10 years
ubc wine research centre
10 years
“We are excited to be celebrating 10 years in one of
the world’s leading wine research facilities.”
The Wine Research Centre at the University of
British Columbia celebrates its 10-year anniversary
in 2009. Much has happened since July 1999 when
I first arrived at UBC with four of my Ph.D. students
to establish the WRC in the Faculty of Land and Food
Systems (LFS).
As pioneers, the WRC has attracted scientists from
leading research institutions around the world.
Using a systems biology approach (transcriptomics,
proteomics and metabolomics), WRC scientists study
both fundamental and applied aspects of grapevines
and wine yeasts.
Our first decade has been remarkable. Today, the WRC
has three full time faculty members, four associate
faculty members, five research associates, one post
doc, six research technicians, four Ph.D. students and
five M.Sc. students. We have one of the most modern
and best-equipped viticulture and enology research
facilities in the world, thanks to financial support from
UBC, Western Economic Diversification, the British
Columbia Knowledge Development Fund and the
Canadian Foundation for Innovation.
Our research has generated five international
patents and 40 cutting-edge scientific papers.
Graduate students trained at the WRC now enjoy
careers as winemakers, lead researchers with private
companies and professors at both national and
international universities.
Over the past 10 years, Drs. Steven Lund, Vivien
Measday, Joerg Bohlmann and I have raised close to
$17 million in research funding, including three major
awards from Genome British Columbia and Genome
Canada. We have attracted leading researchers from
around the world; and eight M.Sc. and five Ph.D.
students have completed their studies in the WRC.
We look forward to many more successes given our
unique combination of talent and facilities.
We are delighted that our facilities can also provide
services to other scientists. For example, the WRC
microarray facility functions as a core facility for
the entire UBC research community and the mass
spectrometry laboratory serves LFS faculty and students.
This experience has been tremendously exciting and
rewarding. I wish to thank former LFS Dean Moura
Quayle and LFS Dean Murray Isman for their kind
support in our establishment and growth. I also wish
to thank all of our funding bodies listed in this 10 Year
Anniversary Report. Without your generous support,
these major achievements would not have been possible.
I also wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to all
the B.C. wineries that have donated wines to the WRC
Wine Library to be included in our wine-aging study.
As well, many private donors have given us rare and
outstanding wines that we use as control wines in our
analyses. Thank you also to donors who have made
financial contributions to the WRC. It is heartwarming
to receive such great support from the community.
Hennie J. J. van Vuuren
Director, Wine Research Centre
what we do
enology research | van vuuren lab
Applied Research
A major goal of the van Vuuren laboratory is to help wineries improve wine quality through innovative and
leading-edge applied research. To date, significant milestones include:
½½ elucidated the metabolic adaptation of wine yeast to osmotic stress in grape must using sophisticated DNA microarray technology
½½ characterized the impact of yeast strain on the production of acetic acid, glycerol, and the sensory attributes of icewine
½½ established the impact of nitrogen additions to fermenting grape must on yeast metabolism and the production of flavour compounds in wine
½½ development of a yeast that produces more flavourful white wines (patented)
½½ development of the first prototype yeast strain that produces dry wine with reduced levels of alcohol (patent pending)
½½ development of the first prototype yeast strain
that produces increased levels of alcohol
(patent pending)
Enhanced Wine Yeasts
One of Dr. van Vuuren’s major achievements has been
to construct the world’s first two genetically enhanced
wine yeasts: S. cerevisiae ML01 and urea-degrading
red wine yeasts. Both yeasts have been patented and
approved for commercial winemaking by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and
Environment Canada.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae ML01
S. cerevisiae ML01 is the first genetically enhanced
wine yeast to be commercialized by the wine
industry in North America. Malolactic wine yeast
degrades malic acid to lactic acid during the alcoholic
fermentation. By doing so, it prevents spoilage of
wines by other microorganisms. The malolactic yeast
also prevents or limits the formation of bioamines
Hennie j.j. van Vuuren
Hennie J.J. van Vuuren, Ph.D., is the Director of the Wine Research Centre and
Associate Dean of Research in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. The Blythe
and Violet Eagles Chair in Food Biotechnology was awarded to Dr. van Vuuren
whose previous position was the Senior NSE RC/Industrial Research Chair in
the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University. Before
immigrating to Canada, he was Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Microbiology
and Director of the Institute for Biotechnology at the University of Stellenbosch
in South Africa. Dr. van Vuuren is a wine biotechnologist and founding Director
of the WRC at UBC.
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(allergens) by malolactic bacteria in wine. Scientists
have estimated that 30 per cent of the world’s
population cannot consume wine since they are
sensitive to bioamines.
Urea-degrading wine yeasts
Researchers in the van Vuuren laboratory have
constructed novel urea-degrading wine yeasts that
significantly limit the formation of ethyl carbamate
(urethane) in wines and brandy. Ethyl carbamate
is a naturally occurring compound found in many
fermented foods and beverages that may be harmful
to humans. In 2004, the U.S. National Toxicology
Program released a report based on an extensive
study that linked ethyl carbamate to increased rates
of various cancers, including liver, lung, ovarian and
skin cancer, in both female and male mice. Use of the
urea-degrading yeasts will limit the production of ethyl
carbamate by up to 92 per cent.
Fundamental Research
Yeast fermentation is a critical stage in the
winemaking process that converts the grape’s
sugars into alcohol and flavour compounds. To help
winemakers produce superior wines, fundamental
research in the van Vuuren laboratory focuses on
characterizing the stress response in yeast during
wine fermentations.
Laboratory strains of the budding yeast S. cerevisiae
have been used as a model eukaryote (cell with
a nucleus) for many years, and researchers have
accumulated a vast amount of information on the
genetics and physiology of this yeast.
More recently, investigators have employed highthroughput technologies to study global regulatory
and metabolic circuits in this yeast. However,
laboratory media and growth conditions are vastly
different from those that wine yeast strains encounter
during industrial wine fermentations.
The adaptation of wine yeast to the harsh conditions
during the fermentation of grape must has not been
well studied. To investigate how industrial wine yeast
strains of S. cerevisiae respond adaptively to longterm environmental stresses during fermentation of
grape must, researchers in the van Vuuren laboratory
profiled the yeast transcriptome throughout wine
fermentation.
jenny bryan WRC Associate
Jenny Bryan, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia, with a joint
appointment in the Dept. of Statistics and the Michael Smith Laboratories. Dr. Bryan is also
a member of UBiC, UBC’s Bioinformatics Centre. Dr. Bryan joined the UBC faculty in 2001,
shortly after receiving a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of California, Berkeley, under
the guidance of Professor Mark van der Laan. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, she graduated from
Yale University in 1992 with a double major in German and Economics. After that, Dr. Bryan
worked for the Boston Consulting Group before realizing her true calling in biostatistics.
