Dr. Vincent Sewalt leads the Scientific & Public Affairs function of IFF, a business that develops nutritional and bioscience products aimed at improving sustainability of the food chain and the bio-based economy at large. Vince has an Ir. degree from Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands, a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Virginia Tech in the US, and was a biotech post-doc with Agriculture & Agri-Foods Canada and with the Noble Foundation in Oklahoma, US. His early career research publications and patents made Dr. Sewalt a recognized expert in plant cell wall chemistry, plant lignin biosynthesis, maize seed physiology, and genetic manipulation interventions to enhance the conversion of both grain and biomass for animal nutrition and biofuels.
With over 25 years’ experience managing innovation and market access of agricultural & bioscience products in four US companies, Vince is passionate about biotech capacity building with regulators and other stakeholders. Vince has shared his insights in Microbial Biotech risk assessment and risk communication in BIO conferences, with trade associations, with NGOs such as Woodrow Wilson, NAS, AFSI and FAO/WHO, and with regulatory agencies around the globe. Vince is a prolific author with over thirty peer-reviewed publications and patents in the areas of food & agricultural science, biotechnology, and safety/regulatory of microbial products. He frequently serves as reviewer of scientific publications on biotechnology, food chemistry & safety, is associate editor of the journal Industrial Biotechnology, is board member of multiple trade associations and of New Harvest, one of the leading NGOs in cellular agriculture.