Dr. Sukhinder Cheema is a Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry in the Department of Biochemistry at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). She held the CIHR New Investigator Award (2001‐2006) and has received several other awards for her research. Dr. Cheema has been a member of the Canadian Nutrition Society (CNS) since the inception of this society. She is a long‐standing member on various CNS committees, such as the Awards committee, Ethics committee, Advisory Council, and the newly formed EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) committee. She was the Co‐Chair and organizer of CNS conference held in St. John's in 2014 and has chaired scientific sessions at CNS. Dr. Cheema serves on the Advisory Board for the CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes. Her research focuses on how maternal diet influence pregnancy outcomes, and the regulation of metabolic pathways associated with metabolic disorders, and brain health of offspring. Her research incorporates both basic science and clinical research; she collaborates with clinicians on the importance of maternal nutrition, breast milk composition, and future health of the newborn. Dr. Cheema has received funding from CIHR, NSERC, CFI, the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC), hospital foundations and industry for her research. She has served on CIHR, NSERC, and HSFC grant review panels, and is on the editorial board of peer reviewed journals. Dr. Cheema has played a key role to establish collaborations between MUN and several universities in India, where she is promoting nutrition research and community outreach programs on healthy eating in order to improve outcomes of impoverished and vulnerable communities. As a scientist who is a racialized woman, she is dedicated to highlighting the barriers faced by historically excluded or marginalized groups working both within the field, and most impacted by nutrition‐based discrimination. She is also involved in several community outreach programs in St. John's to promote healthy eating, and access to restorative justice.

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