Speaker's Biographies
Dr. Andrew Potter
Dr. Andrew Potter is internationally recognized for his work in the area of vaccine development. He is a graduate of Carleton University (Canada) and the University of Otago (New Zealand) and has worked at VIDO, University of Saskatchewan, for the past 23 years serving as a research scientist, Associate Director (Research) and more recently, Director. He currently holds an NSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair in the area of vaccine development. Dr. Potter is known for his research in the area of bacterial pathogenesis and for his research in the field of vaccinology that has resulted in five commercially-available vaccines (two “world firsts”) and more than 50 patents for vaccine development and therapeutics.
He is also the Director of the Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise (PREVENT), a recently established National Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research funded by the National Centres of Excellence Program of the Federal Government.
He also currently supervises a successful research program well-funded by competitive grants at the national level. Recently, he has been working on the application of genomics to the animal health field, as well as forging links between the animal and human infectious disease research communities to ensure that technologies common to both fields can be leveraged to their greatest benefit.
He has mentored more than 30 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who currently hold positions in industry, academia and government worldwide.
Dr. Potter has served on a number of public and private sector committees, and has been instrumental in transferring VIDO technology from the laboratory to the private sector, as evidenced by numerous license agreements negotiated over the years. He interacts frequently with major animal and health companies and serves as a consultant to numerous smaller ones.
T. Bruce Anderson
BRUCE ANDERSON is a graduate of the University of British Columbia obtaining his Bachelors of Science degree in 1984 majoring in Microbiology. Currently he is the Senior Advisor, Occupational and Research Safety for the University of BC and is responsible for the management of occupational, biological, chemical and radiation safety programs. He has been involved in the planning, design and commissioning of three level 3 containment facilities associated with the University and is currently engaged in the design and commissioning of 2 additional level 3 containment facilities in B.C. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Academic Pathology and an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate Programme for Masters in Occupational Hygiene. Currently he is enrolled in the Masters Programme in Experimental Medicine at UBC and is the current President of ABSA Canada.
Carol Stansfield
Senior Biosafety Officer
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease
Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health
Carol is Senior Biosafety Officer for the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases of the Canadian Food Inspection at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health. In this capacity, she is responsible for the biosafety training of staff in all levels of containment, with emphasis on the Level 3 and 4 programs and serves as the liaison between scientific program personnel and other facility administration and operations staff. Carol is a graduate of the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at St. Lawrence College and holds an Occupational Safety and Health Certificate from Red River College. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science from Athabasca University.
Corrine Harris, B.Sc., RBP
Corrine is currently the Biosafety Coordinator at the Canadian Light Source Inc., situated on the University of Saskatchewan Campus. She earned an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Saskatchewan and also holds a Chemical Technologist diploma from SIAST in Saskatoon. Prior to starting a career in the field of Biosafety, she worked at the Saskatchewan Research Council and spent 6 years working at a Uranium Minesite as a Biological/ Chemical technologist in Northern Saskatchewan. At the Minesite she joined the mine rescue team and became involved in all safety aspects at the Minesite. She then worked as the U of S Biosafety Manager from 2002 until 2007 where she gained significant knowledge and experience in the biosafety field that helped her implement a comprehensive Biosafety Program that was touted as ‘best practice’ in Canada by the Tri-Council Funding Agencies in 2006. She has been a member of the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) and ABSA Canada since 2002 and earned her Registered Biosafety Professional status in December 2007. She currently enjoys the new challenges of implementing a biosafety program at Canada’s only synchrotron.
Cristal Cizik, MT
Cristal Cizik is an accredited medical laboratory technologist through the Canadian society of medical laboratory sciences (CSMLS). She has worked in both clinical and research laboratories, and is currently working in the Applied Biosafety Research Program at the Canadian Science Centre as a research assistant. She remains active in continuing her education and has currently completed training in the 7th annual International High Containment Workshop. Cristal is the recipient of the 2008 Leaders of Tomorrow National Congress Grant from the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Sciences.
Diane Gordon, B.Sc
Diane graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelors of Science majoring in Microbiology in the co-op program. Diane gained experience working in a microbiology lab while employed at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health as a co-op student. Recently, Diane has joined the Applied Biosafety Research Program at the Canadian Science Centre as a research assistant.
