Originally from Italy, Daniela joined the Faculty of the Food Science Department at the University of California Davis in 2011. Daniela’s lab researches the chemical and biological properties of foods, with a focus on small molecules, to generate insights into novel ingredients that ameliorate human health.
The Barile Lab has established a high-throughput platform based on mass spectrometry for studying prebiotic oligosaccharides, peptides and proteins, and has identified various agricultural streams as sources of valuable compounds. Her lab is also studying the underlying biological and processing conditions that give rise to the formation/preservation of said bioactive compounds.
Dr. Barile expands her analytical work through a series of collaborative studies in animal models and in vitro, documenting selective stimulation of protective gut bacteria and investigating the interaction with pathogenic species.
The highly collaborative aspect of her research is evidenced by the publication of over 130 research manuscripts in leading peer-reviewed food science and nutrition journals.