Lew P. Christopher, Ph.D., P.E.
Director, Biorefining Research Institute Senior Ontario Research Chair Professor,
Lakehead University
Canada
Biography
Dr. Lew Christopher holds a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D.degree in Biotechnology. He has more than 20 years of industrial and academic experience in the field of industrial biotechnology and bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass. He worked as industrial research scientist and held faculty positions in departments of biotechnology, chemical and biological engineering, and environmental engineeringin South Africa and USA. Currently he serves as Director of the Biorefining Research Institute at Lakehead University in Canada leading a vibrant and multidisciplinary team of faculty, researchers and students that have the common mission of developing biobased technologies for the Forest Biorefineries as key research and innovation area of the growing Bioeconomy. Dr.Christopher is a member of the editorial board of several international biotechnology journals, advisory boards, and professional societies. He also serves as Panelist and Expert Advisor forseveral Federal Agencies in the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Christopher is the author of 9 patents, 4 books, 80peer-reviewed publications, and over 300 presentations and invited lectures delivered in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia.
Research Interest
Energy and Environmental Sustainability • Integrated Forest Biorefineries for Sustainable Production of Value-Added Products & Bioenergy • Advanced Consolidated Bioprocessing Technologies for Biorefining of Plant Biomass and Waste • Discovery and Exploitation of New Pathways for Production of Novel Biobased Materials as Substitutes for Petrochemicals • Environmentally Sustainable Solutions for Fiber-Processing Industries Extracting Value from Nature • Biomedical Engineering of Bioactive Plant Materials • Natural Compounds of Biopharmaceutical Significance as Anti-Cancer and Anti-Oxidant Agents • Bioprospecting for Microbial Extremophiles as Powerful Cell Factories of New Products with Unique Functionalities