Verena is an Associate Professor and Programme Leader for the BSc (Honours) in Dietetics and Nutrition at the Singapore Institute of Technology. A qualified dietitian, her research focuses on healthy ageing, culturally adapted dietary models, and food-based solutions to address nutrition challenges in older adults. She is the Principal Investigator of several multidisciplinary programmes, including DIGNIFIED and SMILE, which translate nutrition science into practical, real-world applications. Under the DIGNIFIED programme, her research team developed MAKANsoft, a halal-compliant food texturant designed for texture-modified food preparation in Asian care settings.