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Based on clustering and rigorous statistical criteria
done by Dr. Jenny Bryan, we have identified 62
novel Fermentation Stress Response (FSR) genes.
The biological functions of 62 of the FSR genes are
unknown and may play as-yet undetermined roles in
the long-term adaptation of yeast to an environment
in which ethanol is both a stressor and a carbon
source. This research is being led by Drs. Zongli Luo
and Christopher Walkey.
A systems biology approach (transcriptomics,
proteomics and metabolomics) is being used to
elucidate function of the 62 orphan genes. Proteomics
assays are being done at the University of Victoria
Genome BC Proteomics Centre in collaboration with
Dr. Christoph Borchers. This research is supported by
large-scale Genome BC and Genome Canada grants.
The PAU gene family is the largest multigene family
in S. cerevisiae; this family has 24 members and
is mostly located in the subtelomeric region of
chromosomes. Functions for the PAU genes have
not been established, but several of these genes
are expressed during wine fermentations. We are
currently using a systems biology approach to
establish function for these genes.
christopher walkey
M
ore than 70 per cent of the
world’s grape production is
used for making wine
Dr. Christopher Walkey recently
joined the WRC as a research
associate. Prior to UBC, he was
a research fellow in cell biology
at the Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute and the Harvard
Medical School for nine years.
He is a molecular biologist and
a specialist in proteomics.
christoph borchers WRC Associate
Christoph Borchers, Ph.D. is the Facility Director at the University of Victoria Genome BC
Proteomics Centre and Associate Professor in the Dept. of Biochemistry and Microbiology
at UVIC. He received his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry/Biochemistry from the University
of Konstanz, Germany. As the author of more than 75 peer reviewed scientific papers, and
ten book chapters, Dr. Borchers has an international reputation for scientific excellence.
His current research centres on the study of dynamic processes in proteins and protein
interactions by mass spectrometry combined with protein chemistry. His research is also
focused on the development of mass spectrometric centric technologies in metabolomics and proteomics.
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enology research | measday lab
S. cerevisiae has evolved to survive constant
fluctuations in its surroundings by rapidly adapting
to meet the challenges of new environments. During
alcoholic fermentation, yeast cells are exposed to a
variety of stresses including high osmolarity, organic
acid stress and ethanol toxicity.
We have also recently established a collaboration with
Dr. Charlie Boone at the University of Toronto to use
a new genomic approach to identify genes that, when
overproduced, confer ethanol resistance to yeast cells.
The ultimate objective of this research is to generate wine
yeast strains that are more resistant to ethanol stress.
Our research combines the genomic technology of lab
yeast with the environmental conditions of wine yeast
to uncover key pathways required for surviving the
stresses imposed by fermentation. Understanding stress
resistance pathways in yeast creates potential to increase
stress resistance in wine yeast, improve industrial
performance and reduce the cost to Canadian wineries of
incomplete (sluggish or stuck) fermentations.
My lab also studies chromosome segregation in
S. cerevisiae using molecular biology, genetic and
genomic tools. Studying chromosome segregation
using yeast as a model system provides important
insights into diseases hallmarked by abnormal
chromosome numbers such as Down’s syndrome
and cancer. Each time a cell grows and divides
its chromosomes must be accurately duplicated
and segregated equally to daughter cells so that
each new cell has the exact same chromosomes
as the mother cell. Duplicated chromosomes are
separated by attaching to microtubules which pull
each chromosome into the daughter cells. We
are interested in understanding how defects in
chromosome-microtubule attachment cause cells to
send a message to stop cell cycle progression until the
attachment defect is repaired.
We are taking a genomics approach to understand the
molecular network of specific fermentation related
stress responses in S. cerevisiae. In collaboration with
Dr. Mike Tyers’ lab (previously at the University of
Toronto, now at the University of Edinburgh), we are
using the yeast deletion set barcode oligonucleotide
method to identify genes that are important for yeast
cell survival during a fermentation.
vivien measday
Vivien Measday, Ph.D. is a Canada Research Chair in Enology/Genomics, a
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar and an Assistant
Professor at the UBC Wine Research Centre in the Faculty of Land and Food
Systems. She is an associate faculty member of the UBC Michael Smith
Laboratories and the UBC Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Dr. Measday is a Vancouver native who received her Honours B.Sc. in
Biochemistry from UBC in 1991 and her Ph.D. from the Dept. of Medical Genetics
and Microbiology at the University of Toronto in 1998. She started her faculty
position at the UBC WRC in 2004.
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viticulture research | lund lab
Making the best wines starts with growing the
best grapes. To advance both processes, the WRC
is exploring grapevine biology at the molecular and
biochemical levels.
GrapeGen funding allowed the WRC to initiate research
in 2004 into plant hormone and terpenoid molecular
biology and biochemistry responses to changes in light
exposure to berry clusters in the vineyard.
All viticulturists grapple with the fact that fruit quality
can vary from one season to the next — even in
the same vineyard block — leading to inconsistent
vintages. But what if science can access the plant’s
“black box,” looking at how the vine and berry respond
to changing viticultural practices and environmental
conditions along each season? Growers could then
fine-tune management practices in concert with
changing weather patterns.
WRC scientists are currently building upon these
studies in the Genome BC- and Genome Canadafunded “WineGen” and “Grape and Wine Genomics”
projects to identify and validate molecules that may
be useful in the future to viticulturists as molecular
“biosensors” to assist in vineyard management. This
type of molecular-level monitoring and diagnosis is
made further possible thanks to the recent sequencing
of the grapevine genetic code by European scientists.
Early in the development of WRC’s viticulture
genomics research program, large-scale funding from
the federal government through Genome Canada for
the GrapeGen project played a fundamental role in
the establishment of a new technology platform for
studying grapevine genes, proteins, and compositional
chemistry in British Columbia.
