Hong, Konarova, Muxina, Vogrin, John, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Weng, Yilun, Ma, Beibei, Wang, Juntao and Zhu, Zhonghua (2025). Promotion Effects of Zr, Na, K, and Mn on Encapsulated Fe@Si Catalysts for CO 2 Hydrogenation. Energy & Fuels, 39 (50), 23846-23855. doi: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5c05577
Magallanes Levano, Karen Johana, Weng, Yilun and Baldelli, Alberto (2025). Spray drying vitamin B12: Innovations in encapsulation for functional foods. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 165 105316, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105316
Lu, Zeyu, Evans, Samuel, McDonnell, Liam, Bandari, Naga Chandra, Weng, Yilun, Jin, Wanli, Speight, Robert, Schenk, Gerhard, Howard, Christopher B., Vickers, Claudia E. and Peng, Bingyin (2025). Exploiting the geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate-sensing N-terminal domain of HMG-CoA reductase 2 to regulate farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (Erg20p) for improved monoterpene production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast, 42 (8-10), 169-180. doi: 10.1002/yea.4005
Yan, Penghui, Peng, Hong, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Ge, Lei, Weng, Yilun, Ma, Beibei, Wang, Juntao, Konarova, Muxina, Zhao, Guangyu, Kennedy, Eric M., Zhu, Zhonghua and Stockenhuber, Michael (2025). Advances in lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading for sustainable biofuel production: process design strategies and reaction rationales. Green Chemistry, 27 (35), 10444-10477. doi: 10.1039/d5gc02199e
Yan, Penghui, Kennedy, Eric M., Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Weng, Yilun, Peng, Hong, Ma, Beibei, Zhu, Zhonghua and Stockenhuber, Michael (2025). Recent advances in heterogeneous catalysts for biocrude hydrodeoxygenation. Green Chemistry, 27 (13), 3375-3397. doi: 10.1039/d4gc05059b
Baldelli, Alberto, Weng, Yilun, Prakash, Sangeeta and Bhandari, Bhesh (2025). Optimizing microalgae bioprocessing and digestibility: spraying techniques for drying and encapsulation. Food Bioscience, 68 106288. doi: 10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106288
Hui, Yue, Liu, Yun, Yang, Guangze, Weng, Yilun, Hou, Fei, Wang, Xing, Fang, Sheng, Gao, Huajian and Zhao, Chun‐Xia (2024). Critical role of nanomaterial mechanical properties in drug delivery, nanovaccines and beyond. Advanced Materials, 37 (7) 2413779, 1-37. doi: 10.1002/adma.202413779
Li, Yang, Weng, Yilun, Hui, Yue, Wang, Jiaqi, Xu, Letao, Yang, Yang, Yang, Guangze and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2024). Design of stimuli-responsive minimalist heptad surfactants for stable emulsions. Communications Materials, 5 (1) 229, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s43246-024-00670-6
Weng, Yilun, Yan, Penghui, Sun, Baode, Wan, Andria, You, Jiakang, Xu, Xin, Lu, Zeyu, Stewart, Glen A., Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2024). Rapid room-temperature synthesis of biocompatible metal–organic framework for enzyme immobilization with improved stability and on-demand release. Chemical Engineering Journal, 497 154471, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.154471
Yan, Penghui, Peng, Hong, Zhang, Xi, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Ahmed, Mohamed, Weng, Yilun, Rozhkovskaya, Alexandra, Vogrin, John, Konarova, Muxina and Zhu, Zhonghua (2024). Unlocking the role of Ni-Fe species in CO2 methanation. Fuel, 374 132373, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2024.132373
Weng, Yilun, Xu, Xin, Yan, Penghui, You, Jiakang, Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2024). Enzyme encapsulation in metal-organic frameworks using spray drying for enhanced stability and controlled release: a case study of phytase. Food Chemistry, 452 139533, 139533. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139533
Weng, Yilun, Sun, Baode, Jin, Wanli, Yan, Penghui, Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2024). Mechanistic study on phytase stabilization using alginate encapsulation. Food Hydrocolloids, 151 109837, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2024.109837
Yan, Penghui, Peng, Hong, Wu, Xuankun, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Weng, Yilun, Konarova, Muxina, Vogrin, John, Rozhkovskaya, Alexandra and Zhu, Zhonghua (2024). Impact of varied zeolite materials on nickel catalysts in CO2 methanation. Journal of Catalysis, 432 115439, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jcat.2024.115439
Weng, Yilun, Chen, Rui, Hui, Yue, Chen, Dong and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2024). Boosting Enzyme Activity in Enzyme Metal–Organic Framework Composites. Chem & Bio Engineering, 1 (2), 99-112. doi: 10.1021/cbe.3c00091
