Mary R. L’Abbe, Ph.D.
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Mary R. L’Abbé, Ph.D., is the Earle W. McHenry Professor and Chair, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, where she leads a research group on Food and Nutrition Policy for Population Health.  Dr. L’Abbé is an expert in public health nutrition, nutrition policy, and food and nutrition regulations, with a long career in in mineral nutrition research. Dr. L’Abbé was co-chair of the Canadian Trans Fat Task Force, and served as Chair/Vice-Chair of the Canadian Sodium Working Group.  She is a member of the PAHO regional expert group on Salt Reduction, and a member of several committees of the WHO including the Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group on Diet and Health and the Global Coordinating Mechanism for NCDs. Dr. L’Abbé is the former Director of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences at Health Canada, and served as Canadian Head of Delegation to the Codex Committees on Nutrition and on Food Labelling and coordinated Canada’s role with the US for the development of Dietary Reference Intakes.  Dr. L'Abbé holds a PhD in nutrition from McGill University and has authored over 180 peer-reviewed scientific publications, book chapters and government reports.