We envision creating tools that viticulturalists could
use to monitor the responses of different grapevine
varieties to environmental changes along each
season. Given such means, Canadian growers could
then increase the net “farm gate” values for their
fruit. As well, Canadian winemakers could produce
higher quality vintages in the styles that the individual
winemakers desire.
steven lund
Steven Lund, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Viticulture/Plant Omics at the
UBC Wine Research Centre in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and is an
associate faculty member in the UBC Michael Smith Laboratories and the UBC
Dept. of Botany. Originally from the U.S., Dr. Lund received his Ph.D. in Plant
Biological Sciences from the University of Minnesota in 1995. He then pursued
his post-doctoral studies at the University of Florida before moving to an
industry position in New Zealand in 1998. He has been at UBC since 2002.
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Currently, the only molecule-based diagnostic tools
available to viticulturists are used to measure sugar
content and acidity/pH. Some wine making operations
also employ sophisticated gas or liquid chromatography
instruments for quantifying additional chemical compounds
as markers of flavour maturity, such as monoterpenes.
Viticulturists primarily use these tools late in the
season to estimate harvest date. Growers do not yet
have the means, however, to monitor responses to the
interplay of their cultural treatments and changing
weather conditions along the critical “green” and early
ripening stages of berry development. Similarly, there
are few effective devices that can help vineyards check
vegetative stresses from drought or pathogens.
If viticulturists were able to take periodic “snapshots”
using molecular biomarkers for viticulture applications,
they could monitor vine health and assess berry quality
parameters in concert with weather forecasts as the
season advances.
A biomarker can be defined as a molecular factor — a
gene, protein, or chemical compound — that indicates
a physiological or disease state at a distinct time in
a particular tissue or cell type under a defined set of
environmental conditions. In medicine, for example,
biomarkers are used for blood or pregnancy tests.
As “proof-of-concept” for feasibility and efficacy,
the WRC is adapting a portable biomarker detection
tool developed at the University of Washington for
medical applications to survey vines for molecular
indicators of early drought stress prior to visible signs.
In parallel, we are studying organic and synthetic
nitrogen fertilization effects on hormone production,
gene activation, and terpenoid, tannin, and amino
acid composition in berries along multiple seasons for
biomarker discovery.
A portable, hand-held biomarker diagnostic tool could
prove most efficient for on-site vine monitoring in the
vineyard rather than needing to ship samples to an
off-site laboratory. As an immediate goal, the WRC is
looking at developing a biomarker tool that can easily
show when a plant is water stressed, and perhaps
include pathogen detection. Both situations cause high
levels of protein biomarkers from plant or pathogen
and thus are relatively easy to detect. Our longer term
goal is to develop biomarkers indicative of the berries’
ripening state for assessing and forecasting ripeningrelated parameters in the vineyard.
While based in genomics sciences, biomarker
technology does not involve genetic modification
of grapevines and is fully compatible with organic
viticulture practices.
G
rapes are the most economically important
fruit species worldwide, with close to 8 million
hectares planted in vineyards.
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terpene research | bohlmann lab
When sipping on a delicious glass of wine, terpenes
isn’t the first word that comes to mind. Yet, these
hydrocarbons comprise important aroma and flavour
compounds in grapevine berries and wines. Terpenes
are part of a very large group of natural products with
more than 50,000 known compounds.
Dr. Jörg Bohlmann and his team are characterizing
the terpene profiles of grapevines during flowering,
fruit development, and fruit ripening. As well, they are
investigating the genetic underpinnings and molecular
mechanisms that control the chemical complexity
and timing of terpenoid formation in grapevines. In
partnership with an international consortium that
is sequencing and characterizing the grapevine
genome, our team has discovered a large set of genes
responsible for terpene formation in grapevines.
Our research on grapevine terpenes has been
published in prestigious journals such as
Phytochemistry, Science and the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences of the United States
of America.
C
urrently, the thompson-okanagan region
accounts for approximately 80 per cent of
all b.c. wine production.
jörg bohlmann
WRC Associate
Jörg Bohlmann, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Professor in the UBC Michael Smith
Laboratories and an Associate of the UBC Wine Research Centre. His research deals broadly
with terpenoid biochemicals in plants, including terpenoid aroma compounds in grapevines.
Dr. Bohlmann received his Ph.D. in 1995 from the Technical University of Braunschweig,
Germany. He did postdoctoral studies at Washington State University in the U.S. as an
Alexander-von-Humboldt Fellow. Before joining the faculty at UBC in 2000, Dr. Bohlmann
was a junior group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany.
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training & wine courses
UBC Continuing Studies, in association with the WRC, offers a unique program in wine education to engage and
educate adult learners of all levels of wine knowledge.
The Understanding Wine Program
This program offers introductory and other course
levels that provide sensory training, an introduction
to wine vocabulary and tasting major varietals to
increase one’s ability to discern distinct flavours
and nuances from many types of wine from selected
wine regions of the world. Topics also include how
wines age, how to shop and read label information
and choosing wines to pair with different foods. This
program includes the Art of Wine Tasting taught by
James Cluer, Master of Wine (MW).
The Art of Wine Tasting
Appropriate for both novices and experts alike, this
course delves into wine tasting with James Cluer,
Master of Wine (MW). Mr. Cluer is one of only three
Canadians to have achieved this qualification, which is
generally regarded in the wine industry as one of the
highest standards of professional knowledge. Students
will develop sensory skills, learn how to describe
wines and also how to identify the characteristics of
seven major grape varieties.
james cluer
Wine Certification (WSE T®) Courses
at UBC Robson Square
Fine Vintage Ltd, in partnership with UBC Continuing
Studies and the WRC , offers the world’s foremost
wine education courses with certification. The U.K.based Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET ®) is
internationally recognized as the gold standard in wine
education and offers students the opportunity to gain
formal certification.
UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Food, Nutrition
and Health 330: Introduction to Wine Science
This highly popular UBC credit course explores the
many facets of wine science including health aspects
of wine consumption, viticulture, oenology,
marketing and classification of wine. Labs provide
training for technical evaluation of wine. Taught by
Dr. David McArthur, Ph.D. (plant physiology),
FNH 330 has an annual enrollment of more than
350 senior-level students.
WRC Associate
James Cluer is a Master of Wine (MW). Since 1952, only 29 people in North America have
qualified to become MWs. Mr. Cluer began his career in the wine trade in 1988, working for
an importer in Hong Kong. He took his first Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET®) wine
course at age 18. After university, he headed for Bordeaux and landed an apprenticeship at
Milhade et fils. He worked the vintage in 1993, learning the art of winemaking. In 1997, he
completed the WSET Diploma, and in 1998, he enrolled in the MW program — considered
the pinnacle of professional qualifications in wine. Since the first MW exams in 1952, there
have only been 275 successful candidates. To prepare, Mr. Cluer began working vintages at wineries in Australia
and California, and touring more wine regions. In 2009, he became a Master of Wine. Mr. Cluer owns and
operates Fine Vintage Ltd from his base in Vancouver, Canada. As an educator, he owns seven professional wine
schools in the Pacific Northwest.
