Prof. Dr. Zülal Kesmen is a Professor in the Department of Food Engineering at Erciyes University, Türkiye. Her research focuses on antimicrobial peptides, microbial biotechnology, and food microbiology, with particular emphasis on the rational design, recombinant production, and functional characterization of antimicrobial peptides. Her work includes the development of novel proline-rich and α-helical antimicrobial peptides, investigation of their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities, and optimization of recombinant peptide production using *Pichia pastoris*. Her current research interests also include bioinformatics, machine learning-assisted peptide design, and the development of innovative antimicrobial strategies to address antimicrobial resistance. She has contributed to research on molecular identification and characterization of microorganisms and the application of molecular techniques in food microbiology.