معرفی
Leonard Foster is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Medicine. He serves as Interim Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Interim Co-Director of the Life Sciences Institute. His research is conducted through the Michael Smith Laboratories and the Centre for High-Throughput Biology (CHiBi) where he leads the Foster Lab and operates the Proteomics Core Facility.
Dr. Foster earned his educational credentials through:
- BSc in Biochemistry from Simon Fraser University (1996)
- PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Toronto (2001)
- Postdoctoral training in Proteomics at the University of Southern Denmark (2004)
His research focuses on quantitative proteomics using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to study host-pathogen interactions across diverse biological systems. His lab covers a wide range of topics including pathogen invasion, infection mechanisms, protein localization, and mapping protein interaction networks. A significant portion of his work centers on honey bee health, investigating key pathogens like the varroa mite and Paenibacillus larvae that cause devastating colony losses. His team has developed protein databases for bee organs, bee hemolymph, and varroa life cycle stages.
Analysis of Dr. Foster's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on proteomics methodology development and application to biological problems. His work spans neuroscience, infectious disease, agricultural science, and systems biology. A notable trend is the development of computational tools like PrInCE (Prediction of Interactomes from Co-Elution) for protein interaction network mapping, which has been applied to diverse systems from bacterial pathogens to honey bees and human diseases.
Dr. Foster's scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous awards:
- 2019 Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring
- 2017 Genome BC Award for Scientific Excellence
- 2017 Ken Standing Award
- 2022 Distinguished Service Award from Youth Science Canada
His research program is strongly supported by substantial grant funding, including a $4.5 million NSERC/SSHRC Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative grant (2024) to develop strategies for overwintering honey bee queens in Canada, a CFI Innovation Fund grant (2024) with Dr. Sabrina Leslie for advanced proteomics equipment, and the $7.3 million 'BeeOMICS' project through Genome BC and Genome Canada to develop protein biomarkers for selective honey bee breeding. Dr. Foster is recognized as an exceptional mentor who champions gender equity, work-life balance, and mental health awareness.
The Foster Lab operates within the Michael Smith Laboratories and runs the Proteomics Core Facility that offers a broad range of services from mass confirmations to large-scale quantitative proteomic screens. The lab maintains strong collaborations with researchers across Canada and internationally, particularly in the areas of honey bee health and infectious disease research.
