Scientists at the Canadian Grain Commission
Bin Xiao Fu PhD
Research Scientist and Program Manager
Bread and Durum Wheat Research
Contact Information
Email: binxiao.fu@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-984-5605
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2009.
Area of expertise, education, and professional affiliations and development
Area of expertise:
- Wheat quality requirements for various applications around the world
- Methods for measuring quality of wheat and its products
- Gluten protein composition in relation to dough strength for baking
- Pigments in durum wheat and pasta colour
- Physicochemical properties of wheat components
- Biochemical characterization of functional components in wheat
Education
Doctorate
Food and Nutritional Science/Cereal Chemistry
University of Manitoba
1996
Master of Science
Grain Science and Technology
Henan University of Technology, China
1988
Bachelor of Science
Grain Science and Technology
Henan University of Technology, China
1984
Professional affiliations and development
- Adjunct Professor, Food Science Department, the University of Manitoba, 2013 – present
- Member, Prairie Grain Development Committee, Wheat, Rye & Triticale Quality sub-committee, 2004 – present
- Member, Standard Council of Canada, Technical Committee 34, Grains and Pulses, 2012 – present
- Member, AACC International, Pasta Products Technical Committee, 2009 - present
- Member, AACC International, Protein Technical Committee, 2009– present
- Member, AACC International, Asian Products Technical Committee, 1998 – present
- Chair (2012-2013), Protein Division, AACC International
- Chair (2011-2012), Prairie Section, AACC International
Emily Kaul MSc
Stored Products Entomologist
Grain Sanitation Services
Industry Services
Contact Information
Email: emily.kaul@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-983-3790
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2021.
Area of expertise, and education
Area of expertise:
- Entomology, grain storage, stored products insects
Education
Master of Science
Entomology
University of Manitoba
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
University of Manitoba
Kerri Pleskach MSc
Program Manager
Analytical Services
Contact Information
Email: kerri.pleskach@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-898-6174
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2006.
Area of expertise, education, and professional affiliations and development
Area of expertise:
- Analytical methods for wheat quality such as ash, starch damage, gluten, protein, alveograph and farinograph.
- Analytical methods for wheat enzymes such as falling number and amylograph.
- Oversight and logistics of the Harvest Sample Program.
Education
Master of Science
Chemistry
University of Manitoba
2006
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
Chemistry
University of Winnipeg
2003
Marta Izydorczyk PhD
Research Scientist and Program Manager
Research on Barley and Other Grains/Milling and Malting
Contact Information
Email: marta.izydorczyk@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-983-1300
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2001.
Area of expertise, education, professional affiliations and development, and awards and recognition
Area of expertise:
- Molecular structure and physicochemical properties of starch and non-starch polysaccharides, such as arabinoxylans and β-glucans.
- Understanding and controlling mechanisms responsible for technological performance and functionality of carbohydrate polymers from barley and other economically important Prairie grains in complex food systems.
- Evaluation of quality of malting barley
- Development of procedures to fractionate grains such as oats and barley to yield milled products with enhanced functionality.
- Evaluation milling performance of wheat for annual harvest report, milling performance of advanced wheat breeding lines.
Education
Doctorate
Food and Nutritional Sciences
University of Manitoba
1993
Master of Science
Food Science
University of Manitoba
1989
Bachelor of Science
Chemistry
Ryerson Polytechnical University, Toronto
1986
Awards and recognition
- Director, 2011-2014, AACC International
- Honoured with an invitation to deliver the William F. Geddes Lecture , Northwest Section of AACC International, Minneapolis, MN, 2011
- Individual NSERC Discovery Grant, 2007
- Honoured with an invitation to deliver the 2007 Belfort Carbohydrate Lecture at the Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA (Ba-32). Persons chosen to give a Belfort Lecture are scientists who have made outstanding contributions to glycoscience.
- Co-chair, 5th Canadian Barley Symposium and the District of Western Canada Master Brewers Association of the Americas joint meeting, 2007
- Speaker, Department of Plant Science Seminar series at the University of Manitoba, 2007
- Co-chair, International Plant Polysaccharide Workshop, 2006
- Presenter, joint Symposium of the Carbohydrate and Protein Divisions of the AACC International, 2006
- Lecturer, International Forum on Cereal Science: Cereal Foods, Cooperation, and Opportunities, Canadian Session on Cereal Sciences, 2006
- Certificate of Appreciation, Career Mentor Program at the University of Manitoba, 2006
- Certificate of Appreciation, AACC International and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, 2006
- Appointed Senior Editor of the journal Cereal Chemistry, 2006
- Program team appointee, World Grain Summit, 2005 Lecturer, Winnipeg Brewmasters’ meeting, 2005
- Certificate of Appreciation, Manitoba Buckwheat Growers Association, Inc., 2005
- Presenter, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute 19th Triennial Barley Improvement Meeting, 2004.
Professional affiliations and development
- Treasurer, Board of Directors of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC), 2007-present
- Member, Canada Grain Regulation Committee, 2007-present
- Vice Chair, AACCI/ICC working Group: Collaboration Strategies for Publications and Scientific Content Dissemination
- Senior Editor, Editorial Board of Cereal Chemistry, AACC International
- Scientific advisor, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute (BMBRI) Technical Committee
- Sector Representative, Barley Council of Canada, Research and Innovation Committee
- Chair, Barley Quality Evaluation Team for the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oat and Barley, 2006-present
- Leader of the Food Barley Advisory Group for the Barley Quality Evaluation Team
- Adjunct Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Manitoba, 2004-present
- Member, Barley and Other Cereal Grains Sub-Committee, Western Standards Committee, 2004-present.
