Advisory Council 2021-2022

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

 

Bio:

Dr. L’Abbé is Chair of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. In her previous role as Director of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences at Health Canada, she was responsible for the leadership of Health Canada=s nutrition laboratory research, surveillance, scientific evaluation and regulatory programs aimed at the maintenance and improvement of the nutritional quality of the Canadian food supply. She has represented Canada on international bodies such as the Codex Alimentarius, NAFTA, and has worked with the US to establish Dietary Reference Intakes for Canada/US. Dr. L’Abbé is a member of the WHO Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group, was co-chair of the Canadian Trans Fat Task Force (2004 – 2006), led the Canadian Trans Fat Monitoring Program (2004-2009), and is a member of the PAHO Task Force on Trans Fat in the Americas and vice-chair of the WHO Scientific Update on Trans Fatty Acids. She is currently vice-Chairperson of the Canadian Sodium Working Group charged with developing a national strategy for reducing sodium intakes by Canadians and a member of the PAHO regional expert group on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Dietary Salt Reduction. Dr. L'Abbé holds a PhD in nutrition from McGill University and has authored over 90 peer-reviewed scientific publications and book chapters. She is an expert in public health nutrition, nutrition policy, and food and nutrition regulations.

 

 

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Benoît Lamarche, PhD is Full Professor at the Department of Foods Sciences and Nutrition and Chair in Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health at Laval University. He has a degree in biochemistry (Laval University, 1991) and has completed his MSc and PhD degrees in kinesiology and physiology respectively (Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, 1996). He has conducted postdoctoral studies in physiology in Toronto (Faculty of Medicine, 1998). He has published more than peer-reviewed 220 papers in areas related to nutrition and its impact on metabolic syndrome, obesity, inflammation and dyslipidemia. His work on the association between small dense LDL particles and the risk of CHD, on the effect of trans fat from industrial and ruminant sources on blood lipids and on Mediterranean diet is highly cited. His research has been supported by CIHR over the last 16 years. He has also received funding from the Canada Research Chair Program, the Dairy Famers of Canada, NSERC and Agri-food and Agriculture Canada. He has led many industry-funded collaborative projects. He has received awards from the Société Québécoise de lipidologie, nutrition et métabolisme (Prix des Fondateurs, 2013), the Canadian Nutrition Society (Centrum New Investigator Award, 2011), the Utrech Group and the International Dairy Federation (Wiebe Visser Bi-annual International Nutrition Award, 2004), from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (Young Investigator Award, 2001), from the Club de lipidologie du Québec (Prix des Fondateurs, 1999) and from the Canadian Lipoprotein Conference (Pfizer Young Investigator Award, 1999, Peter Dolphin Astra Zeneca Research Award, 2005, Simon-Pierre Noël Award, 2009). Other implications Benoît Lamarche has participated in two Olympic Games as a long track speed skater, in Sarajevo (1984) and Calgary (1988). His best finish was a 10th place in the 10000m in Calgary. He has won the World Masters Speed Skating Championship in 2007 with world record times. He is still involved with speed skating as President of the Centre National Gaétan-Boucher in Québec City. Teamed-up with Joé Juneau, Gaétan Boucher and Clara Hughes, he is contributing to the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie by allowing young Inuit from Nunavik to participate in the gruelling 1000 km bike ride through the province of Québec. These kids become role model for their piers in Nunavik. He raced his first Ironman in Mont-Tremblant in August 2013.

 

 

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.

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Mélanie Plourde is an Assistant Professor at the University of Sherbrook. Her research focusses on omega-3 fatty acid metabolism and the prevention of cognitive decline. She is currently running a RCT (phase 3) with 300 participants (225 enrolled to date) and a pilot phase 2 study in pregnant women with diabetes. In addition she has been selected to run a research site for an International RCT testing a dietary supplement enriched with proteins for promoting health in fragile older people. While only an Assistant professor Mélanie she has been an excellent citizen to the nutrition community and has served as a reviewer for the operating grant –NUT (2013-2014), RCT2 (2015) and Stage 2 Foundation scheme (2015) panels for CIHR. She also serves on review panels for FRQ-S PhD fellowships (2014, 2015) and Internationally for the Society Foundation Ireland (2014). In addition to reviewing for the all the top nutrition journals and serving on her Institutions human ethics board, this year became one of the youngest editors of the British Journal of Nutrition (2015-2018). Mélanie has been a regular participant at the annual CNS meeting. She attended and presented at CNS during her postdoctoral studies and has attended and participated in the last two CNS meetings in St. Johns and Winnipeg. Last year she brought her students and one was selected for the oral competition. Mélanie is a very enthusiastic new investigator and would like to contribute more to CNS by joining the Executive