Advisory Council 2021-2022

Johane Allard, FRCPC, MD
Professor of Medicine
Senior Scientist, Division of Clinical Investigation & Human Physiology, Toronto
Senior Scientist, Division of Clinical Investigation & Human Physiology, Toronto General Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital
Bio:
Johane P. Allard is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada and is crossed-appointed at the Department of Nutritional Sciences. She trained in gastroenterology at McGill University before completing a research fellowship funded by the National Institute of Nutrition at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Allard is a clinical investigator, with a research focus in nutrition and gastrointestinal disorders. She is currently conducting several studies funded by peer-reviewed agencies in: the elderly, people with HIV infection, people with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and transplant recipients. Her interests and publications are primarily in the area of micronutrients, oxidative stress and nutrition support.
Dr. Allard is also the Director of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Toronto and the Director of the Nutritional Support Program at the University Health Network (UHN). She works with a multidisciplinary nutritional support team and is the Chair of the Nutrition Review Committee. She is the Division Head of Gastroenterology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center. She also co-chair the Royal College of Physician and Surgeon Examining Board in Gastroenterology.

Robert Bertolo, PhD
Professor
Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Bio:
Dr. Robert Bertolo has been with the Department of Biochemistry at Memorial University of Newfoundland since 2002. He trained at the Universities of Guelph and Alberta studying nutrition and metabolism during development with a focus on amino acid and protein nutrition. As an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Metabolism and Canada Research Chair in Human Nutrition, his current research involves the neonatal use of amino acids for growth and non-growth requirements. Recently, he has developed the miniature pig as a model for the early origins of adult disease and was the recipient of the International Life Sciences Institute (North America) Future Leader Award for work in this area. In particular, he is interested in how neonatal nutrition and methyl metabolism affect programming of gene expression that can eventually lead to higher risk for developing obesity and hypertension. Dr. Bertolo is actively engaged in nutrition outreach and student development and is currently the President of the Canadian Nutrition Society.

Marcia Cooper, PhD, RD
Research Scientist
Nutrition Research Division, Health Canada
Bio:
Dr. Marcia Cooper is a Research Scientist in the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences in the Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch.
Dr. Cooper has a BASc in Nutrition from Ryerson University and holds a MSc and PhD in nutritional sciences from the University of Toronto. She did postdoctoral research in the area of iron bioavailability at Health Canada in the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Cooper is a registered dietitian and a member of Dietitians of Canada, the College of Dietitians of Ontario, the Canadian Nutrition Society and the American Dietetic Association.
Dr. Cooper ‘s research focus is in the area of Social Science Nutrition Research. She is currently conducting research related to food iron bioavailability issues in the Canadian population, nutrition messages in the media , and developing and validating nutrition screening tools.
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Pauline Darling, MSc, PhD, RD
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nutrition Sciences, University of Ottawa
Bio:
Pauline Darling completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry-Nutrition at the University of Ottawa, her MSc at the Université de Montreal and her PhD in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. She completed her clinical dietetic training at Kingston General Hospital.
Prior to joining the faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa, she served as Coordinator of Nutrition and Dietetic Research, and Associate Scientist Keenan Research Centre in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St Michael’s Hospital and is Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. In this capacity she directed the Combined MSc-Dietetic Internship program aimed at enhancing research training of dietitians. She has supervised 10 graduate students and 65 dietetic interns.
Dr Darling is a registered dietitian and is a member of Dietitians of Canada, the American Nutrition Society, the Canadian Association of Nephrology Dietitians, the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) and serves on the Advisory Council of the Canadian Nutrition Society. Her current research interests in clinical nutrition include dietary intake and the nutritional modulation of phosphorus, homocysteine and other uremic retention solutes in patients with chronic kidney disease.

John Drover, MD, FACS, FRCSC
Associate Professor
Department of Surgery, Queen's University, Victory 3, Kingston General Hospital
Bio:
Dr. Drover is a general surgeon and intensivist with interests in trauma and nutrition therapy for the critically ill. He received his medical training at Dalhousie and Queen’s University and is currently Associate Professor at Queen’s University. He is the Program Medical Director for the Critical Care Program and Chair of the Specialty Committee for Critical Care Medicine for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
His clinical practice is split between general surgery and critical care. The focus of the elective surgical practice is hernia repair and complex abdominal wall reconstruction including fistula management. His interest in nutrition involves the use of enteral and parenteral nutrition therapies and he is Chair of the Nutrition Support Working Group for Kingston General Hospital. His research interest focuses on the optimal use of nutrition therapy for critically ill patients.

Donald R. Duerksen, MD, FRCP
Associate Professor of Medicine
St. Boniface General Hospital
Bio:
Bio not available.

Leah Gramlich, MD, FRCPC
Professor of Medicine
Provincial Medical Advisor, Nutritional Sciences, Alberta Health Services
Bio:
Bio not available.

Jim House, PhD
Professor
Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba
Bio:
Dr. Jim House is a Professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba. He completed his Ph.D. in amino acid nutrition and metabolism from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada in 1996. Since arriving at the University of Manitoba in 1998, he has maintained research programs in 3 primary areas: 1) understanding factors regulating sulphur amino acid metabolism in animals; 2) sustainable egg production systems, including novel value-added egg products; and 3) determining factors influencing the quality of dietary proteins. His research program has trained 40 graduate students and 15 post-doctoral fellows, as well as over 40 undergraduate research assistants. His research program has advanced our understanding of factors affecting the utilization of plant- and animal-based protein sources in the human diet. He has received awards from the Canadian Society of Animal Science, the Canadian Society of Nutritional Sciences (now the Canadian Nutrition Society), as well as awards for merit and administrative service from the University of Manitoba. In 2018, Dr. House was elected as President for the Canadian Nutrition Society, and currently serves as Past-President. His research program is funded via NSERC Discovery Grants, as well as numerous tripartite funding programs involving industry and government partners.

Mary L'Abbé, PhD
Professor
Research Chair in Nutrition & Aging,University of Waterloo
Bio:
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Benoît Lamarche, PhD
Full Professor
Chair, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Nutrition, Chair Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health, Laval University
Bio:
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David Ma, PhD
Professor
Department of Human Health & Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph
Bio:
Dr. Ma obtained his PhD in Medical Sciences in 2001 at the University of Alberta conducting research on the anticancer properties of conjugated linoleic acids in breast cancer. He then moved to Texas A&M University where he did postdoctoral research investigating the role of omega-3 fatty acids and folate in colon cancer. He returned to Canada where he joined the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto as an Assistant Professor in 2004. Then, in 2007 joined the faculty in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph where he is currently an Associate Professor. The long term objective of Dr. Ma's research program is to increase our fundamental knowledge of the role of dietary fatty acids in human health and disease. Currently, his research is focused on breast cancer prevention and how omega-3 fatty acids modify mammary gland development, signaling, and tumour development. Dr. Ma is currently the Chair of the CNS Communications Committee, and member of the advisory board, resources and advocacy committees.

Mélanie Plourde, PhD
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke
Bio:
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