Dianne Watchorn
Ms Dianne Watchorn obtained her BSc from the University of Manitoba and began her career in the laboratory at the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg in Virology.
She then moved to Health Canada’s National Reference Center for Tuberculosis in Ottawa. In 1998, she continued her career with the Mycobacteriology Diagnostic Unit in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. During Dianne’s career, she has witnessed the evolution from work on open benches and mouth pipetting to the current Containment Level 3Biosafety Standards.
A year long assignment with the Office of Biohazard Containment and Safety gave her the chance to increase her Biosafety knowledge, participate in a field operation during the Avian Influenza outbreak in 2004, co-ordinate the Containment Level 3 Course and develop training protocols in these areas.
Recently, Dianne was appointed the Biosafety Officer at Ottawa Laboratory Fallowfield, where she ensures facilities at this site meet current Containment Standards through Certification and Recertification and follow Standard Operating Procedures. Dianne’s life is very interesting overseeing 4 Containment Level 3 laboratories, Level 3 Post Mortem Suite, Barns with CL 3, Prions and CL2, Plant Pest Containment laboratories, as well as numerous CL2 Laboratories.
Gilles Tremblay
Director of Commissioning Services for Merrick & Co has hands-on experience testing and coordinating commissioning programs for high containment laboratories and the associated systems and equipment. Mr Tremblay provides the leadership for developing test protocols, applying tests and performing the analysis and final adjustments for systems performance. He has direct experience with the testing of effluent decontamination systems and various vendor solutions that are implemented in this area.
Jay Krishnan, MSc
Biologist, Applied Biosafety Research Program
National Microbiology Laboratory
Public Health Agency of Canada
Jay has been both studying and working in research and clinical laboratories for over 20 years. He holds two Master's degrees, one in virology and the second one in immunology. His area of interest is applied biosafety research and for the last 4 years working with vaporous hydrogen peroxide and gaseous chlorine dioxide. He has presented the data at several national and international conferences and is the recipient of the 2006 Knudsen Memorial Publication Award from the American Biological Safety Association.
Jean-Nicolas Gagnon
Jean-Nicolas Gagnon obtained a B.Sc (Honours) and a M.Sc. in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University. His thesis focused on the molecular characterization of iron transport across the bacterial cell envelope.
After graduation, he joined Toxigen Inc., a Montreal-based biotechnology start-up, where he performed experimental work to develop the company’s cancer therapeutics platform. In April 2005, Jean-Nicolas moved to Ottawa and joined Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency as an Evaluation Officer where he was responsible for the review of efficacy studies submitted for the registration of antimicrobial pesticides.
In November 2006, he joined the Public Health Agency’s Office of Laboratory Security (OLS) as the acting Head, Importation and Biosafety Programs. His responsibilities include the day-to-day management of the pathogen import permit program, providing expert advice on the interpretation of the Human Pathogens Importation Regulations, performing inspections of containment level 2 laboratories, and acting as a liaison with other government departments.
Jessica Dong
Jessica is currently studying in the Microbiology program at the University of Manitoba. She has been working with the Applied Biosafety Research Group in Winnipeg since September to fulfill the Co-op requirements for her degree. She has been an integral part of the Applied Biosafety Research Program assisting with a wide variety of research currently being conducted. She is currently working on two new projects which involve the effects of various disinfectants against veterinary viruses and determining the efficacy of various sampling tools.
Dr. John Copps
Dr. John Copps graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1979. For a year afterward, he worked as a research technician in the Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba and on a number of farms. In 1984, he graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. From 1984 to 1991 he owned and operated a mixed animal veterinary hospital in rural Manitoba of which he was the principle veterinarian. Following his years in practice, he attained a Doctor of Veterinary Science with an emphasis on laboratory animal pathology and virology from the University of Guelph Veterinary College. During that time, one year was spent in Ottawa at Health Canada's Health Protection Branch, Animal Resources as a clinical veterinarian. In 1984, he became the Animal Care Veterinarian at the National Research Council in Winnipeg. Dr. Copps joined the CFIA/National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in 1998 as the Head of the Animal Care Section. He has assisted in the development of a combined animal care program encompassing both the NCFAD and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health. He continues to be part of the NCFAD and PHAC Level 4 teams. Dr. Copps is a co-ordinator/presenter for the annual Foreign Animal Disease course offered by NCFAD in Winnipeg. Currently, he holds the positions of Acting/Deputy Director and Head of Animal Care at the NCFAD.
