Chris Siow

Dr. Chris Siow is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Manitoba and Principal Investigator at the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine. He leads the Innovative Therapy Research Laboratory, focusing on evidence-based agri-food and herbal medicine research to support disease prevention and health maintenance.

Research Interests:

• Elucidating biochemical and molecular mechanisms of agri-food and herbal extracts using cell culture and animal models
• Development and application of analytical techniques including ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), antioxidant assays (ORAC, total phenolics), and bioassays
• Knowledge translation and promotion of science-based natural health products for chronic disease prevention

His work addresses key public health challenges related to ageing populations and lifestyle-related chronic diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and ischemia/reperfusion injury. By validating the scientific basis of agri-food and herbal products, his research supports informed consumer choices and industry innovation.

Dr. Siow has extensive experience in university-industry collaborations, having led multimillion-dollar government-funded projects to modernize herbal medicine-based therapeutics. He serves as an Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology and has published over 106 peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Education:

• PhD in Biochemistry, University of Manitoba
• Postdoctoral Training, The Rockefeller University (with Nobel Laureate Paul Greengard)
• Postdoctoral Training, University of British Columbia

Advising and Grants:

• Extensive experience mentoring researchers and leading collaborative teams
• Research funded by multiple public and private agencies
• Led a major university-industry collaborative project funded by government grants

Laboratory and Team:

Dr. Siow leads the Innovative Therapy Research Laboratory, equipped with advanced UPLC systems and microplate-based assay platforms for high-throughput antioxidant and compound analysis. His team works across disciplines to identify bioactive compounds and evaluate their protective effects in disease models.