Press Release | November 16, 2016
Global Institute for Food Security
GIFS Appoints Top International Science Advisory Panel
The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan announces today that it has completed the appointment of a full International Scientific Advisory Panel, which will provide scientific advice, feedback and oversight to GIFS research in the areas of seed and developmental biology, root-soil-microbial interactions, and digital and computational agriculture.
“We are honoured to have attracted such an extraordinarily talented group of scientists from around the world,” said Maurice Moloney, GIFS’ Executive Director and CEO. “Their expertise covers botany, plant science, genetics, chemistry, entomology, molecular biology and leadership in industrial agriculture and in regulatory affairs. Many members of the panel are pioneers in their fields, members of the Royal Society and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and winners of major awards and honors including the Wolf Prize for Agriculture, the U.S. National Research Initiatives Discovery Award, American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) Gibbs Medal, the Belgian Francqui Medal, and Companion of the Order of the British Empire. ”
Members of GIFS International Scientific Advisory Panel (ISAP) appointed by the GIFS’ board of directors include:
- John Pickett, CBE, DSc, Fellow of the Royal Society – ISAP Chair
- Julia Bailey-Serres, PhD, Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences
- Richard (Dick) Flavell, PhD, DSc, CBE, Fellow of the Royal Society
- Margaret Gadsby, MSc, former Vice-President Bayer Crop Science, Regulatory Affairs (Seeds)
- William Lucas, PhD, DSc, French National Academy of Sciences
- Kiran Sharma, PhD, Principal Scientist – ICRISAT (CGIAR)
- Joerg Bohlmann, PhD, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
- Gijs van Rooijen, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Genome Alberta
Gijs van Rooijen graduated with a MSc in Molecular Sciences from the Agricultural University in Wageningen in 1989 and a PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Calgary in 1993. Dr. van Rooijen joined SemBioSys Genetics in 1995 where he advanced to Director of Cellular and Molecular Biology. In January 2003, Dr. van Rooijen assumed the position of Chief Scientific Officer with Genome Prairie, and in 2006 he made the transition into his current position as Chief Scientific Officer for Genome Alberta. Dr. van Rooijen is (co)author of numerous reviewed publications and an (co)inventor on 25 issued US patents. During his doctoral studies, Dr. van Rooijen received several awards and fellowships, including the University of Calgary “Silver Anniversary Graduate Fellowship” (awarded to the four top-ranked doctoral students). From 1997-2006, he was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary.
“The entire membership of the advisory panel is excited to be involved in the research program taking place at GIFS,” said John Pickett, chair of the GIFS International Scientific Advisory Panel. “Food security is of the utmost importance, and GIFS is addressing it by attracting researchers who are at the top of their field and by working collaboratively with the most knowledgeable research groups and institutes globally. We’re delighted to be involved in GIFS’ work.”
“The appointment of such an august scientific advisory panel is an important milestone that underscores the high-level international research and global partnerships of the Global Institute for Food Security,” said Karen Chad, U of S Vice-President Research. “We welcome the panel members to the U of S community, and are indeed privileged to be the beneficiary of their vast experience and tremendous knowledge.”
Biographies of other appointees.
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