HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA | CANADA B3H 4R2 | +1 (902) 494-6030
Dr. Tom A. Gill
Professor
Contact information:
E-mail: Tom.Gill@dal.ca
Tel: 902 494 6031
Fax: 902 420 0219
Mailing address:
Canadian Institute of Fisheries Technology
Dalhousie University
P.O. Box 1000; Halifax, NS B3J 2X4 Canada
Location:
Sexton Campus; 1360 Barrington Street
MacDonald Building, Room D401
Education:
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B.Sc. Guelph (Microbiology)
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M.Sc. Guelph (Food Science)
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Ph.D. UBC (Food Science)
Research keywords
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Seafood biochemistry
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Food proteins and enzymes
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Marine toxins
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Carotenoid pigment / protein interactions
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Aquaculture
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Antimicrobial peptides
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Food safety
Research interests:
My research on fish proteins, peptides, enzymes and marine toxins spans more than 25 years. I am particularly interested in postmortem changes in fish muscle and the processing/preservation of fresh and frozen seafood. I have worked on protein interactions, antimicrobial peptides and other by-products from the fish and aquaculture industries. I am presently involved in the study of proteins responsible for carotenoid pigment retention in farmed salmon. A second study related to food safety involves the virulence factors associated with the food-borne bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in collaboration with Drs. Garduno and Schlech in the Faculty of Medicine. I am also an active participant in the multi-disciplinary network on Structure-function Relationships of Food-related Biopolymers which involves 13 researchers at 6 different Canadian universities. The 3-year project involves the study of food-related peptides and their functions as antimicrobial agents, emulsifiers and antioxidants as applied to food systems.
More information:
I have been with the University (formerly the Technical University of Nova Scotia, TUNS) since 1979 and was one of the three founding faculty members of the Canadian Institute of Fisheries Technology at the University. I was involved in the creation of the first Master's and Ph.D. programs in Food Science during the early 1980's. In the years 1989-1994 I served as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at TUNS. In addition to my regular duties within the Department, I served on the President's Task Force on Dalhousie Research Policy and Administration (1998-99) and then on a search committee to appoint a Vice President Research (1999-2000).
Research laboratory:
My lab is well equipped for the study of proteins peptides and enzymes. Vertical, horizontal, two dimensional, analytical, preparative and capillary electrophoresis and isoelectric focussing are available. Fast protein liquid chromatography is currently used in a number of modes including gel filtration, ion exchange, affinity and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. In addition the lab is equipped with a temperature controlled spectophotometer fully computerized for enzyme kinetics and a diode array detector. The lab is also equipped with a spectrofluorometer, preparative ultracentifugation and all of the equipment necessary for ultra-thin sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy.
Research projects