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how we achieve
research facilities
The WRC has three modern and fully equipped
molecular biology laboratories and a mass
spectrometry laboratory. In addition, the Microarray
Facility in the WRC serves as a core DNA Array
Facility for scientists on the UBC campus. Researchers
in the WRC also have full access to the outstanding
research facilities in the Michael Smith Laboratories
(MSL) which is conveniently located adjacent to the
WRC.
The MSL has established itself as a force in the global
biotechnology research community. Its outstanding
research facilities, including the Nucleic Acids and
Protein Synthesis (NAPS) unit, the Protein Production
Pilot Plant, the Functional Genomics Core Facility and
the Centre for Biological Calorimetry, provide a strong
foundation for cutting-edge research in functional
genomics. In addition, the eight hubs of the CFIfunded Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics provide
state-of-the-art equipment for characterizing gene
products. Large-scale sequencing projects at the WRC
are done
in collaboration with scientists in Canada’s Michael
Smith Genome Sciences Centre. Quantitative
proteomics projects at the WRC are done in
collaboration with the University of Victoria Genome
BC Proteomics Centre.
C
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DNA Microarray Core Facility
A fully integrated Affymetrix GeneChip instrument,
comprising a hybridization oven, a fluidics station,
and an argon laser gene array scanner with a
Microarray Suite workstation is also currently
operated as a core facility for users at UBC and
scientists in Western Canada.
UBC has entered into an agreement with Affymetrix
to purchase chips at a reduced price for academic
research. Users at UBC can purchase chips directly
from Affymetrix — or through the WRC — at the
reduced cost.
Dr. Zongli Luo has been appointed as manager of
this core facility. Human, murine, yeast, E. coli and
Arabidopsis arrays are run on a routine basis.
zongli luo
Dr. Zongli Luo was a Post
Doctoral Fellow in the laboratory
of Dr. Dieter Gallwitz at the Max
Planck Institute for Biophysical
Chemistry in Göttingen,
Germany. Dr. Luo is a yeast
molecular biologist and was
recruited to the WRC at UBC as
a Research Associate in 2003.
anada has more than 8,000 hectares dedicated to
vineyards, of which 30 per cent are in B.C.
Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
The Mass Spectrometry Laboratory was established as collaboration between scientists in the WRC and the MSL.
This facility also serves as a core analytical laboratory for scientists in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and
the MSL. Lina Madilao manages the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory.
The following Instruments are currently available:
½½ Agilent 6890/5973N Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer equipped with Agilent 7694 Headspace Autosampler (44 sample tray).
Ionization mode: Electron ionization (EI)
½½ Agilent 6890/5973N Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer equipped with Agilent 7683 Autosampler (100 sample tray). Ionization mode: EIectron (EI) and Chemical (CI)
½½ Agilent 6890 Gas Chromatograph with Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and Radio Detector and equipped with Agilent 7683 Autosampler
(100 sample tray).
½½ Agilent 6890N/5975 Inert XL MSD Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer equipped with Agilent 7683B Autosampler (100 sample tray)
and Flame Ionization detector. Ionization mode: EIectron (EI) and Chemical (CI) ionizations.
½½ Agilent 1100 Series LC/MSD Quadrupole SL Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS, LC/MS-SIM for low detection) equipped with Diode Array Detector (DAD) and Refractive Index Detector (RI). Ionization mode: Electrospray (ESI), Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI),
Atmospheric Pressure Photo Ionization (APPI). Sample can be introduced via infusion,
flow-injection, or on-line HPLC.
½½ Agilent 1100 Series LC/MSD Trap XCT Plus Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS, LC/MS-MS,
LC/MS-MS(n)) equipped with Diode Array Detector (DAD), fraction collector, and Evaporative Light Scattering Detector (ELSD). Ionization mode: Electrospray (ESI), Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI), Atmospheric Pressure Photo Ionization (APPI). Sample can be introduced via infusion, flow-injection, or on-line HPLC.
lina madilao
Lufiani Lina Madilao has been
the analytical laboratory facility
manager in the UBC Wine
Research Centre since 2003.
She obtained her B.Sc. in
Chemistry at UBC and worked
for 13 years as a mass
spectrometrist at the BC Regional
Mass Spectrometry Centre in the
UBC Chemistry department prior to joining the WRC.
T
he two most prominent
wine-growing provinces in
canada are b.c. and ontario
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wine library & vinotheque
Over a period of hundreds of years wineries in
other countries have established which grape
varietals do best in which regions. This has led to
the proclamation of appellation regions in several
countries and only certain varietals are planted
in certain regions. The result has been that wines
produced in these regions enjoy considerable status
and they command high prices.
To establish which grape varietals will do best in
which micro-climatic areas in BC, the Wine Library
was established during 2002. The library can house
approximately 22,000 bottles of wine. The Wine
Library operates under the auspices of a board of
Directors who are knowledgeable about wines.
Wine-aging study
Winemakers nominate young wines produced in B.C. and wineries donate 24 bottles of each wine that have been
selected for study in the WRC. These wines are aged in the Library under temperature and humidity-controlled
conditions. Wines are tasted annually over a period up to 24 years and, based on organoleptic and sophisticated
chemical analysis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass
Spectrometery (LC/MS), the WRC will provide feedback to participating wineries to eventually establish a
correlation between viticulture and enology practices in B.C. and the ability of wines to age well.
Support
Donors have kindly donated many bottles of special wines to the WRC. Drs. Bruce Forster and Ritchie Younger
have donated many cases of leading international wines since the opening of the Wine Library. We would like to
thank the following wineries for financial contributions to setup the wine library: Burrowing Owl Estate Winery,
Calona Vineyards, Gray Monk Estate Winery, Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, and Tinhorn Creek Winery.
The following experts have given many valuable hours and serve on our tasting panel: Sid Cross, David Hopgood,
Ian Mottershead, Tom DiBello, James Cluer, Robert Simpson, Bruce Forster, Ritchie Younger, Don Brooks, Sandra
Oldfield, Mark Davidson, Ian Sutherland, John Schreiner and Hennie van Vuuren.
