Dr Lavaraj Devkota is a Lecturer of Food Science and Nutrition at Deakin University and a food scientist with over eight years of experience working at the interface of academia and industry. His work integrates fundamental food science/engineering principles with applied product and process innovation. His research centres on elucidating the structure–function–nutrition–health relationships of food macromolecules, with a strong emphasis on plant-based systems. He investigates how processing influences macromolecule functionality, microstructure development, digestibility, and nutritional performance, particularly in legumes and grains system. Dr Devkota has expertise in plant proteins, sustainable food systems, and novel food processing technologies, including high moisture extrusion, pulsed electric field processing, and ultrasound. His work aims to generate mechanistic insights that support the development of nutritionally robust, healthy, and sustainable plant-based foods that are also accepted and valued by consumers.