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Simone D. Castellarin is a Professor in the Department of Applied Biology at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and holds the Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Viticulture. His research focuses on the molecular and physiological mechanisms governing berry ripening and composition in grapes, blueberries, and raspberries, with emphasis on genomic regulation under environmental stressors like heatwaves and drought. PhD in Plant Biology from the University of Udine (2007) Postdoctoral training at Hochschule Geisenheim University and University of California Davis Research areas include terpene biosynthesis, jasmonate signaling, cuticular wax dynamics, and agronomic strategies for climate change mitigation. Key projects involve remote sensing for vineyard zoning , hormone application effects , and genetic studies of berry quality traits . His work spans collaborations with industry bodies like the BC Wine and Grape Council and academic partners including the Cantu Lab at UC Davis. Recent publications highlight genomic analyses of terpene synthases, water deficit impacts on metabolites, and postharvest quality assessments. Awards include the 2009 Rudolf Hermanns Prize for viticultural research. He supervises numerous PhD and Master's students, and leads the Castellarin Lab at UBC's Wine Research Centre.

• Viticulture
• Berry Crop Physiology
• Plant Genomics
• +2 more

Guanqun (Gavin) Chen is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Plant Lipid Biotechnology at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. His research focuses on enhancing seed oil production and customization in oilseed crops like canola and arabidopsis, alongside exploring lipid biotechnology in microorganisms such as yeast and microalgae. He holds a PhD from The University of Hong Kong and has received prestigious awards including the 2023 C.D. Nelson Award in Plant Biology and a Fulbright Scholar Award. His academic career includes teaching courses such as Lipid Science (AFNS 414/514) and Plants for Bioproducts (AFNS 545/PL SC 345). Research interests center on lipid biosynthesis mechanisms, metabolic engineering strategies, and improving agronomic traits like stress tolerance and seed quality. Key projects involve synthetic biology approaches to produce specialty oils and high-value bioproducts. Dr. Chen's lab (plb.ualberta.ca) actively seeks research students and has published extensively on topics ranging from CRISPR-mediated gene editing in plant immunity to novel methods for lipid analysis. He leads efforts to leverage microbial systems for sustainable biofuel production and value-added biomolecules, contributing to Canada's agricultural and biotechnology sectors.

• Plant Lipid Biotechnology
• Oilseed Crops
• Oleaginous Microorganisms
• +4 more

Tom Warkentin is a Professor at the University of Saskatchewan, holding the Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics. He is affiliated with the Plant Sciences department and the Crop Development Centre within the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. His research focuses on plant breeding of pea and soybean cultivars for Western Canada, emphasizing disease resistance, end-use quality, and genomic approaches. He leads a soybean breeding program for short-season regions, addressing climate adaptation and crop resilience. Education: Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan M.Sc., University of Manitoba B.S.A., University of Manitoba Research Interests: Breeding and genomics of field pea and soybean, disease resistance mechanisms, end-use quality optimization, and genomic-assisted crop improvement. His work integrates conventional breeding with modern genomic tools to enhance crop productivity and sustainability. Publications highlight advancements in pea and soybean genetics, including studies on starch modification, protein quality, and stress resilience. His research trends emphasize translational genomics and climate-smart crop development. Awards: Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (2016) Pulse Promoter Award (2014) North American Pulse Improvement Association Outstanding Achievement Award (2013) Funding Sources: Supported by organizations such as the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Pulse Development Commission, and Genome Canada. His grants focus on pulse crop innovation and sustainable agriculture. Labs/Teams: Active within the Crop Development Centre, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects to advance pulse crop breeding and genomics.

• Breeding and genetics of field pea and soybean crops
• Pulse crops
• Disease resistance
• +2 more

Sheau-Fang Hwang is a Professor at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences , specifically within the Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Sciences . Her research focuses on plant pathology, particularly diseases affecting canola and pulse crops. She holds a PhD from Washington State University and has received numerous awards, including the 2011 Outstanding Research Scientist Award from the Canadian Phytopathological Society and the 2020 Gold Award for her contributions to Rhodiola Rosea commercialization. Education: PhD in Plant Pathology, Washington State University Research Interests: Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) management in canola Blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans) integrated control strategies Verticillium stripe wilt of canola Aphanomyces root rot in field pea Yield loss modeling for plant diseases Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes clubroot resistance genetics, Verticillium wilt impact on canola yields, and molecular markers for pathogen identification. Key themes include disease management through crop rotation, fungicide efficacy, and genomic approaches to breeding resistant cultivars. Awards: 2025 – Award for Achievements in Plant Disease Management (Canadian Phytopathological Society) 2021 – Outstanding Research Scientist Award (Canadian Phytopathological Society) 2020 – Silver Teamwork Recognition Award (Alberta Agriculture) Advising & Grants: Supervises graduate students (e.g., Longfei Wu, Ji Cui) and collaborates with institutions like Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Research is funded by grants focused on clubroot management and pulse crop disease control. Labs/Teams: Leads a multidisciplinary team including Research Associate Dr. Rudolph Fredua-Agyeman and technicians focusing on field trials, molecular analysis, and disease modeling.

