Dr David Fengwei Xie holds a BE degree in Biological Engineering (2004) and a PhD in Polysaccharide Engineering (2009) from the South China University of Technology. He started his research career initially at the University of Guelph (Canada). He then spent a productive period of eight years at the University of Queensland (Australia), where he led several research projects and studied for a Graduate Certificate degree in Higher Education (2014). In 2017, he moved to the University of Warwick (UK) by accepting a Marie Curie fellowship (actually, it turned out to be two). In 2020, he was awarded a five-year EPSRC Fellowship, enabling him to continue pursuing his ambitious research endeavours. While his early studies were primarily centred around starch processing, Dr. Xie has since developed a profound expertise in polymers, composites, and food. His fervour lies in harnessing renewable and bio-polymers, with a particular emphasis on addressing urgent sustainability, health, and food-related challenges.

• Biomass utilisation
• Natural biopolymers, including polysaccharides (e.g. starch, cellulose, chitin/chitosan, alginate, pectin, carrageenan, xanthan gum) and proteins (e.g. collagen, gelatin, silk fibroin)
• Other compostable/degradable polymers (e.g. PVA, PLA, PHA, PCL, PBSA, PBS, PBAT)
• Polyurethanes
• Dissolution, modification, processing and characterisation of biopolymers
• Polymer processing: 3D printing, electrospinning, casting, moulding, extrusion
• Different material forms: Films, coatings, hydrogels, aerogels, fibres, and particles
• Characterisation of material structure and properties: thermal, rheological, mechanical, microscopy, spectroscopy, etc.
• Rheology and printability of liquids, pastes and melts
• Polymer composites
• Functional polymer materials (e.g. antimicrobial, electroconductive, stimuli-responsiveness, controlled release, pollutants absorption)
• Food materials: texture and health effects
• Edible films and packaging
• Sustainable, compostable/biodegradable and disposable materials
• Materials for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications (e.g. wound dressing, tissue scaffolding, drug release)