President's Science Advisor and Secretary to the President's Research Excellence Advisory Committee
Dr. Pankaj Bhowmik was appointed as the President's Science Advisor and Secretary to the President's Research Excellence Advisory Committee in July 2025.
The dual role dedicated to providing recommendations and advice to the President on matters related to research excellence and representing the views of the organization's research communities.
Dr. Bhowmik is a highly accomplished plant biotechnologist with over 20 years of experience, combining academic excellence, industry collaboration and government research leadership. He earned his PhD in agriculture from Ehime University in Japan in 2004 as a Monbusho scholar. He gained further expertise through a prestigious Japan Society for the Promotion of Science fellowship, an Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship (University of Alberta) and an NSERC Visiting Fellowship (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Lethbridge Research and Development Centre).
Since joining the NRC's Aquatic and Crop Resource Development in 2009, Dr. Bhowmik has served as a technical officer, senior research officer, scientific support lead for the Sustainable Protein Production program and team lead for the advanced plant biotechnology team. His scientific leadership has focused on developing innovative technologies such as mesophyll protoplast and microspore culture, microspore transformation and combining plant transformation, protoplast culture, doubled haploidy and genetic engineering tools to improve key crops including canola, wheat, chickpea and pulses.
Dr. Bhowmik has a strong record of fostering partnerships with industry through the NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) and through direct engagement with companies, driving innovation that bridges fundamental research and practical application. He successfully led IRAP-funded projects and collaborated with private sector partners to develop novel processing and breeding strategies that enhance pulse protein flavour, quality and functionality. This work aligns closely with the Canada's Protein Industries Cluster to improve the sustainability and economic viability of the protein value chain.
Dr. Bhowmik has also played a pivotal role in collaborative projects with Indigenous communities, including the development of research initiatives for wild rice and wild blueberries. Notably, he contributed to the NRC project to unleash the potential of wild blueberries through advanced research and innovation, supporting value-added processing and climate resilience for Indigenous and Northern agriculture communities.
His industry-focused approach integrates advanced plant biotechnology tools with market-driven objectives, enabling accelerated development and adoption of improved crop varieties and protein ingredients. He also builds effective relationships with Indigenous communities and academic institutions, fostering culturally inclusive research and capacity building.
In addition to his NRC roles, Dr. Bhowmik is the current president of the International Association for Plant Biotechnology, highlighting his global leadership in advancing plant science. He is also an adjunct professor in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences at the University of British Columbia, the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba and the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. With numerous peer-reviewed publications, editorial board memberships and reviewer engagements, he exemplifies research excellence and knowledge dissemination.
Dr. Bhowmik is committed to professional development, leadership and transparent communication that promotes collaboration and innovation to meet the evolving needs of science, industry and communities.
Consult Dr. Bhowmik's profile on the NRC's directory of science professionals.