Sjefke JHM Allefs, Phd, Director Agrico Research (Bant, Netherlands)
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Sjefke J.H.M. Allefs, PhD, Director Agrico Research (Bant, Netherlands) Sjefke J.H.M. Allefs studied Plant Breeding at the Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands and graduated in 1988; he received his PhD in 1995. In 1989 he carried out a civil service project at the former Foundation for Plant Breeding (SVP) in Wageningen on molecular marker techniques in wheat and potato. From 1990 to 1994 he carried out a research project for Agrico Research at the former DLO---Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research (CPRO---DLO) in Wageningen. The project aimed at developing screening methods suitable for breeding potato varieties with enhanced levels of resistance to Erwinia spp. In 1994, he was appointed as research scientist and breeder at the potato breeding station of Agrico Research in Bant, Noordoostpolder, the Netherlands. Since 1999, he has served as director of Agrico Research. Agrico Research, a daughter company of the cooperative Agrico U.A., has as its main activity the breeding of new potato varieties. In its greenhouses, about 1000 crosses are made each year and 200.000 individual potato plants are raised from the botanic seed obtained. This first clonal generation is the starting point of variety selection on experimental fields in a series of nine successive years. Often, traits from primitive cultivated potatoes or even wild potato species are used. The most important goals of the breeding programme for new potato varieties are improvement of disease resistances, quality for fresh consumption and suitability for processing to French fries and precooked potato products. Kristen Anderson Director of Nutrition Research, Food Science and Consumer science Barilla (Parma, Italy) Kristen Anderson is Director of Nutrition Research, Food Science and Consumer Science for Barilla Group since January, 2010. She is responsible for the development of new global research platforms in nutrition and strategic raw materials, management of the external Nutrition Advisory Board, implementation of nutrition guidelines across the portfolio, understanding of sensory drivers to increase product acceptance, education of consumers via nutrition communications and enhancement of the wellbeing of the employees via social responsibility initiatives. Before joining Barilla, Kristen held the position of General Manager of Global R&D for Coca Cola, based in Shanghai, China where she was responsible for product development for Asia and Global research and nutrition. She oversaw the building of the new Global Innovation and Technology Center in Shanghai. Before her role in China, she managed various R&D organizations in Australia, Germany and US for Kraft Foods. Glycemic Index, Load, and Response Summit Fiona Atkinson, Re s e a r c h M a n a g e r Sydney University GI Research Service (Sydney, Australia) Fiona Atkinson is the research manager of the Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS, a commercial GI testing service for food manufacturers). She has a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics and is currently undertaking a PhD on a part time basis at the University of Sydney focusing on how certain genes influence carbohydrate metabolism. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Glycemic Index Limited (a not---for---profit company which educates consumers about healthy low GI eating). Her research interests include the glycemic index of foods, glucose and insulin metabolism and the effects of diet on body composition. Livia Augustin, PhD, Research Fellow Risk Factor Modification Centre St. Michael’s Hospital (Toronto, Canada) Dr. Livia Augustin is a research fellow at the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She was born in Toronto, grew up in Italy and returned to Canada where she completed her university studies, earning an MSc in nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto and a PhD in human nutrition at the University of Guelph. Her major interest is in the investigation of the effect of dietary carbohydrate quality, i.e. the glycemic index, on chronic diseases including diabetes management and cancer prevention. Dr. Augustin started the investigations of the glycemic index in cancer risk in two epidemiology research centres in Aviano and Milan (Italy). She has developed glycemic index databases in Italy, Greece and Canada which have been used in numerous epidemiological studies. She has been an invited speaker at international scientific meetings, at public health talks, universities and elementary schools. Dr. Augustin has over 40 scientific publications in peer--- reviewed scientific journals as well as chapters in international textbooks on carbohydrate metabolism and glycemic index. Dr. Augustin