As a Professor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, Dr. Gibson leads a research lab investigating the intricate relationship between the gut microbiome and human health. Her research has contributed significantly to our understanding of how these trillions of microbes influence digestion, immunity, brain function, and chronic diseases. Her passion for unraveling the mysteries of the gut microbiome and her commitment to improving human health brand her as a forward-thinking innovator in the field.
Dr. Gibson is also actively involved in the scientific community, serving on several advisory committees and executive boards. She is currently a member of the Canadian Children Inflammatory Bowel Disease Network Basic & Translational Research Committee, and a mentor for TRIANGLE Canada. Dr. Gibson is a dedicated mentor, guiding over 60 trainees and fostering a diverse and inclusive research environment.
Dr. Deanna Gibson is also the driving force behind Melius MicroBiomics, a biotech company focused on harnessing the power of the gut microbiome to improve human and animal health. Her entrepreneurial spirit and deep expertise have propelled Melius to the forefront of the field, developing innovative therapies for various health conditions. Dr. Gibson is the Co-Founder, Co-Inventor and current Non-Executive Chief Science Advisor at Melius. She also previously served as the Chief Scientific Officer at Melius. As CSO at Melius MicroBiomics Inc., she led the scientific vision and strategic R&D efforts within the company from the start to scale up over her tenure. Her primary responsibilities included managing a multidisciplinary scientific team in the development of GEMM™️, which involved strain construction, encapsulation technology, and identifying therapeutic applications in both human and animals. Dr. Gibson led the preclinical trials conducted in pigs and rodents, and steered regulatory and CMC development processes to ensure both human and animal applications meet the necessary compliance standards.
At Melius, Dr. Gibson also led the coordination of our 9-member Scientific Advisory Board, composed of renowned experts in fields such as IBD, microbial disease, gastroenterology, veterinarian health, and more. This board plays a crucial role in providing specialized knowledge that shapes our R&D approach.
Current Positions
- Member of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology WomenCAN
- Canadian Children Inflammatory Bowel Disease Network (CIDsCaNN!) Basic & Translational Research Committee
- Canadian Scientific Board member for BioCodex Microbiota International Foundation
Awards
- NSERC Early Career Scholar
- UBC Killam Tesearch Scholar
- Canadian Association of Gastroenterology 2018 Young Investigator Award
- CIHR of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Diabetes Community- New Investigator Partnership Prize
- International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids & Lipids