🌾 Saskatchewan · Canada · Global

Science Into
Innovation.
Ideas Into Impact.

The Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan is a sought-out partner in agriculture and food innovation — helping partners move ideas to market, faster.

Discover GIFS Our Programs
2012
Founded in Saskatchewan
3
Core Programs
Global
Partner Network

Where Agriculture Meets Cutting-Edge Science

Located within one of the world's strongest agri-science ecosystems, GIFS is helping to build a food-secure world from Saskatchewan out — working with industry, producers, consumers, academics, and governments to decrease the time between the discovery of innovative science and its delivery to market.

Our ambition: To be the world's preferred partner for agriculture and food innovation.

"We don't compete. We collaborate."

We connect the brightest minds with the best technologies, combining biology, automation, and data science to solve agriculture's most complex challenges.

Plant Genetics Biomanufacturing Data Science Automation

Our Focus Areas

🌱

Breeding Acceleration

Leveraging expertise and technologies to increase the rate of genetic gain in plant and livestock breeding programs.

🧪

Biomanufacturing

Canada's only program dedicated to advancing innovative and sustainable agriculture and food biomanufacturing.

💡

Innovation Leadership

Identifying and addressing gaps that shape the future of agriculture and food innovation through thought leadership.

⚙️

Technical Services

World-class expertise and leading-edge technologies delivering quality, speed, and precision for research advancement.

Built on Strategy. Driven by Impact.

Our work is guided by four strategic drivers that shape our direction and define our success.

  • 1
    Innovation & TechnologyDelivering cutting-edge science and integrated platforms that turn ideas into impact.
  • 2
    PartnershipsCollaboration is central to everything we do.
  • 3
    Operational ExcellenceEfficiency, quality, and scalability drive our results.
  • 4
    Thought LeadershipTrusted expertise shaping the future of Canadian and global agri-food innovation.

Ready to Partner with GIFS?

Whether you're looking to advance research, accelerate development, or bring ideas to market — we're ready to collaborate.

Contact Us Today

Turning Science Into Innovation

The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan advances research, accelerates development, and helps partners move ideas to market.

"Located within one of the world's strongest agri-science ecosystems, we're helping to build a food-secure world from Saskatchewan-out."

We work with industry, producers, consumers, academics, and governments to decrease the time between the discovery of innovative science and its delivery to market at home and around the globe.

GIFS at a Glance

Founded
2012
Founded By
Government of Saskatchewan, Nutrien, University of Saskatchewan
Location
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Ambition
World's preferred partner for agriculture & food innovation

We're Collaborating to Drive Innovation

With a partner-centric approach, GIFS collaborates with Canadian and international partners to advance productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability in the agriculture and food sector. Our scalable, cutting-edge services and integrated model position us to accelerate innovation with impact.

🤝

Partner-Centric

We build at scale, empowering our partners to innovate and iterate quickly and efficiently with advanced technologies and integrated, automated workflows.

🚀

Market-Ready

We help partners bring high-performing products to market, boosting profitability, enhancing productivity, and driving global competitiveness.

🌍

Global Reach

From the Prairies to national and international partnerships, our experts connect with diverse stakeholders to advance global dialogue.

The Way We Work

We connect the brightest minds with the best technologies, combining biology, automation, and data science to solve agriculture's most complex challenges.

Through our integrated platforms, we give partners access to world-class expertise, scalable infrastructure, and end-to-end capabilities — all under one roof.

Plant Genetics

Advancing genetics research to improve crop performance and sustainability.

Bioproducts

Engineering new bioproducts that enhance food production while reducing environmental impact.

Science to Market

Translating science into market-ready solutions — faster than ever before.

Built on Strategy. Driven by Impact.

Our work is guided by four strategic drivers that shape our direction and define our success:

  • 1
    Innovation and TechnologyDelivering cutting-edge science and integrated platforms that turn ideas into impact.
  • 2
    PartnershipsCollaboration is central to everything we do.
  • 3
    Operational ExcellenceEfficiency, quality, and scalability drive our results.
  • 4
    Thought LeadershipTrusted expertise shaping the future of Canadian and global agri-food innovation.

Rooted in Saskatchewan. Reaching the World.

GIFS is proud to call Saskatchewan home, a province recognized for its leadership in agriculture and food innovation.

From the Prairies to national and international engagement and partnerships, our experts are connecting with diverse stakeholders to share the story of Canadian agriculture, drive innovation, and advance global dialogue on sustainability and science-based policies and regulations.

