SUPRARND - Key Persons
Alisha began her research career in 2019 with Dr. Klironomos' group at UBC focusing on mycorrhizal fungi. It was with this lab group that she was introduced to research in vineyards. Alisha went on to complete an 8 month Co-op term with Agriculture Canada in a grape and wine chemistry lab. She gained experience harvesting grapes, made three different varietals, and tested them throughout the fermentation process. As a new graduate, Alisha is now an analytical chemist processing grape/wine, cannabis, and fish oil samples. She loves to bake and cook, attend yoga classes, and she hosts a book-club in her spare time.
Dr. Melanie Reed, is our medical affairs consultant. Dr. Reed holds a variety of academic and professional posts including being the Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, Southern Medical Program (SMP), UBC School of Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Surgery at UBC. Dr. Reed was formally a Radiation Oncologist at the Cancer Center for the Southern Interior in Kelowna and a Royal College examiner. At Supra R&D, she has been involved in Health Canada license applications and related activities. She is also the spouse of the company founder.
Dr. Rob O'Brien is an innovative solution provider with a strong experience base in Analytical Chemistry, Laboratory and Research team management, Scientific Education and Company Leadership. He is currently the Senior Executive for Scientific Affairs at ISURA, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the safety and effectiveness of Natural Health Products through improved analytical technology and research. He has also founded a series of companies, including Supra Research and Development and Supra THC Services Inc. These companies are also focused on developing enhanced Analytical Chemical solutions through analytical services, consulting services and contract research and development. He has been fortunate to be associated with a comprehensive and diverse team of highly qualified experts who are dedicated to produce positive social and economic benefits. This team enables him to have an impact much greater than individual capabilities would allow.
In addition to his employment activities, Rob also owns and operates a hobby farm, and is a passionate supporter of Rugby development at the university level.
More details can be found on Rob's Linkedin profile
Emily O'Brien is a microbiologist with a passion for plant metabolomic research using analytical techniques. Emily started as a summer research student at Supra in 2016. Her research focused on the effects of exogenous phytohormones on the production of plant secondary metabolites. Her research interests have evolved to include terpenes, volatile signaling, plant-microbe interactions, and their respective effects on plant secondary metabolite production. Her honours thesis at the University of British Columbia Okanagan investigated the effects of Azospirillum brasilense, a plant growth promoting bacterium, on the production of cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis. As a Supra Laboratory Technician, Emily is currently involved in customer service, sample preparation, inventory and order management.
Ryan Hayward is a Professional Chemist registered with the ACPBC. Ryan has experience in every facet of an ISO 17025 accredited commercial laboratory from production and method development, to client relations, training and management. After joining the Supra team in 2017, Ryan worked on building up and supporting the quality system, directly contributing to the maintenance of Supra's accreditation, as well as being an integral part of the 17025 accreditation of the spin-off company Supra THC Services. Ryan now serves as the Head of Lab and Quality Manager for Supra where he oversees the continual improvement of operations under ISO 17025, and soon to be 17034 and 9001, accreditations.
More details can be found on Ryan's Linkedin profile.
Seamus Riordan-Short is our Analytical Scientist, and began working with Supra in 2014. In the summers of 2015 and 2016, Seamus was funded through NSERC, developing chiral analysis techniques for authentication of essential oils and optimizing CO2 and solventless edible oil extractions. In 2017, Seamus served as a teaching assistant for Advanced Analytical and Physical Chemistry courses at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. In 2018, Seamus worked as a chemist for Supra THC Services, a spin-off company created to focus on cannabis analysis in the then-upcoming legal cannabis sector. During this time, Seamus worked on processing techniques, developed pesticide and cannabinoid analyses, and assisted with securing ISO 17025 accreditation for the laboratory after relocation following its purchase by a major cannabis processing organization. In 2019, Seamus returned to Supra Research and Development, where he contributed to its re-accreditation under ISO 17025 in a new facility and developed and validated various analytical methods: terpenes and residual solvents in plant material, PCBs/PCDDs/PCDFs and PAHs in fish oils, and several client-requested one-off analyses.
More details can be found on Seamus' Linkedin profile