Kassim Ali
Kassim Ali is a biologist with the Biotechnology Section of the New Substances Assessment and Control Bureau, which is part of the Product Safety Program under the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch of Health Canada. Kassim’s main responsibilities include the evaluation of new substances that are products derived through biotechnology that fall under the purview of the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999. He has wider experiences working with animals and holds a doctorate degree in animal breeding and genetics. Issues related to biosafety, particularly those associated with higher organisms, features prominently in his current position.
Kendra Davidson
Policy Advisor in the Non-Proliferation & Disarmament division (chemical, biological and conventional), at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Represents Canada at the UN Biological Toxin Weapons Convention meetings, and is Canada's policy lead to the Australia Group.
Larry Wiens
Larry Wiens obtained his Masters of Architecture at the University of Manitoba, he is a member of the Manitoba Association of Architects, a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, an International Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects and a member of the National Certification of Architectural Review Boards.
Larry has been with Smith Carter for nine years. In 2004 he and his family relocated to Atlanta, Georgia to take a position with Smith Carter’s Atlanta office. It was here that Larry’s expertise began to be tested and his patience at times stretched. Through his direct participation as design team member on a variety of high containment laboratories including a Regional Biocontainment Laboratory at Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, North Carolina, the Animal Health Research Center redevelopment at the University of Georgia, the NIH Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland and the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory at Boston University and as a member of the contracts administration team on the new Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta Georgia, Larry has been able to assemble a wealth of containment knowledge that he is ready to share with you in order to make your lives just a little easier.
In December 2006, Larry, who was responsible for the design of high containment detailing, contract document review, completed a two year term at the Integrated Research Facility at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, Montana where he was resident contract administrator responsible for site inspections and architectural contract administration activities. He also participated in the architectural commissioning activities. Larry has recently assumed this same role on the InterVac Project at the University of Saskatchewan.
Lisa Young
Since starting with CFIA in 1996 Lisa has gained a broad range of biosafety and biocontainment experience. She began her career at the Foreign Animal Disease Laboratory in Hull and then spent several years at the Animal Disease Research Institute within the Centre of Expertise for Mycobacterium where she gained experience in small animal containment and large animal post mortem containment. After a brief period with the Office of Laboratory Security at PHAC Lisa returned to the CFIA where she was the Head of the Biocontainment and Certification Program responsible for certifying and recertifying CL3 and 4 facilities handling animal pathogens. She has worked on the development and revision of biocontainment standards at CFIA. Currently Lisa is the National Manager of the Office of Biohazard Containment and Safety.
Marianne Heisz
Chief, Importation and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Laboratory Security
Public Health Agency of Canada
Marianne Heisz joined the Office of Laboratory Security as Biosafety Specialist in 1997, after completing her Masters in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa.
After 4 years in this role, administering the federal Human Pathogens Importation Regulations, Marianne moved on to become Chief, Emergency and Bioterrorism Response, still within the Office of Laboratory Security. In this capacity, Marianne developed the Agency’s National Capital Region response capacity to bioterrorist incidents, as well as developed the Office’s research and diagnostic level 3 laboratory capacities.
In 2006, Marianne assumed new responsibilities as Chief, Importation and Regulatory Affairs, where she oversees the administration of the Human Pathogens Importation Regulations, as well as the policy and regulatory development for future biosafety initiatives within the Agency.
Mark A. Czarneski
Title: Director of Technology
Company: ClorDiSys Solutions, Inc.
Mark has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for over 10 years. He has been with ClorDiSys Solutions, Inc. since 2001 as Director of Technology directing the design, commercialization and manufacturing of various decontaminating and sterilization equipment for the pharmaceutical, life science and food industry. Prior to ClorDiSys Solutions, Inc. Mark worked for Johnson and Johnson providing engineering design and installation support for sterilization and decontamination equipment. He has additional experience in the design and building of industrial equipment for various industries.