Our Programs Technical Services
NT

Nancy Tout (PhD)

Interim Executive Director and CEO

KC

Dr. Karen Churchill (PhD), ICD.D

Chief Scientific Officer

WK

Wendy Krip

Executive Officer

CK

Chris Knihnitski

Chief Financial Officer

CP

Chelsea Platzke

Director of Business Development and Innovation

AK

Alanna Koch

Board Chair

LB

Dr. Lorne A. Babiuk

Board Vice-Chair

BG

William (Bill) Greuel

Deputy Minister, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

AJ

Andrea Johnston

Board Member

TK

Todd Klink

Chief Purpose Officer, Farm Credit Canada

BS

Dr. Baljit Singh

VP Research, University of Saskatchewan

JW

Jim Wispinski

Board Member

NT

Nancy Tout (PhD)

Interim Executive Director and CEO

GIFS' International Scientific and Grower Advisory Panels provide guidance on how to best translate research into impactful solutions for agriculture and food stakeholders.

International Scientific Advisory Panel (ISAP)

Reporting to the GIFS Board of Directors, the ISAP is an international advisory panel that provides independent expert science advice on GIFS' science quality and science strategy; international scientific trends; emerging scientific research opportunities and challenges in national and global contexts; knowledge translation; and potential national and international collaborations and linkages.

The panel is made up of internationally recognized scientists in areas of expertise that align with GIFS' research themes. The Chair and members are appointed by GIFS' Board of Directors in consultation with the Institute's Executive Director and CEO.

NT

Nancy Tout (PhD)

ISAP Member

JB

Joerg Bohlmann (PhD)

ISAP Member

GR

Gijs van Rooijen (PhD)

ISAP Member

GS

German Spangenberg (PhD)

ISAP Member

Grower Advisory Panel (GAP)

The GAP has been set up to provide GIFS with expert advice on food producers' science and technology needs, as well as industry market trends.

  • Alanna Koch — Grower Advisory Panel Chair and Chair of GIFS Board of Directors, Saskatchewan
  • G. Kee Jim — Managing Director, Feedlot Health and GK Jim Group of Companies, Alberta
  • Jack Froese — Board of Directors, Canadian Canola Growers Association, Manitoba
  • Chantelle Donahue — Global Lead, Value Chain & Trade, Nufarm
  • Kristjan Hebert — Managing Partner and CEO, Hebert Grain Ventures, Saskatchewan
  • Maurice Delage — President and CEO, Delage Farms Saskatchewan
Program 01

FCC Breeding Acceleration Program

We're collaborating to drive agricultural productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability.

The FCC Breeding Acceleration Program at GIFS leverages our expertise and technologies to help increase the rate of genetic gain in plant and livestock breeding programs.

Impact: Faster genetic gain means better-performing crops and livestock reaching farmers and markets sooner — strengthening Canada's agricultural competitiveness globally.
Program 02

Biomanufacturing

Building Canada's only biomanufacturing program dedicated to advancing innovative and sustainable agriculture and food.

Combining the strengths of GIFS' engineering biology, sequencing, data management, analytics, and cell biology technologies, our Biomanufacturing Program will help partners rapidly scale the research and development of new products.

Feeding the Innovation Pipeline

GIFS is equipped with the facilities, technologies, processes, and expertise to drive the innovative development of new products and the improved costs of goods for existing products by supporting:

Engineering Biology Machine Learning Precision Fermentation

Next-Generation Applications

  • Valorizing agricultural waste streams as feedstock to produce high value products
  • Developing biologicals for highly targeted crop protection and plant health
  • Harnessing enzymes to improve soil health, animal production, and food processing
  • Producing food ingredients and flavours at lower costs and with less waste
  • Advancing microbiome engineering for plant and animal health
  • Discovery of and improving microbial chassis to be used as cellular factories
  • Engineering solutions to enhance photosynthesis and carbon sequestration
Ecosystem Impact: Through our Biomanufacturing Program, GIFS is providing agri-food partners with new access to leading-edge technologies while supporting the creation of new jobs, businesses, and opportunities.
Program 03

Innovation Thought Leadership

We bring insights, impacts, and clarity to the forefront of decision-making.

Through GIFS' Innovation Thought Leadership Program, we identify, explore, and address the gaps and opportunities that shape the future of agriculture and food innovation.

By connecting with the value chain and amplifying science, regulation, and real-world application, we ensure that innovation can thrive within clear, predictable frameworks.

Our team engages across Canada and globally to inform policies and practices that strengthen productivity, economic competitiveness, and resilience across the agri-food system.

Integrated Expertise at Every Step

GIFS provides integrated technical expertise and services to advance research through quality, consistency, and reproducibility.