• Plant Pathology
• Canola Disease Management
• Clubroot Resistance
• +7 more

Sabine Banniza is a Professor and the Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Pulse Crop Pathology at the University of Saskatchewan. She is affiliated with the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and holds dual roles in the Plant Sciences department and the Crop Development Centre. Her research focuses on understanding fungal and bacterial pathogens in pulse crops, particularly targeting Saskatchewan's agricultural challenges. Key areas include disease resistance mechanisms, root rot dynamics in peas and lentils, and pathogen-host interactions at molecular levels. Education: Ph.D., University of Reading, UK M.Sc., University of London, UK Dipl. Ing. (hort), Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Germany Research Interests: Pathogen biology and crop resistance in pulses Root rot complexes in legumes Genetic and molecular basis of disease resistance Development of disease management strategies Recent publications highlight her work on Fusarium root rot in peas, Aphanomyces euteiches pathotypes, and genomic studies of lentil resistance. She has also contributed to understanding Stemphylium blight and Botrytis grey mould management. Teaching: Courses include plant disease epidemiology, host-pathogen interactions, and thesis supervision in Plant Sciences. Labs/Teams: Active in the Crop Development Centre, collaborating on genomics and breeding projects to address pulse crop diseases.

• Pulse Crop Pathology
• Fungal Pathogens in Legumes
• Root Rot Resistance
• +3 more

Kirstin Bett is a Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Agriculture and Bioresources. Her research focuses on pulse crop genomics and dry bean breeding, with an emphasis on leveraging wild lentil germplasm to improve cultivated varieties. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan and completed her M.Sc. and B.Sc. at the University of Guelph. Her work integrates genomic tools, phenotyping technologies, and breeding strategies to address challenges in crop adaptation, seed quality, and disease resistance. She has pioneered platforms like BELT and phenoSEED for seed trait analysis and developed UAV-based methods for crop growth monitoring. Dr. Bett has been recognized with awards including the 2019 North American Pulse Improvement Association Meritorious Service Award and the 2020 Dean’s Award for Research Excellence. Her teaching portfolio includes advanced courses in plant breeding, population genetics, and digital phenotyping. She actively contributes to international initiatives such as the LenGen lentil genome sequencing project and the INCREASE program for legume genetic resource mobilization.

• Pulse crop genomics
• Dry bean breeding
• Plant Breeding
• +3 more

Jill Hobbs is an agricultural economist and professor at the University of Saskatchewan, specializing in consumer behavior, agri-food supply chains, and food policy. Her work bridges economic analysis with practical applications in food systems, including regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies like gene editing. Her research focuses on understanding how consumers respond to food labels, certifications, and sustainability claims, while also examining the governance of agricultural innovations. Recent studies explore the implications of gene editing in agrifood systems, consumer trust in food products, and supply chain resilience in crises such as the pandemic. Key themes in her work include the intersection of technology adoption, policy design, and market dynamics. While no scientific awards are explicitly listed, her contributions to food economics and agribusiness policy are evident through her extensive publication record.

• Agricultural Economics
• Food Policy
• Consumer Behavior
• +3 more

Rudolph Fredua-Agyeman is an Assistant Professor in Brassica and Pulse Genetics at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, within the Department of Agricultural Food & Nutritional Science. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Hawaii and has held roles as Senior Research Associate and Research Scientist at the University of Alberta and the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture. His research focuses on enhancing crop resilience through molecular and genetic techniques, targeting stress resistance, disease management, and sustainable agriculture. Education: PhD: Molecular Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa (USA) M.Sc.: Biotechnology, Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg (Germany) B.Sc.: Biochemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) His research priorities include identifying genetically robust crop varieties, deploying CRISPR-Cas9 for trait improvement, and studying mechanisms of resistance to biotic/abiotic stresses like clubroot, Fusarium, and Verticillium wilt. He leads the 'Brassica and Pulse Genetics Program,' emphasizing root system architecture and genetic mapping of complex traits. Recent work highlights include genome-wide association studies for Verticillium resistance, optimization of root trait evaluation, and CRISPR-based seed oil improvements. Courses taught include crop protection strategies and scientific communication for graduate students. Current initiatives include graduate student recruitment for 2025/2026 and collaborative projects on disease management in canola and pulse crops. Lab affiliations include the Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science department at the University of Alberta, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable crop production.

• Plant Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• Agricultural Biotechnology
• +6 more

Bunyamin Taran is a Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. His research focuses on developing high-yielding chickpea and flax cultivars with resistance to diseases, improved seed quality, and adaptation to Canadian environments. He leads genomic tool applications in legume breeding, aiming to enhance economically important traits. Education: Ph.D. (University of Guelph), M.Sc. (University of Guelph), B.Sc. (Sriwijaya University, Indonesia). Research Interests: Chickpea and flax genetics, genomic tools in breeding, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, seed quality improvement. His work integrates modern genetic techniques with traditional breeding to address agronomic challenges. Awards: Pulse Promoter Award (2021). Funding: Supported by Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Western Grains Research Foundation, and others. Courses Taught: PLSC 333.3 Tropical Crops of the World. Labs/Teams: Leads projects in the Crop Development Centre, collaborating on genomic analysis and crop improvement initiatives.

• Plant Breeding
• Genomics
• Crop Genetics
• +3 more