Dr. Smitha J. Lukose, Assistant Professor in the Department of Dairy Chemistry at VKIDFT, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, is a distinguished academician and researcher with over 22 years of contributions to the dairy science sector.Dr. Lukose began her career by establishing quality control laboratory for a leading ice cream manufacturer in South Kerala. She completed her postgraduate studies in Dairy Chemistry as an ICAR scholar at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, and later joined the College of Dairy Science and Technology, Mannuthy, as a faculty member in 2003.Her tenure with the Higher Secondary Education Department from 2008 to 2015 marked significant accomplishments, including training student teams that consistently secured first place at the state level in the “Most Marketable” category. She also played a key role as a career master, designing comprehensive skill-development initiatives for young learners. Since 2015, Dr. Lukose has been serving as Assistant Professor at CDST, Pookode, and later at VKIDFT. Her professional involvement extends beyond the university, contributing to academic activities for institutions within and outside Kerala, including KTU and the Kerala PSC. She acted as resource person for international conference ‘MESKON’ giving lead talk as dairy expert. She is also actively engaged in capacity-building programs for the Dairy Development Department, quality-advisory programs for Oushadhi’s research wing, and training sessions for farmers. A lifetime member of the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) and the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (AFST), Dr. Lukose has guided over 55 research scholars and authored more than 20 publications, including papers in Scopus-indexed journals. Her research work focuses on public health issues like protein malnutrition in India , iron deficiency anaemia, hydrolysed proteins and functionality, lactose intolearance, milk quality and safety and value added dairy products as nutaceuticals. She has also served in administrative roles, including Special Officer at College of Dairy Science and Technology, Pookode ,Kerala. A hallmark of her research excellence is her Ph.D. work, which addressed the global challenge of micronutrient deficiency. Her innovative development of a hypoallergenic whey protein supplement with enhanced iron bioavailability stands as a significant advancement in functional dairy products.
With her longstanding dedication to teaching, research, and skill development, Dr. Smitha J. Lukose exemplifies excellence in the dairy science community and is a recipient of best research paper award in the Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences for the year 2024 in the category of production subjects
