Dr. Heather Burke is the Director of the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development at the Fisheries and Marine Institute where she leads a diverse team of scientific and technical personnel. With more than 20 years-experience, her role is to coordinate and deliver multi-disciplinary, scientific, and technical expertise to industry, academia, and government with a focus on accelerating innovations in seafood processing, aquaculture, and marine bioprocessing. Dr. Burke is passionate about helping the seafood industry move towards a zero-waste model by applying the principals of green chemistry and green engineering. A key focus of her research and the Centre is the development and optimization of seafood value chains using green technologies and a bio-refinery approach to minimize waste and maximize value of fisheries and aquaculture resources.

Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development
Fisheries and Marine Institute
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, NL, A1C 5R3
Tel: (709) 778 – 0345
E-mail: Heather.Burke@mi.mun.ca
Website: www.mi.mun.ca/casd

Rachel Artuso joined the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development as an Aquaculture Technologist in 2022. She graduated with a B.AH in Indigenous Environmental Studies from Trent University, and completed the Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture at Marine Institute.

Since then, Rachel has gained valuable experience in the aquaculture industry, working on land-based facilities in the commercial sector. Since working on industry-related research projects, Rachel has a wide variety of research interests related to her experience and has led to her current role with CASD, as Aquaculture facility supervisor. As she continues to learn and grow in her role, she is excited to find her passion within aquaculture and sustainable food systems.

Rafael Sabioni is a Senior Aquaculture Technologist with CASD. He is a veterinarian by The State University of Londrina (UEL), Londrina-PR, Brazil (2005), has obtained a master degree in animal science by the São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil - (2009), and a doctor of science degree in Aquaculture by the São Paulo State University Aquaculture Center (Caunesp), Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil (2014).

He acted as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of São Paulo (USP), Piracicaba-SP, Brazil (2014 - 2021), in the animal science program conducting research in fish nutrition and health. He was also a postdoctoral fellow at the Biology and Biochemistry departments of Memorial University (2019 - 2020), conducting a research internship in fish feeding behaviour and appetite regulating hormones.

His research expertise is fish physiology, with a focus on health, immunomodulation and nutritional additives. He has been working with tropical fish species of interest to aquaculture conducting research on the effects of fish farming procedures and environment on fish health.

Dr. (Ms.) Deepika Dave is a Research Scientist in the CASD since 2012. She is a principal investigator for the delivery of the product and process design, industrial and development services at the Marine Institute’s Marine Bioprocessing Facility. Dr. Dave has over 17 years of increasingly responsible experience in engineering, science, management, research, training and facilitation. Dr. Dave specializes in the areas of marine bioprocessing and bioconversion, blue biotechnology and waste Utilization (including production of high value molecules such as nutraceuticals, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals from marine unutilized resources, both on a small and pilot scale), environmental engineering (including waste characterization, water/wastewater treatment, management and utilization, remediation of contaminated air, water and soil) and energy production and management (including characterization of biomass, size reduction, production of bioethanol and biodiesel).

Email: Dr. Deepika Dave
Telephone: (709) 757-0732
Dr. Deepika Dave’s Research Profile

Dr. Juran Goyali joined the Marine Bioprocessing team at the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development (CASD) as a Postdoctoral Fellow in February 2019. His current research interests focus on the development of processing technology to produce high-end quality products from seafood and its by-products. His research is emphasized to increase the yield, quality, shelf-life and competitiveness of sea cucumber products in the market.

Before joining CASD, Dr. Goyali worked with the plant physiology research group at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) focused on the effect of abiotic (hypoxic) stresses on the metabolism and physiological development of plants. He completed his Ph.D. in Biology from MUN on the morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization of blueberry plants. His Ph.D. research was underlined on the evaluation of phytochemical content and antioxidant activity in blueberry leaves and fruits at different developmental stages, and identification of genetic and epigenetic variations in the blueberry plants propagated by advance and conventional propagation methods. He also worked as a Research Technician with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the St. John’s Research and Development Centre.

Before moving to Canada, Dr. Goyali worked with a leading non-government organization, BRAC-Bangladesh, as a Seed Technologist where he managed and coordinated the project on producing and marketing seed potato. He acquired his Master’s degree in Plant Breeding from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh.

Wade Murphy joined CASD in 1990 and has been part of the Bioprocessing unit since its inception. As Facility Supervisor he currently manages maintenance and expansion of the laboratory and pilot plant, and leads the procurement, modification and installation of processing equipment.