Education degrees include a bachelor’s degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology in Electrical Engineering Technology (1990) and masters in Engineering Management (1991).
Mary Louise Graham
Mary Louise Graham has held various positions with the Office of Laboratory Security, Public Health Agency of Canada since 1989 and is currently the Chief of the Biocontainment Division. She manages the microbiological component of the national biocontainment inspection and certification program which provides regulatory oversight and consultative services to those who build, design or operate biocontainment laboratories across the country.
She was awarded the "Robert I. Gross Memorial Award" for "Recognition of Academic Achievement in Biological Safety" in 1997 by the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA). Mary Louise is a past-president of ABSA Canada and has been a member for more than 14 years. She is a registered microbiologist (RM) with the Canadian College of Microbiologists and has served as a board Director for two terms.
Maureen Ellis
Maureen Ellis is the Senior Biosecurity Advisor with the Global Partnership Program at the Department of Foreign Affairs Canada. The Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction was established by G8 leaders, in 2002, in Canada. The Partnership is a large-scale international initiative to address biological and other threats stemming from the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union. Maureen is responsible for providing biosecurity and biosafety guidance to this program, and specifically, to biological non-proliferation initiatives in Central Asia, the Caucuses and Russia.
S. Migo Kelada, P.Eng.
Migo was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1971 and immigrated to Canada in 1972. He grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan and received his Bachelor of Applied Science degree from the University of Regina in 1994. After graduation he was employed by Yoneda and Associates in Regina for 8 years where he developed experience in building heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing and fire protection. With Yoneda & Associates, Migo worked on various facilities and developed a specialization in health care facilities. In 2002, he moved to Edmonton for employment with Hemisphere Engineering. In his career with Hemisphere, he has continued his work in the area of health care facilities but has grown into the field of biocontainment facilities. Migo has designed a CL3 facility in Edmonton and is the mechanical engineer of record for the University of Saskatchewan InterVac Laboratory currently in construction.
Miguel Providenti
Miguel Providenti is an Evaluator with the New Substances Program, the joint Environment Canada/Health Canada program charged with assessing the environmental and human health risks posed by living organisms subject to assessment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999 (CEPA 1999). 'Living organisms' under CEPA 1999 includes microorganisms and higher organisms (e.g. plants, animals). As an Evaluator, Miguel contributes to various Program activities, including risk assessment of microorganisms used for environmental and other biotechnological applications, and the development of various program-specific documents, including guidelines describing the science-based considerations used for risk assessment of microorganisms under CEPA 1999. Miguel obtained a BSc from McGill University, an MSc from the University of Guelph, a PhD from Carleton University, and conducted 5 years post-doctoral work at the University of Konstanz (Germany) and Carleton University. His research focused on use of microorganisms for bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminants, characterizing pathways used by microorganisms to biodegrade aromatic compounds, and determining the environmental fate and effects of biotechnologically-relevant microorganisms released into terrestrial environments.
Paul Langevin
Paul Langevin is in charge of the Canadian office for Merrick & Co. (www.merrick.com) and is the Director for Laboratory Design Services. In his role, Paul provides state-ofthe- art laboratory designs solutions for clients world-wide. Mr. Langevin has been involved with laboratory containment designs for 26 years working with university, government and private enterprise. During the same 26 years Mr Langevin has lead and assisted commissioning and operational teams responsible for testing and certifying Biosafety cabinets. Mr Langevin continues to contribute to the Biosafety and containment industry by writing various technical biosafety codes/guidelines and speaking & teaching at seminars and conferences.
Wayne Yuen
As senior mechanical engineer for Hemisphere Engineering, Wayne Yuen specializes in mechanical design and contract administration. Many of Mr. Yuen’s HVAC designs have been focused on the research, science and technology industries, as well as within the healthcare system.
Wayne graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1996 and has since become a member of APEGM (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba). He is also a member of APEGGA (Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta).
Wayne’s recent project experience includes the International Vaccine Institute (INTERVAC) in Saskatoon, and the Orthopedic Surgery Center in Edmonton.
