Global Institute for Food Security

From Saskatchewan
to a Food-Secure
World.

Advancing research, accelerating development, and helping partners move ideas to market. We turn science into innovation — at scale, with purpose.

Discover GIFS Our Programs
Plant Genetics Biomanufacturing Breeding Acceleration Thought Leadership Technical Services Global Partnerships
2012
Year Founded
3
Core Programs
Global
Partner Network
Our Mission

Connecting Science to Market — Faster

Located within one of the world's strongest agri-science ecosystems, GIFS works with industry, producers, consumers, academics, and governments to decrease the time between scientific discovery and market delivery.

With a partner-centric approach, we collaborate with Canadian and international partners to advance productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability across the agriculture and food sector.

About GIFS Partner With Us
Our Ambition

"To be the world's preferred partner for agriculture and food innovation."

Founded in 2012 by the Government of Saskatchewan, Nutrien, and the University of Saskatchewan — GIFS has grown into a global leader in integrated agri-food innovation.

Biology Automation Data Science
What We Do

Integrated Platforms. End-to-End Capability.

All under one roof — from discovery to market-ready solutions.

🌾

FCC Breeding Acceleration

Increasing the rate of genetic gain in plant and livestock breeding programs using cutting-edge technologies.

Learn More
🧬

Biomanufacturing

Canada's only dedicated agri-food biomanufacturing program — advancing sustainable innovation at scale.

Learn More
📊

Thought Leadership

Shaping policy and practice by amplifying science, regulation, and real-world agri-food application.

Learn More
⚙️

Technical Services

World-class expertise and leading-edge technologies for quality, reproducibility, and research speed.

Learn More
Strategic Direction

Built on Strategy.
Driven by Impact.

Four strategic drivers define how we operate and how we measure success.

  • 01
    Innovation & TechnologyDelivering cutting-edge science and integrated platforms that turn ideas into impact.
  • 02
    PartnershipsCollaboration is central to everything we do — from Saskatchewan to the global stage.
  • 03
    Operational ExcellenceEfficiency, quality, and scalability drive our results and deliver for partners.
  • 04
    Thought LeadershipTrusted expertise shaping the future of Canadian and global agri-food innovation.
Partner With Us

Ready to Advance Your Innovation?

Whether you're looking to accelerate research, develop new products, or move science to market — GIFS is ready to collaborate.

Get In Touch Explore Programs
HomeAbout
About GIFS

Who We Are

A sought-out partner in agriculture and food innovation — advancing research and accelerating development from Saskatchewan to the world.

Our Mission

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.

"We're helping to build a food-secure world from Saskatchewan-out — working with industry, producers, consumers, academics, and governments."

We decrease the time between scientific discovery and its delivery to market at home and around the globe.

GIFS at a Glance
Founded
2012
Founding Partners
Government of Saskatchewan · Nutrien · University of Saskatchewan
Location
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Approach
Partner-centric · Integrated · Scalable
Our Difference

We Don't Compete. We Collaborate.

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

🤝

Partner-Centric

We empower partners to innovate and iterate quickly with advanced technologies and integrated, automated workflows.

🚀

Market-Ready

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

🌍

Global Reach

From the Prairies to international partnerships — connecting diverse stakeholders to advance global agri-food dialogue.

🔬

Science-First

We combine biology, automation, and data science to solve agriculture's most complex challenges with rigour and precision.

Strategic Drivers

Built on Strategy. Driven by Impact.

  • 01
    Innovation and TechnologyDelivering cutting-edge science and integrated platforms that turn ideas into impact.
  • 02
    PartnershipsCollaboration is central to everything we do.
  • 03
    Operational ExcellenceEfficiency, quality, and scalability drive our results.
  • 04
    Thought LeadershipTrusted expertise shaping the future of Canadian and global agri-food innovation.
Our Home

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, our experts connect with diverse stakeholders to share the story of Canadian agriculture and advance global dialogue on sustainability and science-based policies.

Our Programs Technical Services
HomeLeadership
People

Executive Leadership Team

Guiding GIFS' mission with expertise, vision, and a shared commitment to agricultural innovation.

Our Leaders

Executive Team

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

HomeBoard of Directors
Governance

Board of Directors

Providing strategic oversight and governance to advance GIFS' mission and long-term vision for agri-food innovation.

Governance

Board of Directors

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

HomeAdvisory Panels
Expert Guidance

Advisory Panels

Expert advisory panels that help advance our mission — translating research into impactful solutions for agriculture and food stakeholders.

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

ISAP

International Scientific Advisory Panel

Reporting to the GIFS Board of Directors, the ISAP provides independent expert science advice on GIFS' science quality and strategy; international scientific trends; emerging research opportunities; knowledge translation; and potential national and international collaborations. The Chair and members are appointed by the Board in consultation with the 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

GAP

Grower Advisory Panel

The GAP provides 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
HomePrograms
Our Work

Programs

Three core programs advancing agricultural productivity, sustainability, and innovation with measurable impact.

Program 01

FCC Breeding Acceleration Program

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 helps partners rapidly scale R&D of new products.

Innovation Pipeline

Equipped with the facilities, technologies, and expertise to drive innovative product development by supporting:

Engineering Biology Machine Learning Precision Fermentation

Applications in Agriculture & Food

  • 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: GIFS provides 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

Bringing 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.

HomeTechnical Services
Expertise

Technical Services

Where science meets scale. Reputation, reliability, and results you can trust.

Our Commitment

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 quality, speed, and precision 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 throughout every engagement.

Start a Conversation
Capabilities

What We Offer

01

Genomics & Sequencing

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

02

Automation & High-Throughput Processing

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

03

Data Management & Analytics

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

04

Plant Biology Services

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

05

Cell Biology & Engineering

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

06

Scale-Up & Process Development

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

HomeUpdates
Stay Connected

News, Events & Updates

The latest from GIFS — newsletters, upcoming events, and program announcements.

Newsletter

GIFS Connect

GIFS Connect features updates and highlights from GIFS' programs, partnerships, and recent events. Shared quarterly — with occasional updates in between for relevant news.

Subscribe to GIFS Connect

Quarterly insights on programs, partnerships, and discoveries — delivered to your inbox.

Subscribe
Events

Upcoming Events

Apr
14

GIFS Annual Innovation Summit 2026

Keynotes, panel discussions, and showcases highlighting breakthroughs in plant genetics, biomanufacturing, and agri-food innovation.

📍 Saskatoon, SK · In-Person & Virtual
May
07

FCC Breeding Acceleration Program Webinar

How the FCC Breeding Acceleration Program leverages 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 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. Ideal for partners interested in agriculture and food bioproducts.

📍 GIFS Campus, Saskatoon, SK
Latest

Recent Highlights

Newsletter

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
Announcement

New Biomanufacturing Partnership Announced

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

📅 January 2026 · Press Release
HomeCareers
Join Our Team

Careers at GIFS

Be part of a world-class team driving the future of agriculture and food innovation from Saskatchewan.

Why GIFS

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 includes 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 and our impact greater.

Opportunities

Open Positions

ResearchFull-Time

Research Scientist – Genomics

📍 Saskatoon, SK · Drive high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics pipelines within our genomics team.

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 passionate individuals. Send us your resume →
HomeContact
Reach Out

Let's Connect.

Whether you're a potential partner, researcher, or interested in our programs — we'd love to hear from you.

Contact Information

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.

Send Us a Message

We'll respond within 2 business days.