Our Technical Services team strengthens your research with world-class expertise and leading-edge technologies, delivering the quality, speed, and precision you need with unwavering customer focus.

Your Data Stays Yours

Accelerate your research with access to world-class technologies, expertise, and a commitment to quality — where your samples and your data remain yours.

Get Started

What We Offer

🧬

Genomics & Sequencing

High-throughput sequencing services with rigorous quality controls and expert bioinformatics support for plant, animal, and microbial applications.

🤖

Automation & High-Throughput Processing

Scalable, automated workflows that dramatically increase throughput while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and reproducibility.

📊

Data Management & Analytics

Integrated data science platforms and analytical pipelines that turn complex datasets into actionable insights for your research programs.

🌿

Plant Biology Services

Specialized plant science capabilities supporting phenotyping, transformation, and advanced trait analysis across a broad range of species.

⚗️

Cell Biology & Engineering

Expert cell biology services supporting the development and optimization of biological systems for agriculture and food applications.

🏭

Scale-Up & Process Development

Supporting partners in translating bench-scale discoveries into scalable processes ready for commercialization.

GIFS Connect

GIFS Connect is a newsletter that features updates and highlights from GIFS' programs, partnerships, recent events, and more. Shared on a quarterly schedule, we occasionally reach out in between distributions with relevant news and information.

Subscribe

Get GIFS Connect

Quarterly updates on GIFS programs, partnerships, and discoveries delivered to your inbox.

Events & Conferences

Apr
14

GIFS Annual Innovation Summit 2026

Join GIFS and partners for a day of keynotes, panel discussions, and showcases highlighting breakthroughs in plant genetics, biomanufacturing, and agri-food innovation.

📍 Saskatoon, SK · In-Person & Virtual
May
7

FCC Breeding Acceleration Program Webinar

Learn how the FCC Breeding Acceleration Program is leveraging cutting-edge technologies to increase the rate of genetic gain. Open to researchers and industry partners.

📍 Virtual Event
Jun
19

Global Agri-Food Innovation Forum

GIFS experts will be presenting at this international forum focused on sustainable agriculture, food security, and science-based policy.

📍 Ottawa, ON
Sep
22

Biomanufacturing Open House

An exclusive look inside GIFS' biomanufacturing facilities and capabilities. Ideal for potential partners interested in agriculture and food bioproducts.

📍 GIFS Campus, Saskatoon, SK

Recent Highlights

GIFS Connect — Q1 2026

Highlights from our FCC Breeding Acceleration Program, new biomanufacturing partnerships, and the latest from our thought leadership initiatives.

📅 March 2026 · Quarterly Newsletter
Event Recap

GIFS at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit

Our team shared insights on precision fermentation and the future of bioproducts at one of the world's leading agri-tech conferences.

📅 February 2026 · San Francisco, CA

New Biomanufacturing Partnership Announced

GIFS is pleased to welcome a new industry partner to our Biomanufacturing Program, advancing the development of sustainable crop protection biologicals.

📅 January 2026 · Press Release

Work Where It Matters

GIFS offers a dynamic, collaborative environment where your contributions directly advance food security and agricultural innovation on a global scale.

Located on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, our team is made up of scientists, engineers, data specialists, business developers, and operations professionals united by a shared mission.

Competitive compensation and benefits
Access to world-class research infrastructure
Collaborative and inclusive culture
Meaningful impact on global food security
Professional development opportunities

Our Culture

We don't just advance science — we build teams. At GIFS, every role contributes to a mission that's bigger than any single project: building a food-secure world.

We value curiosity, collaboration, and commitment. Diversity of thought and background makes our science stronger.

Current Opportunities

ResearchFull-Time

Research Scientist – Genomics

📍 Saskatoon, SK · Join our genomics team to drive high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics pipelines.

BiomanufacturingFull-Time

Fermentation Process Scientist

📍 Saskatoon, SK · Support precision fermentation R&D within our growing Biomanufacturing Program.

Business DevelopmentFull-Time

Business Development Manager

📍 Saskatoon, SK · Build and manage partner relationships that advance GIFS' innovation mandate.

Data ScienceContract

Data Scientist – Agricultural Analytics

📍 Saskatoon, SK (Hybrid) · Develop machine learning models to support breeding and biomanufacturing programs.

Don't see the right fit? We're always looking for talented individuals who are passionate about agriculture and food innovation. Send us your resume →

Get in Touch

Address

421 Downey Road, Suite 101
Saskatoon, SK S7N 4L8
Canada

General Inquiries

info@gifs.ca

Hours

Monday – Friday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM CST

University of Saskatchewan

GIFS is located within the University of Saskatchewan's world-class agri-science campus in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

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