Driving innovation through uncommon collaboration
OUR VISION
To accelerate deployment of products or processes that enable safe, sustainable and secure nutrition for all.
OUR MISSION
To catalyze and support uncommon collaborations that address global nutritional challenges.
Who we are…
IIFH is a premiere innovation institute at UC Davis focused on developing and deploying breakthrough solutions to global issues across the food system. Our research and funding network spans faculty and students from a myriad of academic disciplines, and strategic industry, finance and technology partners.
What we do…
IIFH nurtures and accelerates innovation through industry-academic collaborations and experiential learning programs. Focused on tackling the most pressing food system challenges, IIFH harnesses strategic partnerships, provides research funding and hosts convening events at the interface of food, ag and health.
How we do it…
By bridging the gap between sectors and disciplines, IIFH advances new technologies, products and processes along the entire innovation continuum, from research to commercialization. Our Request For Innovation (RFI) funding call, Innovator Fellowships and evolving strategic programs work to extend ideas beyond proof‐of‐concept to scalable application and impact.
Justin B. Siegel
As a UC Davis Associate Professor in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Dr. Siegel’s scientific focus is the design and discovery of enzymes relevant to issues in modern society – from treating Celiac disease to optimizing biofuel production and food system sustainability. As the IIFH Faculty Director, he works with academic and industry groups in building a vibrant translational research ecosystem across the food sector.
Kyeema L. Zerbe
With a passion for developing and deploying innovation at scale across natural resource management, health care, agriculture and food systems, Ms. Zerbe integrates academic and industry approaches into operational success. As the IIFH Associate Director, she builds on fifteen years of international innovation management with industry sectors, governments, investors and academies to design interdisciplinary programs that advance innovation across the food system.
Mackenzie Smith
Mackenzie joined the IIFH as the Program Administrator. She has extensive experience in higher education operations and project management, and works closely with the Institute’s internal and external innovation partners on programming. She previously worked at UCLA Anderson in support of innovation and entrepreneurship programs, and spent several years working in Public Relations for the Entertainment sector.
Karina Saravia-Butler
Karina is trained in Media and Communication Psychology, Neuroscience and Integrative Nutrition. She brings a diverse repertoire of skill sets having worked in complex technical environments, ranging from scientific research to digital marketing and entrepreneurship. As the Communications Specialist for the IIFH, Karina uses her understanding of new food and health technologies, mass communication, and media psychology to develop a strategic and creative approach to drive the Institute’s communications initiatives.
Bridgette Johnson
Bridgette has a passion for collaboration which she believes begins the process of systemic change. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Global Disease Biology from UC Davis. Since joining the IIFH team, Bridgette has supported the Institute’s program development and communications initiatives through research and a data-driven approach. She has an interest in data visualization and the stories data tells around people, health and the environment.
Bianca Medina
Bianca graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Design. Since joining the IIFH team, she has focused on producing print and web graphics to publicize IIFH on and off campus, managed digital marketing and branding asset collections and engaged in cross-sectoral collaboration. In addition to working with IIFH, she is also expanding her portfolio by working on design projects in a freelance capacity with clients across the Bay Area and Sacramento region.
