GIS Steering and Advisory Committee
The GIS Steering and Advisory Committee provides strategic guidance and support for the long-term development of GlycoNet Integrated Services.
Members of the Committee
Dr. Wakarchuk is a Professor from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta. The Wakarchuk lab investigates the structure and function of the enzymes which make and degrade various glycoconjugates. This work has been enabling the chemo-enzymatic synthesis of bioactive glycoconjugates both in the laboratory and for industrial projects. The Wakarchuk lab has expertise with both mammalian and bacterial carbohydrate active enzymes for glycan remodelling applications.
D. Wade Abbott received his B.Sc. in Biology from Trinity Western University in 1998, and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry under the supervision of Professor Juan Ausió at the University of Victoria in 2005. His first postdoctoral research fellowship was with Dr. Alisdair Boraston at the University of Victoria (2005-2008), followed by a second appointment with Professor Harry Gilbert at the University of Georgia Complex Carbohydrate Research Centre (2008-2010). In 2011 he began his career with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Lethbridge Research Centre as a Research Scientist. Group interests are focused in the areas of complex carbohydrate utilization pathways and bioengineering intestinal bacteria. Currently his group is developing carbohydrate-based innovations for the animal agriculture industry in Canada.
Heads the Proteome Informatics Group at the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics in Geneva, Switzerland. Received a PhD in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) from the University Pierre & Marie Curie, Paris, France and held research positions in France, Japan and Australia working on knowledge representation and data mining methods. Spent a few years in industry (Proteome Systems Ltd in Sydney, Australia and Geneva Bioinformatics (GeneBio) S.A, in Geneva, Switzerland) before joining SIB in 2006. Since 2011, teams with an international network of dedicated glycoscientists gathering momentum to deliver a range of databases and software increasingly used in the community.
Elizabeth is the CEO of GlycoNet. She was involved in the GlycoNet initiative since the Letter of Intent stage and served as the Associate Director, Business for the Alberta Glycomics Centre from 2007–2015. Prior to her position with the Centre, she worked as a manager of large-scale and multi-institutional projects with Genome Prairie. In addition to her PhD in biochemistry, Elizabeth has an MBA in biotechnology management.
Observer
Veronika Sharko is GlycoNet’s Director of Programs, responsible for overseeing and managing the Network’s various research programs. Holding a Master’s degree in Biochemistry and bringing extensive experience from the pharmaceutical industry, she ensures that GlycNet effectively fosters innovation and collaboration across the glycoscience community.
Terms of Reference
View Terms of Reference (PDF)