Dr. John R. Bend is a Distinguished University Professor at The University of Western Ontario. He is internationally known for his research on molecular and environmental toxicology. His research focuses on the metabolic activation and detoxication of xenobiotic chemicals, and of the importance of this concept in environmental toxicology. He is also known for his expertise on the toxicity of chemicals used in industry, and of the safety assessment of chemicals that occur as food additives and contaminants, including pesticides. He is a member of the Council of Canadian Academies Expert Panel on the Integrated Testing of Pesticides and a member of the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Addi