Elvira de Mejia, Ph.D.

Dr. Elvira de Mejia investigates bioactive peptides and proteins in foods that promote health benefits for reducing inflammation, markers of type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease risk. She identifies and characterizes the functional properties of food components, notably flavonoids in ethnic teas, herbs, and berries.
More information: Molecular mechanisms of chemoprevention of bioactive food components, mainly proteins and flavonoids, and their safety. The de Mejia lab studies food components with health benefits; analysis, characterization and mechanism of action of antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic compounds in foods (legumes, oilseeds and vegetables). They currently are working with bioactive proteins in different legumes. The research group investigates the role of processing on the presence, concentration and physicochemical characteristics of proteins with biological potential against transformed human cells as well as their safety, such as allergenic potential. They also are studying the health benefits of tea, in particular the molecular mechanisms underlying the biological effects of ethnic teas used in folk medicine to combat several disorders, including cancer. This scientific study will introduce new materials to improve human health.
Affiliations: Dr. de Mejia is a professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Division of Nutritional Sciences, both part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.