Many prominent scientists, including Nobel Laureates Drs. Sydney Brenner and John Sulston, have visited the
Wine Library. Other honoured guests include Philippe Bascaules, distinguished winemaker from Chateaux
Margaux and Drs. Irving K. Barber and Stewart Blusson, both major donors to UBC.
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our people
Calvin Adams has been the lab manager in the Van Vuuren
Laboratory since 2007 and is involved with research in the
Genome BC grant. He obtained his M.Sc. degree at the
University in Guelph Ontario.
Mike Anderson is an M.Sc. student in the Measday laboratory,
within the UBC Food Science graduate student program. Mike
has been awarded graduate scholarships from the American
Society for Enology and Viticulture, the American Wine Society
and the Canadian Vintners Association.
Matt Dahabieh obtained his M.Sc. in the van Vuuren laboratory
in 2007. He studied urea-degradation in wine yeasts and was in
charge of the Wine Library.
Dr. Danie Erasmus obtained his Ph.D. in the WRC and is
currently a senior laboratory instructor in the Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology Program at the University of Northern
British Columbia.
Dr. John Husnik obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in the van
Vuuren laboratory. He has constructed the ML01 and ureadegrading wine yeasts that have been patented. He is currently
employed as a senior research scientist at Phyterra Yeast in
Napa, California.
Lixin Liu obtained his M.S. in Crop Science from the University of
Illinois and joined the WRC in 2007 as a research technician
and manager for the Lund lab. His work focuses on using genetic
transformation techniques in grapevine to decipher gene functions
affecting grape hormone biology and compositional chemistry.
Dr. Diane Martin has been a research associate at the WRC
since 2004. She trained as a plant natural product biochemist
and molecular biologist. She is interested in the biosynthesis
of chemical compounds in grape berries that are important for
flavour and aroma. Her research focuses on the developmental
regulation of terpene synthases and the characterization of this
enzyme family.
Dr. George van der Merwe completed his Ph.D. in the WRC. He
is now an associate professor in the Dept. of Molecular and
Cellular Biology at the University in Guelph, Ontario.
Nina Piggott has been the Measday lab manager since 2005.
She obtained her B.Sc. in plant biology from UBC and worked for
four years at the Pacific Forestry Centre in Victoria, B.C. Nina is
using genomic technology to identify yeast genes that are
required during fermentation.
Omid Toub completetd his M.Sc. in the UBC Dept. of Medical
Genetics and was hired as a WRC research technician in 2008.
Omid has brought his strong background in molecular biology and
immunochemistry, which he is applying to the characterization of
enzymes involved in terpenoid metabolism in grape berries.
13
Ph. D. Graduates
J. Coulon. 2001. Contribution à la construction d’une industrielle
capable de dégrader l’ urée en conditions oenologiques.
Supervisor: Dr. A. Lonvaud, Universite de Bordeaux;
Co-supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
G.K. van der Merwe. 2002. NCR-sensitive gene expression and
regulation of nitrogen interconversion by VID30 in S. cerevisiae.
Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren
H. Volschenk. 2002. Characterisation of L-malic acid
metabolism in strains of Saccharomyces and development of a
commercial wine yeast strain with an efficient malo-ethanolic
pathway. Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren;
Co-supervisor: Dr. M. Bloom. University of Stellenbosch.
D.J. Erasmus. 2005. Production of acetic acid by S. cerevisiae
during Icewine fermentations. Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
J. I. Husnik. 2006. Metabolic engineering and characterization of
the malolactic wine yeast ML01.
Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
M.Sc. Graduates
D. J. Erasmus. Deletion analyses of the Ure2p in S. cerevisiae
and effect of NCR on the production of ethyl carbamate during
wine fermentations.
Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
J. I. Husnik. 2001. Still need to insert thesis title here.
Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren;
co supervisor: Dr. Ron Subden, University of Guelph.
M. Albert. 2002. Timing of Di-Ammonium Phophate Addition to
fermenting chardonnay must: effect on nitrogen utilization, ethyl
carbamate formation, and CAR1 expression by yeast.
Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren;
co supervisor: Dr. D. Inglis. Brock University.
B. W. Greatrix. 2002. A new perspective on hexose transporter
gene expression in S. cerevisiae.
Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
C.N. Spriggs. 2002. Remodeling of the S. cerevisiae
transcriptome in response to acetic acid.
Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
S. Känel. 2003. Still need to insert thesis title here. ETH
Switzerland. Co-supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren
14
M. Schanz. 2003. Still need to insert thesis title here. ETH
Switzerland. Co-supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren
M. S. Dahabieh. 2008. Metabolic engineering of yeast strains to
minimize the production of ethyl carbamate in grape and sake
wine. Supervisor: Dr. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
Visiting International Students
Amelie Bourie. M.Sc. student, France, 2009
Giacomo Zara. Ph.D. student, University of Sassari, Italy, 2001
Invited guest speakers
Dr. van Vuuren was one of the individuals who started the annual
wine conference in the Okanagan in 1999. During the past 10
years, he organized the enology section of the Enology and
Viticulture Conference and invited the following scientists to
present talks in the enology section. Most of these guest speakers
also paid a visit to the WRC before or after the Okanagan meetings
to participate in research discussions.
Philippe Bascaules. Chateaux Margaux, Bordeaux, France
Dr. Linda Bisson. UC Davis
Dr. Roger Boulton. UC Davis
Dr. Claudine Charpentier. Institut Jules Guyot, Dijon, Burgundy
Dr. Denis Dubourdieu. Faculty of Enology,
University of Bordeaux, France
Dr. Susan E. Ebeler. UC Davis
Dr. Richard Gardner. University of Auckland
Dr. James Kennedy. Dept. of Food Science and Technology,
Oregon State University
Dr. Aline Lonvaud. Faculty of Enology, University of Bordeaux, France
Dr. Sakkie Pretorius. Director Australian Wine Research Institute,
Adelaide, South Australia
David Stevens. Senior Consultant, Davon International, Napa
Dr. Ron Subden. Dept. of Food Science,
University of Guelph, Ontario
Dr. George van der Merwe. Dept. of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario
Dr. Terence van Rooyen. Niagara College,
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Dr. Bruce Zoecklein. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, Blacksburg
Most of these scientists visited the WRC at UBC before or after the
meetings in the Okanagan and participated in research discussions.
