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Expert has devoted much of his career to derivatization of surfaces, development of methods for immobilization of ligands, and characterization of affinity matrices. He pioneered development of the technique of analytical affinity chromatography and has used this technique to characterize protein-ligand, protein-ion, and protein-protein interactions.

This work is a spin-off of Expert's expertise in the area of affinity chromatography. The difference lies in the development of robust, high affinity ligands that could be used in a manner analogous to ion-exchange adsorption as a processing method. He is presently developing such a process for removal of beta-lactoglobulin.


Expert has studied the physical-chemical characteristics of these proteins for 30 years. His work has included numerous published reviews of casein chemistry. More recent studies have examined interactions with whey proteins and the characteristics of calcium binding to submicelles.

Expert has made developing information and technology for the use of enzymes in food processing a primary goal of his research. His enzyme studies have included oxidases, dehydrogenases, proteinases, carbohydrases, and lipases. His current studies have focused on the cloning and expression of enzymes and fusion proteins in recombinant microorganisms.

Since the late 1960s, studies in Expert's laboratory have included development of methods for immobilization and methods for characterization of immobilized enzymes. Most of these studies have utilized covalent immobilization techniques that he developed. Most recently, he has initiated the development of methods for enzyme immobilization by high affinity bioselective adsorption.

Expert has devoted much of his career to development of methods for processing and improvement of the quality of fluid dairy products. Most of the work has focused on ultrahigh temperature (UHT) processing and flavor improvement by enzyme treatment with sulfhydryl oxidase. His work is progressing towards the cloning of that enzyme. In addition, he is currently examining a new technology for lactose hydrolysis using beta-galactosidase.

A number of Expert's studies are focused on development of immobilized enzyme technology for bioprocessing. He has published several reviews on the use of immobilized enzymes in food bioprocessing. He has developed an immobilized digestive enzyme assay (IDEA) for the determination of protein digestibility in vitro. Currently, he is investigating the limited proteolysis with immobilized proteinase as a means for designing functionality in food proteins.

Expert has conducted research on milk proteins for more than 40 years. His studies have included their isolation and identification, their physical-chemical characterization and methods for enzymatic modification. He has written numerous reviews of milk protein chemistry as well as a major chapter on milk for a major food chemistry textbook.

Expert was trained as a protein chemist and has pursued physical-chemical studies of proteins throughout his career. His areas of study have included various levels of protein structure, protein interactions, and protein folding and disulfide bond formation. Currently, he is examining domain structure and the relationship between structure and functionality.

Several characteristics of the major bovine whey proteins, beta-lactoglobulin and alpha-lactalbumin, have been investigated in Expert's laboratory. For example, he has studied Ca2+ binding, interactions with k-casein, digestibilities as affected by Maillard reaction and racemization and crosslinking, and binding to retinol. Recently, he has obtained and characterized the beta-barrel domain of beta-lactoglobulin by limited proteinolysis. His intention is to develop processes for designing functionality.

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