Throughout his career, Wade has gained expert knowledge of seafood processing technologies, operating seafood processing operations and work on processing efficiencies and familiarity with all aspects of the seafood processing industry and the companies operating the facilities. He holds a Diploma in Food Technology from the Marine Institute.
His growing interest in by-product utilization for the fin fish and shellfish industry initiated various applied research projects on composting, ensilaging, fish meal processing and the utilization of snow crab and shrimp shell which have ultimately laid the ground work for the establishment of the Marine Bioprocessing facility and its ability to perform research focused on marine by-products.

In his current position as Facility Supervisor, he plays an integral role in the development and implementation of project activity, especially the scale-up initiatives. He works with the marine bioprocessing research group to identify, procure and install processing equipment for processes being developed; performs pilot-scale production runs and ensures that the facility meets current Occupational Health and Safety guidelines.

Ms. Pohling joined CASD as a Marine Biotechnologist in 2012 and has been Facility Supervisor of the Seafood Processing Pilot Plant since 2020. Her research work focuses on the development and optimization of food production processes, including side-stream utilization, waste reduction and sustainability. As CASD’s Thermal Process Authority, Ms. Pohling leads projects related to the development and validation of thermal processes to ensure food safety in cooked, pasteurized, and sterilized (canned) food products. She manages day-to-day operations of the pilot plant and ensures compliance of the facility, its users and processes with federal and provincial food processing regulations and provides required training to students and new staff. Julia holds a Master of Science in Biotechnology and is a PhD Candidate in Process Engineering.“

Sheila Trenholm joined the Bioprocessing group as Laboratory Technologist in 2013. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of the research laboratory and for performing research activities and analytical services in the fields of by-products utilization, seafood product development and quality monitoring.

Ms Trenholm holds a BSc degree in Biology from Memorial University and an Advanced Diploma in Food Safety from the Marine Institute of MUN.

Prior to joining the Marine Institute, she worked as an environmental assessment consultant, a quality assessment technician with an ice cream production plant, a specialized diet consultant and counselor and as a project specialist in the food and beverage division of a chemical supply company. As Technician in the Biochemistry Department of Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Food Science Division, she worked on the research, development and testing of marine food products.

Her work at CASD has included projects on the characterization of marine oils, analysis of biodiesel, chitin/chitosan, wastewater and the quality assessment of seafood.

Pete Brown is a mechanical engineer with CASD. He holds both Bachelor of Engineering (Naval Architecture) and Master of Engineering (Ocean Engineering) degrees from Memorial University of Newfoundland and is a registered Professional Engineer with PEGNL. Pete also holds a Masters Certificate in Project Management from the University of Lethbridge/York University and is currently enrolled as a PhD student in the Fisheries Science program at MI.

Pete has a broad technical and project management background spanning the fisheries, marine, automotive, materials handling and oil & gas sectors and has overseen projects of various sizes up to $100M in cost. He has 25 years of experience in R&D, Naval Architecture, Plant Automation, Equipment Design and Project Management. Pete joined CASD in July of 2015 after a career that included stops in Newfoundland, Ontario, Michigan and Alberta providing technical solutions and equipment to both domestic and international clients. Since joining CASD, he has successfully applied his background to completed process automation design, quality improvement and product handling projects for domestic and international clients.

I’m Kim Snelgrove and my introduction into quality began with Cabot College, Medical Laboratory Technology Program (1992). This was followed by an Advanced Diploma Food Safety (1995) and Bachelor of Technology (2005). My education and training in food quality and food safety began at the Marine institute (MI) where I have been employed for sixteen years in the areas of food safety and quality management. I have taught quality assurance and food safety courses for many students enrolled in the MI Food Programs, as well as local food industry clients.

I have undertaken the role as Quality Supervisor for the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development (CASD). In this position I am responsible for maintaining the ISO 9001 Standard for the Aquaculture Facility, Bioprocessing Facility and Food Pilot Plant. I maintain the standard operating procedures (SOP’s) for each of these facilities including the Marine Institutes Food Pilot which meets the requirements of registration for a Quality Management Program (QMP).

I have been fortunate enough to work with a great team of colleagues, including administrative personnel, food technologists, engineers and food scientists. My position also involves research, laboratory analysis and product and process development, in support of the food processing industry. I provide support and assistance to clients in the food industry who require HACCP Plan development or GAP analysis to prepare for upcoming audits and inspections. I have in-depth knowledge and experience in the areas of food regulations, food labelling and laboratory analysis, all critical pieces of a functional food quality system.