grants & funding obtained (1999–2009)
Genome Canada. Grape and Wine Genomics. S. Lund (co-leader),
H.J.J. van Vuuren (co-leader), V. Measday, J. Bohlmann, G. van
der Merwe (co-investigators). $3,440,481, contributors: Mission
Hill Family Estate Winery ($75,000), BC Wine & Grape Council
($45,000), Phyterra ($180,000), University of British Columbia
($181,000), Simon Fraser University ($28,000), 2009-2012
Canada Foundation for Innovation/BC Knowledge Development
Fund/UBC. Inverted Fluorescence Microscope with Deconvolution
System and High Sensitivity Camera. V. Measday. $209,964, 2009
Canada Foundation for Innovation/BC Knowledge Development
Fund/UBC. Upgrade of microarray facilities. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
$152,110, 2009
Genome BC. WineGen. HJJ van Vuuren, S Lund, R Gardner (coleaders), V. Measday, J Bohlmann (co-investigators). $5,035,588,
2008-2009
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery
Grant. Metabolic Engineering of Wine Grapes with Improved
Flavonoid-based Health Properties. S. Lund. $118,300, 2007-2012
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Bridging and Operating
Grants. Mechanisms of spindle regulation during the DNA
replication checkpoint in budding yeast. V. Measday. $488,751;
2007-2011
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery
Grant. Genetics of yeast fermentation stress response using a
functional genomics approach. V. Measday. $213,000; 2006-2011
BC Wine Institute. Research Grant. Aging of wine. H.J.J. van
Vuuren. $75,000, 2006-2008
Functional Technologies Corporation. Genetic construction of an
urea degrading wine yeast. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $409,980, 2006-2007
First Venture Technologies. Biotin metabolism in wine yeast. H.J.J.
van Vuuren. $50,000, 2006
Investment Agriculture Foundation. Sluggish and stuck alcoholic
fermentations. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $90,000, 2005-2007
Genome Canada/Genome BC. Wine Genomics workshop. H.J.J.
van Vuuren. $55,000, 2005
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery
Grant. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $220,000, 2004-2008
Genome Canada. GrapeGen: Genomic Mechanisms Underlying
Berry Ripening and Quality. S. Lund, José Miguel Martinez Zapater,
J. Bohlmann, and others. $3,117,240, 2004-2007
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Operating Grant. Role of
the budding yeast kinetochore in mediating proper chromosome
transmission and checkpoint response. V. Measday. $357,987,
2004-2007
MSFHR Establishment Grant. Role of the budding yeast
kinetochore in mediating proper chromosome transmission and
checkpoint response. V. Measday. $125,000, 2004-2006
Canada Foundation for Innovation/BC Knowledge Development
Fund Infrastructure Grant. V. Measday. The Genomics and
Chromosome Biology of Wine Yeast, $343,590, 2004
BC Wine Institute. Stuck alcoholic fermentations. H.J.J. van
Vuuren. $60,000, 2003-2005
Investment Agriculture Foundation. Aging of BC wines. H.J.J. van
Vuuren. $177,999, 2003-2005
First Venture Technologies. Genetic construction of an urea
degrading wine yeast. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $528,992, 2003-2005
Western Economic Diversification. Renovation of WRC
laboratories. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $500,000, 2003
BC Wine Institute Research Grant. Aging of wine. H.J.J. van
Vuuren. $50,000, 2002-2005
Western Economic Diversification Equipment Grant. H.J.J. van
Vuuren. $545,000, 2002
BC Provincial Government. Post Doctoral Fellow, H.J.J. van
Vuuren. $64,000, 2001-2002
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council/ Ag Canada.
Wine spoilage by Yeasts. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $113,538, 2001-2003
American Vineyard Foundation. Sluggish Wine Fermentations.
H.J.J. van Vuuren. $197,771, 2001-2002
Lesaffre-French Yeast Co. Transformation of industrial wine
yeasts. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $164,950, 1998-2002
BC Knowledge Development Fund. Infrastructure for the WRC.
H.J.J. van Vuuren. $1,575,986, 2001
BC Wine Institute. Wine Research. H.J.J. van Vuuren. $56,769,
2000-2002
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Equipment,
Phosphoimager. C. Douglas, H.J.J. van Vuuren and 11 others,
$117,500, 2000
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Regulation
of nitrogen metabolism in wine yeasts. H.J.J. van Vuuren.
$135,400, 1999-2003
15
patents
907246. South African Patent. Wine Yeast Strain VIN13. (I.S.
Pretorius, H.J.J. van Vuuren & T.J. van der Westhuizen).
This yeast is sold widely in many countries.
PCT/CA96/00320. PCT Malolactic yeast (R.E. Subden, J. Grobler,
I.S. Pretorius, A. Krizus, C. Osothsilp & H.J.J. van Vuuren).
SN 60/330,993. International patent. Urea-degrading wine yeast
– DUR1,2 (H.J.J. van Vuuren, D. Inglis, J. Coulon & A. Lonvaud).
08-113. Disclosed a patent to UILO. 2008. Urea-degrading wine
yeast - DUR3. (H.J.J. van Vuuren & J. I. Husnik).
advisory board
The WRC operates under the aegis of an advisory board. The WRC is grateful to the following individuals who serve on our Board:
Dr. Don Brooks, Associate Vice-President of Research, UBC
Mr. Gordon Fitzpatrick, Proprietor, Cedar Creek Estate Winery
Ms. Sandra Oldfield, Proprietor/Winemaker,
Tinhorn Creek Winery
Dr. Murray Isman, Dean, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, UBC
Ms. Kelly Conrad, BC Liquor Distribution Branch
Mr. Mark Sheridan, Director, Vineyard Operations,
Vincor International, Inc.
16
Mr. Howard Soon, Winemaker, Calona Vineyards
Mr. Ben Stewart, Proprietor, Quails Gate Estate Winery
Mr. Anthony von Mandl, Proprietor,
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Mr. Jim Wyse, Proprietor, Burrowing Owl Winery
Dr. Hennie van Vuuren, Ex-officio Director,
Wine Research Centre
publications
Bohlmann, J. and J. Gershenzon. Old substrates for new enzymes
of terpenoid biosynthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A In press.
Dahabieh, M. and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2009. Functional
expression of the DUR3 gene in a wine yeast strain to minimize
ethyl carbamate in Chardonnay wine. Am J Enol Vitic In press.
Erasmus, D. J. and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2009. Differential
expression of genes in enological strains of S. cerevisiae affects
osmo-sensitivity, acetic acid and glycerol formation during sugarinduced osmotic stress. Am J Enol Vitic 60:(2) 145-154.
