Native Crops in India

Dr. B. Dave Oomah is a retired (2013) research scientist formerly with Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Summerland, British Columbia. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Food, Nutrition and Health at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He received his Ph.D. in plant science (Cereal Chemistry) from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dr. Oomah has been active in crop utilization research since 1980 and has authored/ co-authored 124 research papers and 43 book chapters. He is co-editor of six books (2022, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2014, and 2000), co-editor of the Special Food Research International Issue on Molecular, Functional and Processing Characteristics of Whole Pulses and Pulse and Nutraceutical Application, co-inventor of a US patent 6261629 on functional, water-soluble protein-fiber products from grains, and a trade secret on fiber-enriched products from flaxseed hulls. He contributed to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) consensus document on common bean constituents (Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds, No. 27). His research interests have ranged from the processing of cereals, legumes, and oilseeds to the physicochemical characterization of major components from traditional and alternative crops, genetic and seasonal variations of secondary metabolites in oilseeds, antinutritional factors in oilseeds and legumes, and modern methodology assessing functional foods and nutraceuticals. He has special expertise in the area of phytochemicals from flaxseed, pulses, botanicals, fruits, and high-value alternative crops. He has continued his collaboration on dry bean and other research investigations with Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Mexico, since 2000. He has mentored and supervised 75 students (1998-2012), including 5 postdoctoral fellows/visiting scientists from Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, and Mexico; 14 Ph.D. students (from Algeria, Mexico, and Canada); 1 M.Sc. student; 27 graduate students, mainly from France; and 4 co-op students. He was a professional member of the American Chemical Society, the American Oil Chemists' Society, and the Institute of Food Technologists. He was an external reviewer on functional foods and nutraceuticals for grant applications to Action Concertee Fonds Nature et Technologies-AEE-MAPAQ-MIC, Quebec. He was also a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council [NSERC] (GSC-03-Plant Biology and Food Science) committee member (2007-2009) and a member of the NSERC John C. Polanyi Award selection committee in 2008. He served as a member of the AAFC RES 03 Promotion Review Committee for 3 years.

Devina Lobine, Ph.D., holds an undergraduate degree (Upper Second Class, First Division) in agricultural biotechnology, following which she secured the competitive Tertiary Education Commission postgraduate scholarship, the Commonwealth Split-Site Ph.D. scholarship, and the BSI Durham University Ph.D. fellowship to read for her M.Phil./Ph.D. (field: Natural Products) in collaboration between the University of Mauritius and Durham University (United Kingdom). Recently (June 2021), Devina has completed her postdoctoral research fellowship in the field of neuropharmacology from the University of Mauritius, in collaboration with Axonova Ltd (private company). She has several years of practical and applied experience in various fields of life sciences (molecular biology, pharmacology, microbiology, bioinformatics, etc.) and has authored/co-authored over 64 publications (full scientific papers in ISSN/impact factor journals and book chapters). She is the recipient of over 20 fellowships/travel grants to attend international seminars, teaching tool workshops/conferences: SPARK-Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course (Germany), "Drosophila melanogaster models for neurodegenerative diseases" (Italy), Metabolomics Workshop (Leiden), among others. Presently, Devina is a member of the Global Young Academy, a fellow of the African Leadership Science Programme, Ambassador for Next Einstein Forum and NEPAD-SANBio. Through these platforms, Devina is actively engaged in STEM education and initiatives. She is also a member of the National Youth Environment Council set up under the aegis of the Prime Minister's Office, whereby she engages with policymakers on environmental-related policies, strategies, and action plans.