My greatest achievements in life are my two teenage children. The most important time for me is time spent with those I love. Relaxing by the ocean, running, reading, eating good food also make me happy. I am a continuous learner and I am always eager to learn new information specifically in the areas of food production and development, as well as personal growth and improvement.

Dr. Rajesh Barua is a Postdoctoral Fellow with multidisciplinary research experience spanning marine bioprocessing, biotechnology, plant molecular biology, microbial fermentation, and value-added product development. His current research focuses on valorization of valuable crustacean and the conversion of their by-products into high-value products with commercial and societal relevance.

He completed his Ph.D. in Department of Biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he worked on plant molecular biology, epigenetics, bisulfite sequencing, hyperhydricity, and phytochemical characterization of berry crops. His doctoral research on molecular and biochemical tools to better understand plant development, clonal fidelity, and stress-associated physiological changes. Dr. Barua previously completed his Honours and Masters in Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh. His bachelor’s research investigated the in vitro micropropagation and antibacterial properties of Prunus domestica, while his master’s thesis focused on the optimization and characterization of xanthan gum production by Xanthomonas campestris and their genetic profiling.

Before coming into Canada, he worked at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, where he contributed to research on irradiated chitosan, food preservation, biodegradable materials, plant growth promotion, and biomaterial development. He also served at Apex Biofertilizers and Biopesticides Ltd., where he specialized in solid-state fermentation, microbial product formulation, and sustainable agricultural biotechnology.

With expertise across plant and microbial systems, analytical biology, and applied product development, Dr. Barua’s work consistently aims to move promising laboratory research toward meaningful real-world application for the benefit of mankind.

Dr. Navneet Kaur is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development (CASD), Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, since September, 2025. Her research lies at the intersection of applied physics, analytical chemistry, and biophotonics, with a focus on developing innovative sensing technologies for environmental and biological applications.

Dr. Kaur holds a strong academic foundation in physics, having completed her Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Physics from the University of Delhi, India, followed by a Master’s degree in Physics (Optics) from banasthali University, India. After moving to Canada in 2018, she pursued a second Master’s degree (thesis-based, Condensed Matter and Optical Physics) at Lakehead University, which led to her PhD in Chemistry and Materials Science (Applied Physics) at the same institution. Her doctoral research focused on the development of fiber-optic plasmonic sensors and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the ultra-sensitive detection of trace chemicals. She designed and fabricated nanostructured optical probes capable of real-time trace detection, with applications in food safety, environmental monitoring, and biomedical sensing.

At CASD, her research focuses on advancing analytical approaches for complex biological and marine systems, with an emphasis on converting marine biomass into high-value products through circularity principles. She is also contributing to the development of circular economy (CE) models for Newfoundland’s fisheries. Dr. Kaur is particularly interested in translating advanced optical and nanomaterial-based techniques into practical, field-deployable solutions.

Dr. Kaur brings a strong interdisciplinary background and is passionate about collaboration, mentoring students, and bridging fundamental science with real-world applications.

Dr. Lanh Van Nguyen is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Marine Bioprocessing Facility, CASD. He obtained his Ph.D. in Food Science from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2025, where his research focused on lipid chemistry, particularly the design, production, and optimization of structured lipids enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, targeting dual functions of both nutritional and metabolic benefits. His work also emphasizes the chemistry and biochemistry of lipids, including lipid oxidation mechanisms, stabilization strategies, and structural modification to enhance functionality and nutritional value.

At CASD, his research focuses on the valorization of marine-derived resources, including sea cucumber, fish by-products, seal, and seaweed, with particular emphasis on sugar kelp for bio-stimulant and cosmetic applications. He is especially interested in enhancing the enrichment, stability, and shelf life of seafood products. His work also investigates marine-derived bioactive compounds such as phenolics, phytosterols, and carotenoids, particularly for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the recovery and stabilization of marine pigments and the identification of valuable compounds from aquatic side streams. He also contributes to the development of circular economy models for Newfoundland’s fisheries.

With a strong background in food science and bioprocessing, Dr. Nguyen integrates advanced processing technologies, extraction optimization, and stabilization strategies. He has contributed to the development of innovative lipid-based ingredients, supported by multiple scientific publications. Dr. Nguyen brings a strong interdisciplinary perspective and is committed to collaboration, mentoring students, and translating research into real-world applications.