Lucker, J., M. Laszczak, D. Smith, and S. T. Lund. 2009.
Generation of a predicted protein database from EST data and
application to iTRAQ analyses in grape (Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet
Sauvignon) berries at ripening initiation. BMC Genomics 10:50.
Martin, D. M., O. Toub, A. Chiang, B. C. Lo, S. Ohse, S. T. Lund,
and J. Bohlmann. 2009. The bouquet of grapevine (Vitis vinifera
L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon) flowers arises from the biosynthesis
of sesquiterpene volatiles in pollen grains. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S
A 106:7245-50.
Bohlmann, J. and C. I. Keeling. 2008. Terpenoid biomaterials.
Plant J 54:656-69.
Lund, S. T., F. Y. Peng, T. Nayar, K. E. Reid, and J. Schlosser. 2008.
Gene expression analyses in individual grape (Vitis vinifera L.)
berries during ripening initiation reveal that pigmentation
intensity is a valid indicator of developmental staging within the
cluster. Plant Mol Biol 68:301-15.
Luo, Z. and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2008. Stress-induced production,
processing and stability of a seripauperin protein, Pau5p, in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. FEMS Yeast Res 8:374-85.
Marks, V. D., S. J. Ho Sui, D. J. Erasmus, G. K. van der Merwe,
J. Brumm, W. W. Wasserman, J. Bryan, and H. J. J. van Vuuren.
2008. Dynamics of the yeast transcriptome during wine
fermentation reveals a novel fermentation stress response. FEMS
Yeast Res 8:35-52.
Schlosser, J., N. Olsson, M. Weis, K. E. Reid, F. Peng, S. T. Lund,
and P. Bowen. 2008. Cellular expansion and gene expression in the
developing grape (Vitis vinifera L.). Protoplasma 232:255-265.
van Vuuren, H. J. J., J. I. Husnik, and C. Adams. 2008.
Metabolically enhanced yeasts that conduct the malolactic
fermentation and limit ethyl carbamate in wine. Proceedings of the
Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference 2008:171-177.
Husnik, J. I., P. Delaquis, M. Cliff, and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2007.
Functional analyses of the malolactic wine yeast ML01. Am J
Enol Vitic 58:42-52.
Ma, L., J. McQueen, L. Cuschieri, J. Vogel, and V. Measday.
2007. Spc24 and Stu2 promote spindle integrity when DNA
replication is stalled. Mol Biol Cell 18:2805-16.
Peng, F. Y., K. E. Reid, N. Liao, J. Schlosser, D. Lijavetzky, R. Holt,
J. M. Martinez Zapater, S. Jones, M. Marra, J. Bohlmann, and
S. T. Lund. 2007. Generation of ESTs in Vitis vinifera wine grape
(Cabernet Sauvignon) and table grape (Muscat Hamburg) and
discovery of new candidate genes with potential roles in berry
development. Gene 402:40-50.
Baetz, K., V. Measday, and B. Andrews. 2006. Revealing hidden
relationships among yeast genes involved in chromosome
segregation using systematic synthetic lethal and synthetic
dosage lethal screens. Cell Cycle 5:592-5.
Coulon, J., J. I. Husnik, D. Inglis, G. K. van der Merwe,
A. Lonvaud, D. J. Erasmus, and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2006.
Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to minimize
the production of ethyl carbamate in wine. Am J Enol Vitic
57:113-124.
Greatrix, B. W. and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2006. Expression of the
HXT13, HXT15 and HXT17 genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
and stabilization of the HXT1 gene transcript by sugar-induced
osmotic stress. Curr Genet 49:205-17.
Husnik, J. I., H. Volschenk, J. Bauer, D. Colavizza, Z. Luo, and
H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2006. Metabolic engineering of malolactic
wine yeast. Metab Eng 8:315-23.
Lund, S. T. and J. Bohlmann. 2006. The molecular basis for wine
grape quality--a volatile subject. Science 311:804-5.
Reid, K. E., N. Olsson, J. Schlosser, F. Peng, and S. T. Lund. 2006.
An optimized grapevine RNA isolation procedure and statistical
determination of reference genes for real-time RT-PCR during
berry development. BMC Plant Biol 6:27.
Volschenk, H., H. J. J. van Vuuren & M. Viljoen-Bloom. 2006.
Malic Acid in Wine: Origin, Function and Metabolism during
Vinification. S Afr J Enol Vitic 27(2):123-136.
17
Measday, V., K. Baetz, J. Guzzo, K. Yuen, T. Kwok, B. Sheikh,
H. Ding, R. Ueta, T. Hoac, B. Cheng, I. Pot, A. Tong,
Y. Yamaguchi-Iwai, C. Boone, P. Hieter, and B. Andrews. 2005.
Systematic yeast synthetic lethal and synthetic dosage lethal
screens identify genes required for chromosome segregation.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102:13956-61.
Montpetit, B., K. Thorne, I. Barrett, K. Andrews, R. Jadusingh,
P. Hieter, and V. Measday. 2005. Genome-wide synthetic lethal
screens identify an interaction between the nuclear envelope
protein, Apq12p, and the kinetochore in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Genetics 171:489-501.
Van Staden, J., H. Volschenk, H. J. J. van Vuuren and
M. Viljoen-Bloom. 2005. The Effect of Skin Contact on Malic
Acid Degradation by Recombinant Malo-ethanolic Wine Yeast
Strains. S Afr J Enol Vitic 26:16-20.
Erasmus, D.J., M. Cliff and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2004. Impact of
yeast strain on the production of acetic acid, glycerol and the
sensory attributes of icewine. Am J Enol Vitic 55:371-378.
Lucker, J., P. Bowen, and J. Bohlmann. 2004. Vitis vinifera terpenoid
cyclases: functional identification of two sesquiterpene synthase
cDNAs encoding (+)-valencene synthase and (-)-germacrene D
synthase and expression of mono- and sesquiterpene synthases
in grapevine flowers and berries. Phytochemistry 65:2649-59.
Martin, D. M. and J. Bohlmann. 2004. Identification of Vitis
vinifera (-)-alpha-terpineol synthase by in silico screening of fulllength cDNA ESTs and functional characterization of recombinant
terpene synthase. Phytochemistry 65:1223-9.
Measday, V. and P. Hieter. 2004. Kinetochore sub-structure
comes to MIND. Nat Cell Biol 6:94-5.