Ron Sharpe
Mr. Sharpe has a thorough knowledge of control system designs and operations, having been involved with designing and commissioning them for over 25 years. Mr. Sharpe’s major responsibility is the design and implementation of direct digital control (DDC) and monitoring systems in buildings. Duties include energy and user needs analysis, preparation of plans and specifications, inspections and documentation of automation systems.
He is widely recognized for his expertise in the area of laboratory commissioning. Upon his return from ten years in the U.S., he has coordinated all commissioning efforts for the Florida State Department of Law Enforcement crime laboratories. His experience and expertise lead to a temporary staff assignment on the Florida Department of Management Services, which coordinates the construction and maintenance of all Florida state facilities.
Ron designed the control systems for Winnipeg’s Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health and the Laboratory Centre for Disease Control in Ottawa. Recent project experience includes the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Building 18, Atlanta Georgia, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Hamilton, Montana.
Ron is a member of NICET (National Institute for Certification of Engineering Technologies) and ASHRAE.
Shane Jones
Shane graduated in 2001 from Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) in Saskatoon, with a diploma in Biotechnology. Prior to graduating he moved to Winnipeg to do a practicum at National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) with Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) section. Upon completion of the practicum he was hired on in the same section doing a 3 month term. After he did terms in Meningococcal and Vaccine Preventable diseases and Molecular Typing section in the Enterics group at NML
In 2003 he joined the Special Pathogens group at NML, working under Dr. Ramon Flick on Crimean Congo Haemmoharrigic Fever Virus for 2 years, until Dr. Flick’s departure to Galveston. In 2005 he began working under Dr. Markus Czub on Hendra/Nipah viruses until Dr. Czub’s departure in 2006. Since then he has worked under Dr. Heinz Feldmann and Dr. Jim Strong working with Ebola virus and other BSL 4 viruses.
Since joining Special Pathogens he has worked in Biosafety Level 4 doing small and large animal experiments, diagnostics including PCR for BSL 4 Pathogens, LCMV, Hanta viruses and ELISA for Hanta viruses, Nipah virus, Rift Valley Fever virus, research projects and safety testing orientated projects with BSL-4 viruses and recently taking on shared duties on the operation of the BSL 4 laboratory at NML. Other highlights have been trips to Iran to assist in Molecular diagnostics training of staff, laboratory based support of PHAC-NML mobile lab while on deployment and deployment with the PHAC-NML mobile lab in response to an Ebola outbreak in October 2007 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Shawn Spera, MBA, VHP Product Manager
STERIS Corporation
Shawn is the product marketing authority for Life Sciences applications within STERIS, which include high-level containment facilities. He has experience in bringing together multiple resources and stakeholders necessary to provide guidance and support for complex biosafety applications, which include BSL-3 and lab animal facilities. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Case Western Reserve University.
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Steve Freson, AIA, Principal
Flad Architects
Steve is nationally recognized for his expertise in the design of high containment facilities. He has a thorough understanding of the regulatory guidelines that influence the design of these facilities. Mr. Freson’s primary project experience involves complex process and protocol driven facilities where high degrees of research practice knowledge and technology applications are key. His project experience includes high containment biological facility programming, planning and design, including BSL-2, -3, - 3ag and -4 designs for laboratory and animal facility programs, biological and chemistry facilities, physical science facilities including radiological hazardous category III facilities.
Steve has worked on highly complex facilities for the federal government and several public and private clients including Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, NIH Regional Biocontainment Labs, Battelle, and The Ohio State University.
Tom Gieseke
Professional Experience
Since joining BIOQUELL, Inc. Tom Gieseke has spent much of his time working with pharmaceutical companies, animal research facilities, government research labs, US military, and universities in determining effective means of decontaminating BSCs, isolators, equipment, rooms and entire facilities using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide.
Prior to joining BIOQUELL, Inc., Tom Gieseke spent 10 years with TUV Rheinland of North America in the semiconductor industry working with manufacturers of silicon wafers. His background is in electrical and industrial hygiene assessments of equipment used in wafer fabrication and etching with companies such as LLNL, LAM Research, and Seagate Technology
Education:
Mr. Gieseke received his BA from Concordia University, Irvine, CA in Business
Management.
