Martin J.T. Reaney, Ph.D. (Chairman, CEO & CSO)
Dr. Reaney is a professor in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan. Additionally, he holds the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture (SMA) Chair of Lipid Quality and Utilization. The SMA chair is mandated to develop new technology for oilseed processing and producing commercial bioproducts with enhanced value. The commercial activity resulting from this research will generate wealth for the Canadian agriculture sector. Dr. Reaney has also worked with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (1990-2004). His research has resulted in the granting of 25 US patents, and 7 international patents. Many of these patents are in use by Canadian and US industry in the commercial production of biodiesel, conjugated linoleic acid, ionic fluid catalysts, feed ingredients, photoprotective compounds, dust control agents, fertilizer solutions, lubricants, and fatty acids. Dr. Reaney has published over 110 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has presented over 250 papers at conferences. He has been honored several times in both the US and Canada with Innovation Awards.
In 2010 Dr. Reaney founded Prairie Tide to commercialize technologies based on novel circular peptides called “orbitides”, which are isolated from flaxseed. A variety of additional high-value products have been developed from flaxseed at Prairie Tide. These products have wide-reaching applications ranging from natural health products, ingredients for commercial food production, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The products include edible and industrial flaxseed oil (essential Omega- 3 oil, and paint products for fine art and woodworking applications), a dietary fibre supplement, a natural thickening agent that is a commercial alternative to xanthan gum, lignan dietary supplements with applications for women’s postmenopausal health and cancer prevention, a roasted whole flaxseed rich in Omega-3 that is a dietary alternative to sesame seeds, and meal which is used in the production of animal feed.
