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Alan McHughen
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Alan McHughen,
Ph.D. is a public sector educator, scientist and consumer advocate. |
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After earning his doctorate at Oxford University and working at Yale University, Dr McHughen spent twenty years as Professor and Senior Research Scientist at the University of Saskatchewan before joining the University of California, Riverside. A molecular geneticist with an interest in crop improvement, he has helped develop Canada's regulations covering the environmental release of plants with novel traits and US regulations governing transgenic plants. He served on recent OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) panels investigating the health effects of genetically modified foods. Having developed internationally approved commercial crop varieties using both conventional breeding and genetic engineering techniques, he has first hand experience with issues from both sides of the regulatory process, covering both recombinant DNA and conventional breeding technologies. He also served on the Canadian national expert committee on variety registration (including several years on the executive panel as Secretary of the Oilseeds Subcommittee). As an educator and consumer advocate, he helps non-scientists understand the environmental and health impacts of both modern and traditional methods of food production. His award winning book, 'Pandora's Picnic Basket; The Potential and Hazards of Genetically Modified Foods' (Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-850674-0), uses understandable, consumer-friendly language to explode the myths and explore the genuine risks of genetic modification (GM) technology. Dr McHughen Chaired the 6th International Symposium in Saskatoon and became the ISBR’s founding President in 2000 and held that position until 2004. |
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