Industrial Membership
The Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA works in partnership with companies to develop improved uses of carbohydrates, particularly in areas of:
- Food functional uses of starches and non-starch polysaccharides (through structure-function studies leading to novel applications, and through chemical or structural modification),
- Carbohydrates and health [structure-function relationships relating to starch digestion characteristics (glycemic response), fiber functionality and colonic benefit, and physiological response through clinical/nutritional group collaborations],
- Non-food uses (such as for biopolymer substitution, animal feed nutrition, and biofuels),
- Carbohydrate structural analysis.
The Center provides unique, essential, industrially relevant research, analytical services, and educational programs.
The Center provides leadership to carbohydrate-producing and carbohydrate-utilizing industries through 1) design and delivery of solutions to problems, 2) extension of fundamental knowledge on carbohydrate structure-function relationships, including application to human health, targeted for new technology development, and 3) education through short courses and conferences, free to participating companies, which stresses the application of knowledge of fundamental properties and behaviors to the solution of practical problems.
If you work for an organization that has a Whistler Center membership, you may request access to the site here.
Company Involvement
Typical companies involved with the Center are those who want to:
- Utilize the Center’s problem-solving skills,
- Extend internal resources,
- Explore new areas of science,
- Progress in an area while focusing corporate resources on other projects,
- Assess emerging technologies through presentations and first look at patentable discoveries
Benefits of Membership
- Opportunities for interaction with the Whistler Center faculty
- Access to special equipment, capabilities, and services
- First opportunity for technology transfer
- Interaction with other industry ingredient and further processing companies
- Participation in Research Focus Group
- Yearly Short Course
- Annual visit by Whistler Center faculty member
- Representatives at the annual Whistler Center Advisory Board meeting
- Yearly Technical Conference following Board meeting
- Special opportunity for interaction with Whistler Center graduate students and post-doctoral scientists, and early access for employment
- Attendance at the annual Whistler Center poster session of research project progress
- Recognition in Whistler Center Annual Report
- Recognition in other Whistler Center publications
- Preprints of Whistler Center research papers prior to publication
- Whistler Center research progress reports through member updates
Current Members
