Whitfield Lab . Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology . Chris Whitfield PH.D.  Canada Research Chair in Molecular Microbiology . Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology

Biographical data for Chris Whitfield

Dr. Chris Whitefield Education
Postdoctoral training
Academic appointments
Awards
Society memberships and offices
Editorial boards
Grant panels
External administrative positions
Consulting activities related to antiinfective research
Invited symposium presentations
Current Research Funding
Postdoctoral Fellows Supervised
Graduate Students Supervised
Undergraduate courses taught
Graduate courses taught

Education

1976-1979 University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Ph.D. in Microbiology
1973-1976 University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. B.Sc. (Hons.) in Bacteriology

Postdoctoral training

1981-1984 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, University of Calgary
1979-1981 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California at Davis

Academic appointments

2004-presentChair, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph
2004-present Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph
2001-present Canada Research Chair in Molecular Microbiology
2002-2004 Acting Chair, Department of Microbiology, University of Guelph
1995-2004 Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of Guelph
1990-1995 Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of Guelph
1984-1989 Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of Guelph

top

Awards

2008-2015 Canada Research Chair in Molecular Microbiology (tier 1 - renewal)
2007Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Life Sciences)
2007Professorial Teaching Award, University of Guelph Faculty Association
2006Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
2003CSM/Roche Award, Canadian Society of Microbiologists
2001-2008Canada Research Chair in Molecular Microbiology (tier 1)
2000-2005MRC/CIHR Senior Investigator
1996Visiting Professor, supported by the Austrian Society for Biotechnology – Zentrum für Ultrastrukturforschung, Universität für Bodenkultur, Vienna
1995Award of Excellence in Teaching, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph
1995New England Biolabs Research Award, Canadian Society of Microbiologists
1982-1984Postdoctoral fellowship, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research
1976-1979Ph.D. studentship, CASE award, Science Research Council (UK)

top

Society memberships and offices

2009-present Member, Society for General Microbiology (SGM)
2007-presentNominating Committee, American Society for Microbiology Graduate Teaching Award
2002-present Member, Society for Glycobiology (SFG)
2006-present Member, Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB)
2001-present Member, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
1990-presentMember, International Endotoxin and Innate Immunity Society (IEIIS)
1983-present Member, American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
1982-present Member, Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM)
2000-2004Scientific Councillor (Microbiology) for International Endotoxin and Innate Immunity Society
1990-1992Section Chair, Infection & Immunity, Canadian Society of Microbiologists
1988-1990Section Vice Chair, Infection & Immunity, Canadian Society of Microbiologists

top

Editorial boards

2010-present Molecular Microbiology
2006-presentInnate Immunity (formerly the Journal of Endotoxin Research)
2010-presentJournal of Bacteriology
2004-2005 Journal of Bacteriology
2001-2006Journal of Biological Chemistry
1990-2002Journal of Bacteriology

Grant panels

2009-present Canadian Institutes of Health Research New Investigator Panel: member
2000-present Canada Chairs program College of Reviewers: member
2008-09 Canadian Institutes of Health Research Strategic Training Grants Panel: member
2004 Canadian Institutes of Health Research, New Investigator Pilot Project Grants panel: chair
2000-2002 Canadian Institutes of Health Research, CIHR Investigator panel: member
1999 Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC), Microbiology and Infectious Diseases panel: chair
1998 Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC), Microbiology and Infectious Diseases panel: scientific officer
1995-1997 Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC), Microbiology and Infectious Diseases panel: chair
1993-1995 Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC), Microbiology and Infectious Diseases panel: member
1988-1989 Ontario Graduate Scholarships Panel: member

top

External administrative positions

2001-2004Board of Directors, Canadian Research Network on Bacterial Pathogens of Swine (NSERC network)
1990-1998Science and Budget Committee of the Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network (Networks of Centres of Excellence Program)
1990-1998Coordinator for the University of Guelph Centre of the Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network

Consulting activities related to antiinfective research

2011-present GlycoVaxyn, Zurich: consultant
2011-present Cangene, Winnipeg, Manitoba: consultant
2008 GlycoVaxyn, Zurich: consultant
2006 - present Martek Bosciences, Baltimore MD: consultant
2000-2002GeneChem Technologies Venture Fund, Montréal Québec; Scientific Advisory Board member
1999-2000BioChem Pharma, Laval, Québec: consultant
1996-1997Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Illinois: consultant

top

Invited symposium presentations (last 5 years only)

