Valerie Ward, University of Waterloo

Research

Isoprenoids Metabolic Engineering Microalgae Astaxanthin Biofuels Biorefining Ionic solvents Natural Products

Latest papers

Run-to-run optimization of CHO cell culture media using high-throughput microscale bioreactor system and a hybrid modeling approach.
Journal of biotechnology · 2026
Hybrid dynamic flux balance modeling approach for bioprocesses: an E. coli case study.
Bioprocess and biosystems engineering · 2025
Production of recombinant and therapeutic proteins in microalgae.
Current opinion in biotechnology · 2022 · senior author

All 7 publications

Latest funding

GC: CIRCLE: Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy
NSERC · 2024 · Co-investigator
$467,000
GC: CIRCLE: Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy
SSHRC · 2024 · Co-investigator
$56,970
Engineering living photosynthetic algal-based wound dressing for chronic wounds
SSHRC · 2023 · Co-investigator
$250,000

All 9 grants and awards

7 publications.

01

Run-to-run optimization of CHO cell culture media using high-throughput microscale bioreactor system and a hybrid modeling approach.

Negahban Z, Ghodba A, Richelle A, McCready C, Ward V, Budman H

Journal of biotechnology2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2026.06.011 PMID: 42309283

02

Hybrid dynamic flux balance modeling approach for bioprocesses: an E. coli case study.

Negahban Z, Ward V, Richelle A, McCready C, Budman H

Bioprocess and biosystems engineering2025

DOI: 10.1007/s00449-025-03147-z PMID: 40133554

03

Production of recombinant and therapeutic proteins in microalgae.

Banerjee A, Ward V

Current opinion in biotechnology2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102784 PMID: 36095993

04

Enhancing isoprenoid synthesis in Yarrowia lipolytica by expressing the isopentenol utilization pathway and modulating intracellular hydrophobicity.

Luo Z, Liu N, Lazar Z, Chatzivasileiou A, Ward V, Chen J, Zhou J, Stephanopoulos G

Metabolic engineering2020

DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.07.010 PMID: 32758537

05

Functionalized starch microparticles for contact-active antimicrobial polymer surfaces.

Ojogbo E, Ward V, Mekonnen TH

Carbohydrate polymers2020

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115422 PMID: 31826517

06

Two-step pathway for isoprenoid synthesis.

Chatzivasileiou AO, Ward V, Edgar SM, Stephanopoulos G

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2019

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1812935116 PMID: 30584096

07

Efficient Extraction of a Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)-Rich Lipid Fraction from Thraustochytrium sp. Using Ionic Liquids.

Zhang Y, Ward V, Dennis D, Plechkova NV, Armenta R, Rehmann L

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)2018

DOI: 10.3390/ma11101986 PMID: 30326602

GC: CIRCLE: Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy

Co-investigatorNSERC2024Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Euler, Christian CKE

Keywords: agricultural waste; bioeconomy; biopolymers; carbon dioxide utilization; circular economy; computational protein design; metagenomics; microbial consortia; plastics; upcycling

$467,000

GC: CIRCLE: Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy

Co-investigatorSSHRC2024National Science Foundation Global Centres

Principal investigators: Euler, Christian K.

Keywords: circular economy; upcycling; plastics; agricultural waste; carbon dioxide utilization; biopolymers; microbial consortia; metagenomics; computational protein design; bioeconomy

$56,970

Engineering living photosynthetic algal-based wound dressing for chronic wounds

Co-investigatorSSHRC2023New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration

Principal investigators: Fitzpatrick, Lindsay

$250,000

Microalgae Biomanufacturing

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Canada Research Chairs

Principal investigators: Ward, Valerie

Keywords: microalgae; biotechnology; biomanufacturing; recombinant proteins; metabolic engineering; therapeutics; synthetic biology; genome engineering; isoprenoids

$190,000

Pulsed Xenon light disinfection performance in food processing environments

Co-investigatorNSERC2021Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Anderson, William WA

$79,890

Sustainable production of natural products and biochemicals from microalgae

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Ward, Valerie

Keywords: microalgae; biofuels; natural products; sustainable chemicals; metabolic engineering; ionic solvents; biorefining; isoprenoids; astaxanthin

$168,000

Development of a novel production platform for human glycosylated proteins

Principal investigatorSSHRC2019New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration

Principal investigators: Ward, Valerie

$273,175

Sustainable production of natural products and biochemicals from microalgae

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Ward, Valerie

$12,500

Development of a novel quantification method for microalgae in environmental water samples

Principal investigatorNSERC2018Engage Grants Program

Principal investigators: Ward, Valerie

$25,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Chemical Engineering
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Co-authors at University of Waterloo, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Hector Budman

Chemical Engineering

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Lars Rehmann

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2018

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Isoprenoids Dear Professor Ward, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Run-to-run optimization of CHO cell culture media using high-throughput microscale bioreactor system and a hybrid modeling approach." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Microalgae Biomanufacturing" (2022), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]