Food Standards Agency appoints new expert member to the GACS

The Food Standards Agency today (30th October 2012) announced the appointment of  Professor Colin Dennis as an expert member and the reappointment of two existing members: Professor Janet Bainbridge (expert member) and Mrs Pamela Goldberg (lay member) to the General Advisory Committee on Science (GACS). Established in December 2007,  GACS provides independent advice on the Agency's governance and use of science. The Committee's work includes horizon scanning, science governance, developing good practice and informing science priorities.

The GACS is an independent expert committee that provides independent advice and challenge on the Food Standards Agencys use and governance of science.

It comprises:

• seven directly-appointed members – the Chair, four expert members and two lay members

• the chairs of the seven Scientific Advisory Committees that advise the FSA, who are members of GACS by virtue of their Scientific Advisory Committee appointments

Members of GACS are appointed by open competition, in line with the guidance on public appointments. The terms of office for Professor Dennis and for the two reappointed members will end on 31 December 2015.

Professor Colin Dennis CBE, DL (new expert member)

Professor Dennis was director of the Campden BRI group from 1988 to 2009. He currently holds a number of advisory roles in food safety and governance as a consultant and volunteer, including as Chair of the English Food and Drink Alliance.

He is President of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists in the USA and is a Scientific Governor of the British Nutrition Foundation. He is a board member of the National Skills Academy and was a non-executive director of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.

His scientific background is in botany, biochemical sciences and food science and technology, and he has an extensive publication record in the area of food microbiology and food safety and its management.

Professor Dennis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the agri-food industry in the 2009 New Year Honours List.

Professor Janet Bainbridge OBE (reappointed expert member)

A professor of Biotechnology and Food Science, Professor Bainbridge currently delivers a portfolio of consultancy and non-executive roles. She was a senior specialist adviser (Government and Europe) to One Northeast from 2003 to 2007 and is currently Chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Scientific Advisory Committee on Genetic Modification (Contained Use), a member of the Borderline Substances review group (MHRA), and of the New and Emerging Infections Panel; and a trustee of the charity Sense About Science.

Professor Bainbridge is currently employed by UK Trade and Invest as a part-time global R&D specialist. She has recently been appointed to the BBSRC Sustainable Agriculture Panel. Former appointments include Chair of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP; 1997 to 2003), member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) , member of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE); member of the Chief Scientists GM Expert Group and chair/member of several Foresight Committees.

Mrs Pamela Goldberg (reappointed lay member)

Mrs Goldberg was Chief Executive of the medical research charity Breast Cancer Campaign, from 1997 to June 2011. She was involved in establishing the charity's first Scientific Advisory Board and developing its first research strategy as well as setting up governance guidelines for the Trustee Board. Mrs Goldberg is committed to ensuring that patients and the general public are given information that is evidence-based and that scientific results are communicated effectively to the general public.

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