2012 2nd European Symposium on Microbial Lipids; FEBS Workshop (Switzerland) 8th International Symposium on Glycosyltransferases - GlycoT (Germany)  
2011 Glyco21 - XXI International Symposium on Glycoconjugates (Austria) Eurocarb
FASEB Summer Conference, "Microbial polysaccharides" (USA) Australian Academy of Sciences Boden Conference "Microbial Cell Biology"
2010 Gordon Research Conferences, "New Antibacterial Discovery and Development" (Galveston, USA)
American Society of Microbiologists, 100th Annual Meeting, "Surfaces are sweet".
Canadian Society of Microbiologists, 60th Annual Meeting, "Bacterial surfaces".  
2009

Gordon Research Conferences, "Carbohydrates" (New Hampshire, USA)
Gordon Research Conferences, "Microbial Adhesion and Signal Transduction"; (Rhode Island, USA)

2008 Biennial Meeting of the International Endotoxin and Innate Immunity Society (UK)

Gordon Research Conferences, "Bacterial cell surfaces"(USA)

FASEB Summer Conference, "Microbial polysaccharides" (USA)

2nd FEBS Special Meeting, "ABC proteins; from Multidrug Resistance to Genetic Diseases" (Austria)

2007Annual Meeting of the Society for Glycobiology (USA)

Annual Meeting of the Australian Society for Microbiology (Australia)

Glyco19 - XIX International Symposium on Glycoconjugates (Australia)

5th NHRI Conference, "Bacterial Gene Regulation and Pathogenesis"(Taiwan)

top

Current Research Funding


CIHR Operating 2006-2011
(funded since 2003)
"Bacterial glyco-ABC transporters" 

NSERC Discovery 2010-2015
(funded since 1985)
“Structure and function of bacterial glycosyltransferase enzymes”  

CIHR Operating 2009-2014
(funded since 1986)
“Assembly and regulation of bacterial capsular polysaccharides”  

Canada Chairs program 2008-2015
(funded since 2001)
“Studies on assembly and regulation of bacterial glycoconjugates”  

top

Postdoctoral Fellows Supervised

Colin Cooper 2012-present
Nicholas Nickerson 2012-present
Brad Clarke 2000-present
Iain Mainprize2007-present
An (Mike) Tran 2007-2009
Anne Brunkan-LaMontagne 2006-2010
Mike Leipold2003-2007
Jacqueline Powers2003-2007
Jutta Nesper2001-2003
Eric Hani1999-2001
Shukui Guan1999-2000
Thomas Wugeditsch1998-2000
David Heinrichs1995-1998
Wayne Severn1993-1994
Reinhard Köplin1992-1997
Wendy Keenleyside1992-1996
Marika Szabo1992-1995
Dorothea Bronner1992-1994
Ron MacLachlan1990-1993
Padman Jayarantne1989-1992
Kirk McCallum1988-1991

top

Graduate Students Supervised

Britanny Hunt (MSc) 2010-present
Laura Greenfield (PhD)2008-present
Lisa Willis (PhD)2007-present
Kane LaRue (PhD) 2011
Veronica Kos (PhD) 2010
Laura Knight (MSc) 2010
Jordan Bean (MSc)2009
April Cockburn (MSc) 2007
Leslie Cuthbertson (PhD)2007
Meaghan Fowler (MSc)2007
Shoshana Tsatskis (MSc)2005
Anne Paiment (PhD) 2005
Emilisa Frirdich (PhD)2005
Natalia Kaniuk (PhD)2005
Andrea Rahn (PhD)2002
Jeremy Yethon (PhD) 2001
Jolyne Drummelsmith (PhD)2000
Christine Dodgson (MSc)1996
Robert Kelly (PhD)1995
Brad Clarke (PhD)1993
Gary Schoenhals (PhD)1992
Wendy Keenleyside (PhD)1992
Mary Homonylo (MSc)1988
Dayle Laakso (MSc)1988

Undergraduate courses taught

MICR*3270/4270 Microbial Cell Biology
MICR*4010Pathogenic Bacteriology
MBG*3070/3080Bacterial Genetics
MICR*2030 Microbial growth
MICR*3250 Microbial Design
65-100Introductory Microbiology I
65-210Introductory Microbiology II
65-318Microbial Physiology

Graduate courses taught

MICR*6070Bacterial Structures and Virulence
MICR*6950Selected Topics in Microbiology
MICR*6040 Advanced Bacterial Physiology
MICR*6540 Introductory Seminar
MICR*6590 Advanced Seminar
MBG*6020Topics in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
65-637Advanced Techniques
top