CCUBC Executive
The Canadian Council of University Biology Chairs is comprised of the Chairs, or Heads of Biology Departments from most universities in Canada. Chairs play a key role in the leadership of Biology Departments and the improvement of Biology research and teaching in Canada. We strive to provide a forum for exchange of information between Chairs for improving Biology teaching and research in Canada.
CCUBC Executive 2025 - 2026
Dr. W. Gary Anderson
President
Dr. W. Gary Anderson graduated with a BSc and PhD from the University of St. Andrews in 1995. After a period as an environmental consultant and a post-doctoral fellow he joined the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba as an Assistant Professor in 2004 and began life as the Department Head in April of 2022. He teaches at the graduate and undergraduate level and maintains an active research lab in comparative physiology/endocrinology working on Lake Sturgeon in Manitoba and elasmobranchs at the Bamfield Marine Sciences centre in British Columbia.
University of Manitoba
Department of Biological Sciences
50 Sifton Road
Winnipeg, MB R3T2N2
Email: gary.anderson@umanitoba.ca
Dr. Chris Todd
Treasurer
Christopher Todd is a plant molecular biologist and has served as Head of the Department of Biology at the University of Saskatchewan since 2020. He completed his BSc and PhD at the University of Alberta (PhD, 2002) and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Missouri before moving to Saskatoon in 2005. Current research interests include ureide metabolism, plant stress tolerance, and clubroot effector proteins in Arabidopsis and canola.
Department of Biology
University of Saskatchewan
Science Pl, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2
Email: chris.todd@usask.ca
Dr. Shawn Mansfield, FRSC
Past President
Dr. Shawn Mansfield is a Professor and Canada Research Chair (term expired) in Wood in the Department of Wood Science, and current Head of Botany (since 2022) at The University of British Columbia. He received his BSc (Honours) from Mount Allison University, MSc from Dalhousie University (1994) and PhD from University of British Columbia (1997). He then did a PDF at the Forest Research (New Zealand) from 1998-2000 and concurrently held a visiting scholar position at the University of Waikato, and returned to UBC as a faculty member in 2000. Mansfield’s long-term research program focuses on the molecular, functional biochemical and ultrastructural characterization of plant cell wall biosynthesis, with an emphasis on cellulose and lignin. His research employs a unique combination of genomics, molecular biology, functional genomics, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and plant cell wall characterization techniques to elucidate the influence of various biosynthetic pathways on the growth and development of secondary xylem formation in plants.
University of British Columbia
Department of Botany
3156-6270 University Blvd
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Email: shawn.mansfield@ubc.ca
Dr. Costin Antonescu
Vice President
Dr. Costin Antonescu (he/him) is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biology at Toronto Metropolitan University. He obtained his BSc in Molecular Genetics and Biology and PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Toronto, followed by postdoctoral studies at the Scripps Research Institute. His research focuses on fundamental and cancer cell biology, with particular interest in receptor signaling, cell metabolism, and membrane traffic. His research uses a range of microscopy and other approaches to dissect nanoscale interactions that regulate cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation in the context of healthy cell physiology and diseases such as cancer.
Department of Chemistry and Biology
Toronto Metropolitan University
350 Victoria Street Toronto, ON M5B 2K3
Email: cantonescu@torontomu.ca
Dr. Jens Franck
Member At Large
Dr. Jens Franck is Chair of the Department of Biology at the University of Winnipeg. He received his B.Sc in Genetics from the University of Alberta (1987) and PhD in Biology from Dalhousie University (1993). He was a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Barbara Block from 1994-1997 at the University of Chicago and Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station. He was a faculty member at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA from 1997-2004 before taking up his position in Winnipeg. He conducts research in the areas of molecular evolution and comparative physiology primarily working with fish models. He is particularly interested in the evolution and cellular mechanism of endothermy in fish.
Department of Biology
University of Winnipeg
515 Portage Ave
Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9
Email: j.franck@uwinnipeg.ca
Dr. Jeffrey Richards
Member At Large
Jeff (he/him) is the Head of the Department of Zoology at The University of British Columbia. His research program aims to understand the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptation of animals to new or challenging environmental conditions. In particular, he studies the mechanisms and evolution of low oxygen and freshwater tolerance among fishes. He also applies his understanding of how fish respond to environmental challenges to help improve the sustainability of recreational fisheries management and marine net-pen farming.
Department of Zoology
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4
Email: jeffrey@zoology.ubc.ca
Dr. Annie Angers
Member At Large
Dr. Annie Angers is Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Université de Montréal, a position she has held since June 2024. She specializes in cell and molecular biology, with particular expertise in signalling and vesicular traffic. Her research program focuses on receptor internalization and other projects, such as the characterization of novel mitochondrial proteins. Dr. Angers completed her Bachelor's degree in Biology at the Université de Sherbrooke (1991), followed by a Master's degree in Animal Sciences at Université Laval (1993), and a PhD in Biochemistry at the Université de Montréal (1998). She subsequently completed postdoctoral training at the University of Texas, Houston Medical School and at McGill University (Montreal Neurological Institute) before returning to the Université de Montréal in 2003.
Complexe des sciences - Campus MIL
1375 avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux
Bureau B-2031, Outremont, QC H2V 0B3
C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal QC H3C 3J7
Email: annie.angers@umontreal.ca
Dr. Matthew Smith
Member at Large
Dr. Matt Smith is Professor and Chair in the Department of Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON. His primary research area is intracellular protein trafficking, and uses protein targeting to chloroplasts as a model system. Other projects include structure-function studies of mitochondrial uncoupling proteins. Before arriving at Laurier in 2004 he completed a PhD in Biology at the University of Waterloo, and did a postdoc at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has been Chair of Biology since 2018, and prior to that was an Associate Dean in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for several years.
Wilfrid Laurier University
Department of Biology
75 University Ave W
Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5
Email: msmith@wlu.ca
Mrs. Wafaa H. Antonious
Secretariat
Rofail Conference and Management Services (RCMS)
17 Dossetter Way
Ottawa, ON K1G 4S3
Tel: 613-421-7229
Email: Info@CCUBC.ca