Food Science and Biotechnology

Biography

Professor Byong H. Lee is currently a Scientific Advisor at SportBiomics (CA, USA) and Heilenex Pharma Inc. (Toronto, Canada). Byong has worked as Professor (AAFC seconded Chair) in Departments of Microbiology/Immunology and Food Science/Agric Chemistry (1986-2011) at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He has been an Invited Distinguished Professor in the Department of Food Science and Biotechnology at Kangwon National University and Advisor at MSC Co. Ltd (2014-2019) in Korea. In addition, Byong has also worked as Distinguished Professor in Schools of Biotechnology and Food Science at China Jiangnan University (2011-2014) and Principal Scientist and Head of Biotechnology at Food R/D Center at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, AAFC (1982-1986) and Research Director at Sensient Flavor (Former Champlain Industry, 1980-1982) in Canada. Byong received his degrees at the University of British Columbia (MSc, Microbiology/Immunology), McGill University (M.Sc, Food Microbiology) and Laval University (PhD, Food Biotechnology) in Canada. Byong also studied his PhD for two years in Microbiology/Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia (US) as his Canada-US exchange program. Byong spent his sabbaticals as an Invited Professor in the UK (Food Research Institute/U. of Reading, 1991-1992), France (INRA/U. de Bourgone, 1997-1998), Ireland (Teagasc Food Research Centre, 2001-2002) and Korea (Seoul National University, 2007-2008). Byong has published 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 135 other proceedings, 4 textbooks on “Fundamentals of Food Biotechnology (1st and 2nd Edition in English, Spanish, Wiley, 420 and 518 pages, 1996, 2015)”, and another textbook (Advanced Fermentation and Cell Technology, Vol. 1 and Vol 2, Wiley, 960 pages, 2021), 39 book chapters, and 16 patents/inventions. He has delivered 127 invited speeches (often as keynote or plenary) at international conferences, received several awards, and currently serves on the editorial board of seven journals. Over his career, Byong has supervised more than 100 graduate students and post-docs at McGill and other universities.

Research Interest

Byong’s research interests have led him to pioneer research focused on molecular microbiology and enzyme biotechnology of microorganisms in relation to over-expression genetic systems and industrial applications – including the molecular basis of gene expression and regulation in probiotic bacteria to overproduce bioactive compounds and to impart some health and clinical benefits to the hosts. He has also developed human microbiome and interaction with prebiotics, synbiotics, and other food components.