Bourquin named chairperson for Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
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EmailLeslie Bourquin, Ph.D., has been named chairperson for the MSU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, effective May 1.
Leslie Bourquin, Ph.D., has been named chairperson for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University (MSU). The appointment is for two years, effective May 1. FSHN offers programs in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) including food science, nutritional sciences and dietetics.
A professor at MSU since 2010, Bourquin has served as an associate professor and MSU Extension food safety specialist. He also is an affiliated faculty with the Institute for Integrative Toxicology and the Asian Studies Center
“I am looking forward to working with Les to build relationships in the department and create a culture where students, faculty and staff in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition can thrive,” said Ron Hendrick, Ph.D., CANR dean.
“I am excited to work with the immensely talented faculty, staff and students in the department as they address critical issues in food science, human nutrition and the interface of food and health,” Bourquin said.
During his career, Bourquin has been a Fulbright Research Scholar in the Nord Pas de Calais Region of France. He started his career at MSU in 1993 as a research associate, and was promoted to assistant professor in 1996.
His research focuses on the impacts of dietary components on gut function and prevention of chronic diseases such as colon cancer. His lab has studied the effects of diet on gut microbial community structure and the influence of diet on resistance to infection by pathogens.
His applied research and outreach focus on food safety education, improved standards and market development for the global food industry. He regularly collaborates with the private sector, academia, governments and international organizations in implementing food safety capacity.
Originally from Oklahoma, Bourquin was a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he completed his doctorate in the Department of Animal Sciences and Division of Nutritional Sciences.
