For immediate release

10 December 2003

New members of IFR Governing Body appointed

Professor Seán Strain and Dr Andrew Morgan have been appointed by the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council to the Governing Body of the Institute of Food Research (IFR).

Seán Strain is Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Ulster and Co-director of their Centre for Molecular Biosciences. Andrew Morgan is Scientific Director of Danisco Venture.

The key rôle of the Governing Body is to advise on scientific, financial and management issues and, as IFR has charitable status and is a company limited by guarantee, to become a member of the Governing Body is akin to being a Director of a Limited Company.

In selecting the Governing Body BBSRC seek a balanced representation from academic, industry, consumer and political stakeholders. Professor Strain and Dr Morgan have joined the science sub-committee, chaired by Professor John Mathers of the University of Newcastle which plays a vital role in assisting the Institute in matters of scientific strategy, together with the main Board chaired by Dr Geoff Spriegel of Sainsbury's.

The appointments are unpaid.

Further information on Professor Strain and Dr Morgan follows…………………………

Professor Seán Strain
Seán Strain is Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Ulster and Co-Director of their Centre for Molecular Biosciences. The Centre recently received the largest single research infrastructure grant ever made to a university in Northern Ireland. It establishes the University of Ulster as one of the world's leading biomedical research centres concentrating on degenerative diseases, especially their interaction with nutritional factors.

He was a founding member of the Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA), which is committed to promoting nutrition education and research, and is a registered nutritionist and a member of the Royal Irish Academy.

He chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee of Safefood which provides independent scientific assessment and advice on the safety and hygiene of the food on the island of Ireland. The seventeen members are representative of the key disciplines involved in food safety and nutrition on the island, together with two observers from the FSAI and the FSA NI.

He is also a member of the Medical Research Council's Physiological Medicines and Infections Board.

Professor Strain co-edited the Encyclopaedia of Human Nutrition which won the Basic and Clinical Sciences category of the 2000 British Medical Association Book Awards.

He holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry, a B.Agr. in Agricultural Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry.

Dr Andrew Morgan
Andrew Morgan is Scientific Director, Danisco Venture, based in the UK. Prior to this he was Vice-President, Innovation (Bioscience), Danisco Cultor, Denmark and Director - Cultor Technology Centre in Finland. He started his career as a technologist in yeast and plant molecular biology at the BP Research Centre in the UK, then went on to manage biotechnology research for BP Nutrition in the Netherlands.

His research experience spans biotechnology and nutrition, including food & feed enzymes, food safety, functional foods, and animal nutrition. This was mainly with Danisco (Cultor), a global leader in food & feed ingredients and partly with BP Nutrition (now Nutreco). Additionally he has experience with BP in yeast biotechnology/biofuels and plant biotechnology/seeds. He is author or co-author of 25 patents/applications and 50 journal publications.

His wider experience includes R&D management and corporate venturing (investment in start-up companies), technology auditing, acquisition & in-licensing, and patents portfolio management.

Dr Morgan has a B.Sc. in Biochemistry and obtained his D.Phil. in 1979.

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Notes to editors

• For further information please contact the Press Officer - Jo Belsten on +44 (0)1603 255218 jo.belsten@ifr.ac.uk
• Photos of Professor Strain and Dr Morgan are available - contact Paul Pople on +44 (0)1603 255310 or paul.pople@ifr.ac.uk
  
• The Institute of Food Research is the UK's major publicly funded centre of basic scientific research into food. It focuses on furthering the understanding of the raw materials from which food is formed, the methods by which food is manufactured and its interactions with the human host - www.ifr.ac.uk
  
• The Governing Body members are listed at:- www.ifr.ac.uk/About/GoverningBody.html together with the terms of reference for the Governing Body and its sub-committees
  
• IFR is sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, www.bbsrc.ac.uk

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