has conceived and co---organized the International Scientific Consensus Summit on the Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and Glycemic Response. Glycemic Index, Load, and Response Summit Sara Baer-Sinnott, President Oldways (Boston, USA) Sara has been an instrumental figure at Oldways since its early days, joining the staff in 1992. After serving for many years as Executive Vice President, she assumed the presidency of Oldways in May 2010 on the death of founder K. Dun Gifford. She now develops company strategy, oversees all Oldways projects and programs, and works closely with all members of the Oldways staff. In her two decades at Oldways, Sara has been an integral part of Oldways’ growth and success. She has helped develop ground---breaking programs including the nonprofit’s Traditional Diet Pyramids; the Whole Grains Council; Healthy Pasta Meals; African Heritage and Health; High Five Children’s Cooking Curriculum; Oldways Nutrition Exchange and Supermarket Dietitian Symposium; the Oldways Vegetarian Network; Oldways Culinarias; and many others. Before joining Oldways, Sara was the Special Projects Editor at Inc. Magazine and also worked for state and federal government agencies. She has a BE in economics from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and an MA in regional planning from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Alan W. Barclay, PhD, Head of Research/Chief Scientific Officer Australian Diabetes Council/GI Foundation (Sydney, Australia) Alan Barclay graduated from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Western Australia in 1993 with a distinction in nutrition and dietetics, then worked in clinical dietetics at a variety of hospitals and in private practice throughout Australia. He earned a PhD at the University of Sydney on the association between glycemic carbohydrate (glycemic index and glycemic load) and the risk of developing lifestyle---related diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. To date, he has had over 20 scientific papers published in scientific journals on this and related topics, and has presented this research at numerous conferences. He received a National Service Award from the Dietitians’ Association of Australia for his contributions to the dietetic profession. Dr. Barclay has worked with the Glycemic Index Foundation since 1999, helping develop food criteria and categories to help their front---of---pack certification trademark become recognized as a symbol of healthy food choice; he is currently their Chief Scientific Officer. He has also worked for Diabetes Australia / Australian Diabetes Council since 1998, currently as Head of Research (part--- time), and prior to that as Research and Development Manager (full---time). An expert in nutrition communication, he is a member of the Editorial Board of Diabetes Australia’s / Australian Diabetes Council’s consumer magazines Conquest/Diabetes Connect, and their health professional magazine, Diabetes Management Journal, and has written a significant number of the association’s fact sheets and booklets on the nutritional management of diabetes over the last 15 years. Alan is also a senior spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia. Glycemic Index, Load, and Response Summit Marta Angela Bianchi, MD, PhD, Nutrition Senior Manager Barilla (Parma, Italy) Marta is responsible for Nutrition Research at Barilla. With her team, she leads research projects in collaboration with universities, for the validation of health benefits of Barilla food products/dietary patterns. Her focus has been largely on the metabolism of pasta, carbohydrates and the glycemic index. Marta is an advocate of the Mediterranean Diet: “I am passionate about promoting the Mediterranean Diet as the best diet for long---term health, and I truly believe this dietary model is the best reference for Barilla.” She is currently leading the Si.Mediterraneo project --- a large nutrition intervention (food and education---based) within Barilla which has already reached more than 2,500 employees. Marta’s main research interests are healthy dietary patterns, the Mediterranean diet, antioxidants, prebiotics and gut health, glycemic index and carbohydrates. She holds an MD in Molecular Biology from Parma University (IT) and a PhD in Human Nutrition from Parma University and Ulster University (UK). Inger Björck, PhD, Professor of Applied Nutrition Managing Director, Antidiabetic Food Centre Lund University (Lund, Sweden) Inger Björck is professor of applied nutrition at the Department of Applied nutrition and Food Chemistry, Lund University, Sweden. Her main research topics concern starch bioavailability in foods, evaluation of postprandial blood glucose and hormonal responses, and satiety, and how these parameters can be tailored by conscious choice of raw material and processing