Graduate Student Profile - Nuseybe Bulut

Nuseybe in her graduation cap and gownNuseybe Bulut successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation on April 16, 2025. Nuseybe is originally from Malatya, Turkiye. Prior to coming to Purdue, she obtained her Bachelor's of Science from Istanbul Technical University, and she earned her Master's of Science in Food Science from Purdue University.

Nuseybe's research explored how the structure of dietary fibers influences the gut microbiome. She focused on specific fiber types and showed that even small changes in their structure can impact which bacteria grow. Nuseybe found that when you provide a well-defined fiber, certain beneficial microbes increase consistently, even though people’s gut microbiomes are usually very different. This suggests that fiber structure can be used to guide the microbiome in a targeted way.

Nuseybe's was advised by Bruce Hamaker. Other members of her graduate committee included Brad Reuhs, Owen Jones, Timothy Johnson, and Thaisa Cantu-Jungles.

Nuseybe was drawn to Purdue Food Science for her graduate degree for a couple of reasons, stating, "I chose Purdue because of its strong research in food science. I was especially interested in working with Dr. Hamaker, whose work aligned closely with my interests. The collaborative environment and resources also made it a great place to grow as a researcher."

Nuseybe excelled as a member and leader of several professional clubs and organizations including Phi Tau Sigma Society, Purdue Food Science Graduate Student Association (vice president 2021-2022), and the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association - Indiana Chapter (vice president 2021-2022).  In addition to her organizational involvement, Nuseybe received several accolades during her time at Purdue Food Science, including:

  • Second place, IFT Carbohydrate Division Graduate Student Poster Competition (2020) 
  • Third place, Cereals and Grains Association Product Development Competition (2021)
  • Kirleis Graduate Student Award, Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research (2022)
  • Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (OIGP) Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship (2023-24)

Congratulations, Nuseybe! We can't wait to see what you accomplish next.