Essential Oil-based Personal Insect Repellent External Advisory Panel: Membership List and Biographies
The Essential Oil-based Personal Insect Repellent External Advisory Panel is composed of:
Related Information: The Summary of Expertise, Experience, and Affiliations and Interests for the Essential Oil-based Personal Insect Repellent External Advisory Panel accompanies the member biographies. It summarizes the information provided by each member regarding their expertise and experience, and their affiliations and interests, which is required as part of the nominations process.
Dr. Len Ritter, Chair
Since 1993, Dr. Len Ritter has been Professor of Toxicology in the Department of Environmental Biology (School of Environmental Sciences - April, 2009) at the University of Guelph, and Executive Director of the Canadian Network of Toxicology Centers, headquartered at the University as well, and has served, additionally, as coordinator of a national metals research network since 1999. In 2011, Dr. Ritter was appointed Professor Emeritus. Dr. Ritter is also Adjunct Professor of Toxicology at the Chulabhorn Research and Graduate Institutes in Bangkok, Thailand. From 1977 to 1993, he worked at the Health Protection Branch of Health Canada in various roles related to tobacco control, consumer product safety, environmental contaminants and the regulation of pesticides and veterinary drug residues in food. Dr. Ritter has served as Chair of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Science Advisory Board, as an expert advisor to the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organization and on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Human Studies Review Board and on various boards and expert panels organized by the Royal Society of Canada, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency, the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the United States National Academy of Sciences, the EPA, the World Trade Organization, the International Commission on Occupational Health and the International Centre on Pesticide Safety. Dr. Ritter lectures widely on hazard, risk and exposure assessment of environmental contaminants, food additives and pesticides.
Dr. Ritter holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and a Master of Science Degree in Biology and Biochemistry from Sir George Williams University and a PhD in Biochemistry from Queen's University School of Medicine. Dr. Ritter is a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences and, in 2006, was awarded a medal by the United Nation's World Health Organization in recognition of his contributions.
Dr. Barbara Hales
Dr. Barbara Hales is a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University. She has a Masters degree in Pharmacognosy from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, and a PhD in Pharmacology and Therapeutics from McGill University. As well as being the associate editor of Toxicological Sciences, Dr. Hales is a member of the Editorial Board for Birth Defects Research Part B, Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology. Dr. Hales has held numerous positions, such as President of the Teratology Society, Director of the International Union of Toxicology - Executive Committee, and President of the Society of Toxicology of Canada. Dr. Hales has been involved in a number of committees over the course of her career with regard to pharmacology and toxicology, including reproductive toxicology. Her current research interests focus on the mechanisms of action of drugs and environmental chemicals as developmental and reproductive toxicants.
Mr. Troy Seidle
Mr. Troy Seidle is Director of Research and Toxicology for Humane Society International, where he leads a professional team of scientists and political specialists who are active on nearly every continent, working with political and regulatory authorities, the regulated community and other stakeholders to expand the use of 21st century tools and technologies in toxicological testing and bioscience research to reduce reliance on animal use while continuing to protect human health and the environment.
Mr. Seidle was a leading contributor to political negotiations of the European Union's revised regulatory data requirements for biocidal and plant protection products, and is currently engaged in similar science-policy negotiations in the pesticides, industrial chemicals, cosmetics, and other sectors globally.
Mr. Seidle serves on a number of high-level policy committees and expert groups at national and international levels, including those of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Commission's Competent Authorities for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals and Classification and Labeling, the European Chemicals Agency, the EPA, the European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives, and the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing. He is also a board member of the wildlife protection charity Zoocheck Canada. Mr. Seidle has previously served as assessment panelist and member of the governing body of the Canadian Council on Animal Care.
Mr. Seidle holds an honours Health Sciences degree from the University of Waterloo.
Dr. Thomas E. Massey
Dr. Thomas Massey is a Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen's University, where he has studied the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of chemical toxicity since 1985. He holds cross-appointments in the Department of Medicine and the School of Environmental Studies and served as Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (2003-2011). Dr. Massey obtained his PhD at Queen's University, and pursued postdoctoral studies at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. He served on the Board of Directors of the Society of Toxicology of Canada (1995-2001), and is a member of the Society of Toxicology (United States), the American Association for Cancer Research, and the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics. He has been a member of several provincial and national grant review panels and has served on editorial boards of a number of journals including Toxicological Sciences and Toxicology. For his research contributions, Dr. Massey has received the Basmajian Award from the Queen's University Faculty of Medicine, the Merck Frosst Award from the Pharmacological Society of Canada, and the V.E. Henderson Award from the Society of Toxicology of Canada.
Dr. Valerie Assinewe
Dr. Valerie Assinewe is a consultant with Stonecircle Inc., an Aboriginally-owned management consulting company. In April 2013, she retired from Health Canada where for seven years she led a team of researchers in the development of natural health product monographs (for example, plant oils, vitamins, minerals, amino and fatty acids, etc.). Dr. Assinewe serves as a member of Health Canada's Food Expert Advisory Committee member (2013-2016) and previously served as a member of Health Canada's Natural Health Product Expert Advisory Committee (2001-2004). She obtained her PhD in 2002 from the University of Ottawa. Her published research included a study confirming that polysaccharides from American ginseng enhance immune function to protect against infectious diseases; her work has found application in medicinal products for cold and flu treatment and Type 2 diabetes. Prior to returning to university, Dr. Assinewe worked as a federal civil servant in the funding of citizenship organizations.
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