Weng, Yilun, Li, Yang, Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2024). Encapsulation of enzymes in food industry using spray drying: recent advances and process scale-ups. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 64 (22), 7941-7958. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2193982
Li, Yang, Yang, Guangze, Weng, Yilun, Xu, Letao, Hou, Fei, Devkota, Shankar and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2023). Exploring biosurfactants as a sustainable alternative to chemical surfactants. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 677 (Part A) 132291, 132291. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2023.132291
Luna‐Flores, Carlos H., Weng, Yilun, Wang, Alexander, Chen, Xiaojing, Peng, Bingyin, Zhao, Chun‐Xia, Navone, Laura, von Hellens, Juhani and Speight, Robert E. (2023). Improving phytase production in Pichia pastoris fermentations through de‐repression and methanol induction optimization. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 120 (11), 3276-3287. doi: 10.1002/bit.28510
Yan, Penghui, Nur Azreena, Idris, Peng, Hong, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Ahmed, Mohamed, Weng, Yilun, Zhu, Zhonghua, Kennedy, Eric M. and Stockenhuber, Michael (2023). Catalytic hydropyrolysis of biomass using natural zeolite-based catalysts. Chemical Engineering Journal, 476 146630, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2023.146630
Weng, Yilun, Yang, Guangze, Li, Yang, Xu, Letao, Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2023). Alginate-based materials for enzyme encapsulation. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 318 102957, 102957. doi: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102957
Xu, Letao, Wang, Xing, Yang, Guangze, Zhao, Zihan, Weng, Yilun, Li, Yang, Liu, Yun and Zhao, Chun‐Xia (2023). Development of a concentration‐controlled sequential nanoprecipitation for making lipid nanoparticles with high drug loading. Aggregate, 4 (6) e369, 1-14. doi: 10.1002/agt2.369
Weng, Yilun, Wan, Andria, Li, Yang, Liu, Yun, Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2023). Scalable manufacturing of enzyme loaded alginate particles with excellent thermal and storage stability for industrial applications. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 667 131412, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2023.131412
Weng, Yilun, Ranaweera, Supun, Zou, Da, Cameron, Anna, Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2023). Improved enzyme thermal stability, loading and bioavailability using alginate encapsulation. Food Hydrocolloids, 137 108385, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2022.108385
Weng, Yilun, Ranaweera, Supun, Zou, Da, Cameron, Anna, Chen, Xiaojing, Song, Hao and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2022). Alginate particles for enzyme immobilization using spray drying. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 70 (23), 7139-7147. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c02298
Conference Papers
Weng, Yilun (2024). Spray drying synthesis of alginate particles for enzyme encapsulation. Asian Particle Technology Symposium, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 1-4 December 2024.
Weng, Yilun (2023). Porous alginate-based material for enzyme encapsulation. 3rd International Symposium on Hollow Materials, Shanghai, China, 26-29 October 2023.
Weng, Yilun (2023). Enhancing the efficiency of food industry with thermal stable enzymes. Chemeca 2023, Auckland, New Zealand, 1-3 October 2023.
Weng, Yilun (2023). Revolutionizing agriculture: scalable manufacturing of thermal stable enzymes. International Conference on Materials Innovation 2023, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 21-25 August 2023.
Weng, Yilun (2022). Alginate-based materials for enzyme stabilization. The 5th International Union of Materials Research Societies International Conference of Young Researchers on Advanced Materials, Fukuoka, Japan, 2-6 August 2022.
Weng, Yilun and Zhao, Chunxia (2022). Alginate particles for enzyme immobilization using spray drying. The 33rd Australian Colloid and Surface Science Student Conference, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 1-3 February 2022.
Theses
Weng, Yilun (2024). Engineering encapsulation technology for enzyme immobilization. PhD Thesis, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/a1d68df
Weng, Yilun (2019). Development of Gelatin-Nanoparticle Hybrid Hydrogels for Engineered Immune Organoid. Master's Thesis, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/6096da5