Ning Wang PhD
Research Scientist and Program Manager
Pulse Research
Contact Information
Email: ning.wang@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-983-2154
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2000.
Area of expertise, education, and professional affiliations and development
Area of expertise:
- Research into factors that contribute to pulse and end use quality, which includes investigating the relationships among chemical components, functionality and end use quality characteristics of pulses.
- Research new or improved methods for assessing pulse end-use quality and functionality.
Education
Doctorate
Food science and technology
University of Reading, UK
1992
Master of Science
Food Science
University of Reading, UK
1989
Bachelor of Science
Agricultural engineering
Jilin University, China
1986
Professional affiliations and development
- Member, AACC International, 1994-present
- Chair, AACC International’s Pulse and Legume Technical Committee, 2002-present
- Chair, Quality Evaluation Team on Prairie Recommending Committee for Pulses and Special Crops, 2004-2016
- Member, Canadian Advisory Committee to Standard Council of Canada for ISO Technical Committee 34 Sub-Committee 4 Cereals and Pulses, 2002-present
Sean Walkowiak PhD
Research Scientist and Program Manager
Microbiology
Contact Information
Email: sean.walkowiak@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-291-0735
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2019.
Area of expertise, education, and professional affiliations and development
Area of expertise:
- Microbe-microbe and plant-pathogen reactions
- DNA sequencing and bioinformatics
- Microbial identifications using traditional and molecular techniques
- Metabolite (toxin) profiling of microbes
- Wheat breeding
Education
Doctor of Philosophy
Biology
Carleton University, Ottawa
Master of Science
Biology
Carleton University, Ottawa
Bachelor of Science
Biology
Carleton University, Ottawa
Bachelor of Education
University of Ottawa
Professional affiliations and development
- Canadian Society of Plant Biologists, 2017-present
- Genetics Society of America, 2014-2016
- Canadian Phytopathological Society, 2013-2016
- American Phytopathological Society, 2014
Sheryl Tittlemier PhD
Research Scientist and Program Manager/Head of Technologies Section
Trace Organics and Trace Elements Analysis Program
Contact Information
Email: sheryl.tittlemier@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-984-3456
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2010.
Area of expertise, and education
Area of expertise:
- Analytical chemistry
- Development of rapid and comprehensive methods to measure low levels of pesticides, mycotoxins and environmental contaminants
- Use of gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunoassays
- Chemical hazards and food safety
- Sampling of grain for the analysis of low levels of pesticides, mycotoxins, trace elements, and heavy metals
Education
Doctorate
Environmental analytical chemistry
Carleton University, Ottawa
Master of Science
Chemistry
University of Manitoba
Tigst Demeke PhD
Research Scientist and Program Manager
Grain Biotechnology Research
Contact Information
Email: tigst.demeke@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-984-4582
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2001.
Area of expertise, education, and professional affiliations and development
Area of expertise:
- Development of detection methods for genetically modified grains and oilseeds
- Use of DNA markers for assessment of grain quality and safety traits
Education
Doctorate
Horticulture/Tissue Culture
Colorado State University
1991
Master of Science
Agronomy
Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
1984
Bachelor of Science
Plant science
Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
1981
Professional affiliations and development
- Chair, Canadian Advisory Committee, ISO TC 34/SC 16 (Horizontal Methods for Molecular Biomarker Analysis), 2005-2011
- Member, Canadian Advisory Committee, ISO TC 34/SC 16 (Horizontal Methods for Molecular Biomarker Analysis), 2005-present
- Chair, Biotechnology division of AACC International, 2008-2009
- Secretary/Treasurer, Biotechnology division, AACC International, 2005-2007
- Member, Biotechnology Methods Committee, AACC International, 2002-present
- Member, AACC International, 1999-present
Véronique Barthet PhD
Research Scientist and Program Manager
Oilseeds Monitoring and Research
Contact Information
Email: veronique.barthet@grainscanada.gc.ca
Telephone: 204-984-5174
Canadian Grain Commission employee since 2000.
Area of expertise, education, and Professional affiliations and development
Area of expertise:
- Research projects dealing with grain quality factors
- Development of quality measurement analytical methods
- Collaborative research projects with researchers from the University of Manitoba studying seed oxidative stability.
Education
Doctorate
Food science and agricultural chemistry
University of McGill in Montréal
1998
Master of Science
Biology applied to food science and bioindustries
Université de Nancy in France
1989
Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Biochemistry
Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse
1988
Professional affiliations and development
- President, Canadian Section of the American Chemists’ Society, 2009-2014
- Vice-President, Canadian Section of the American Chemists’ Society, 2007-2009
- Chair, Canadian ISO TC 34/SC 2 Oleaginous Seeds and Fruits section, 2007-present
- Chair, Canadian ISO TC 34/SC 11 Animal and vegetable fats and oils section, 2007-present
- Member of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 2000-present
- Adjunct – Department Human Nutrition, University of Manitoba
- Board member of the Western Canadian Canola Rapeseed Recommending Committee
- Chair of the Analytical Committee for the Prairie Registration Committee Oilseeds