Volschenk, H., M. Viljoen-Bloom, J. Van Staden, J. I. Husnik and
H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2004. Genetic engineering of an industrial
strain of Saccharomyces bayanus for L-malic acid degradation via
an efficient malo-ethanolic pathway. S Afr J Enol Vitic 25:63-73.
Erasmus, D. J., G. K. van der Merwe, and H. J. J. van Vuuren.
2003. Genome-wide expression analyses: Metabolic adaptation
of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to high sugar stress. FEMS Yeast
Res 3:375-99.
Marks, V. D., G. K. van der Merwe, and H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2003.
Transcriptional profiling of wine yeast in fermenting grape juice:
regulatory effect of diammonium phosphate. FEMS Yeast Res
3:269-87.
18
Subden, R.E., J. I. Husnik, R. van Twest, G. K. van der Merwe and
H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2003. Autochthonous microbial population
in a Niagara peninsula icewine must. Food Res Int 36:747-751.
van Vuuren, H. J. J., G. K. van der Merwe, and J. I. Husnik. 2003.
Genetic and enological analyses of a genetically enhanced
malolactic wine yeast strain: A new era in wine making. Yeast
20:S322-S322.
Volschenk, H., H. J. J. van Vuuren, and M. Viljoen-Bloom.
2003. Malo-ethanolic fermentation in Saccharomyces and
Schizosaccharomyces. Curr Genet 43:379-91.
van der Merwe, G. K., T. G. Cooper, and H. J. J. van Vuuren.
2001. Ammonia regulates VID30 expression and Vid30p
function shifts nitrogen metabolism toward glutamate formation
especially when Saccharomyces cerevisiae is grown in low
concentrations of ammonia. J Biol Chem 276:28659-66.
van der Merwe, G. K., H. J. J. van Vuuren, and T. G. Cooper.
2001. Cis-acting sites contributing to expression of divergently
transcribed DAL1 and DAL4 genes in S. cerevisiae: a word of
caution when correlating cis-acting sequences with genomewide expression analyses. Curr Genet 39:156-65.
Volschenk, H., M. Viljoen-Bloom, R. E. Subden, and
H. J. J. van Vuuren. 2001. Malo-ethanolic fermentation in grape
must by recombinant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast
18:963-70.
Saayman, M., H. J. J. van Vuuren, W. H. van Zyl, and
M. Viljoen-Bloom. 2000. Differential uptake of fumarate by
Candida utilis and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Appl Microbiol
Biotechnol 54:792-8.
Viljoen, M., H. Volschenk, R. A. Young, and H. J. J. van Vuuren.
1999. Transcriptional regulation of the Schizosaccharomyces
pombe malic enzyme gene, mae2. J Biol Chem 274:9969-75.
Subden, R. E., A. Krizus, C. Osothsilp, M. Viljoen and
H. J. J. van Vuuren. 1998. Mutational Analysis of Malate
Pathways in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Food Res Int 31:37-42.
Viljoen, M., M. van der Merwe, R. E. Subden, and H. J. J. van
Vuuren. 1998. Mutation of Gly-444 inactivates the S. pombe
malic enzyme. FEMS Microbiol Lett 167:157-62.
international invited research seminars
Lund, ST. 2008. Molecular Approaches to Evaluating and
Understanding Ripening in Grapevine Berries. Plant and Food
Research. Auckland, New Zealand.
Lund, ST. 2008. Expression Profiling and Kinetic Characterization
of a Flavonol- and Anthocyanin-3’5’-O-Methyltransferase (FAO
MT) from Grapevine. 8th International Symposium on Grapevine
Physiology and Biotechnology. Adelaide, South Australia.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2007. Metabolically engineered yeasts that
conduct the malolactic fermentation and limit ethyl carbamate
in wine. The 13th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference
(platform session). Adelaide, Australia.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2007. Metabolically engineered yeasts that
conduct the malolactic fermentation and limit ethyl carbamate in
wine. The 13th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference,
Adelaide, Australia.
Lund, ST. 2005. Genomic Approaches to Understanding Berry
Quality Components in Wine Grapes. International Symposium
in Grape and Fruit Crop Genomics, Santiago, Chile.
Lund, ST. 2006. Protein Bioinformatics for MS/MS Applications.
9th International Conference on Grapevine Genetics and
Breeding. Udine, Italy.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2006. Genetically Engineered Wine Yeasts
– A New Era in Winemaking. International Wine Microbiology
Symposium. Yosemite, California.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2006. Malolactic wine yeast ML01. Pew
Initiative. San Francisco, California.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2006. Genetically Engineered Wine Yeasts –
A New Era in Winemaking. CIRA. Sonoma, California.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2006. Genetically Engineered Wine Yeasts –
A New Era in Winemaking. Annual Meeting of the Iowa Grape
Growers and Winemakers. Des Moines, Iowa.
Lund, ST. 2005. Quantitative Tools for Proteome Analyses in
Grapevine. French Workshop on Grape Genomics. Evry, France.
Lund, ST. 2005. Reproductive Development in Grapevine – Berry
Ripening Omics. 1st International Grape Genomics Symposium.
Saint Louis, Missouri.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2005. Dynamics of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae
transcriptome during wine fermentation. American Society for
Industrial Microbiologists. Chicago, Illinois, United States.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2004. Malolactic Wine Yeast – A New Era in
Winemaking. Grape Growers Symposium. Ilinois.
van Vuuren, H.J.J., van der Merwe, G.K. and Husnik, J. 2003.
Genetic and enological analyses of a genetically enhanced
malolactic wine yeast strain: A new era in wine making. Yeast
Genetics and Molecular Biology Meeting. Gothenburg, Sweden.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2002. Genetic and Oenological Analyses of
a Genetically Enhanced Malolactic Wine Yeast Strain. OIV.
Paris, France.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 2000. Wine making and the new genetics.
Biofuture 2000 Conference, Calgary, Alberta.
van Vuuren, H.J.J. 1999. Enology and the New Genetics. 6th
International Symposium of Enology (workshop). Bordeaux, France.
samantha turner
Samantha Turner, WRC’s Research Communications Coordinator, manages the
administrative, finance, and communications aspects of research projects. Samantha moved
to B.C. from the U.S. where she did similar research-related work with National Institutes of
Health and private foundation grants.
For further information on the WRC, please contact Samantha:
wine@interchange.ubc.ca or call 604-822-0005 19
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organizations and industry for about 7,000 projects.
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Wine Research Centre
University of British Columbia
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cover photo of wrc wine library by martin dee design by ann gonçalves – ubc public affairs editing by lorraine chan & samantha turner