Meet the Dreamfields Advisory Board

Dreamfields has proudly assembled an impressive panel of nutrition, medical, scientific, and culinary experts for an Advisory Board that includes:

Clare M. Hasler, PhD
Bryan Tungland
John Abernethy, MD
Gary Stevens, PhD
Marilyn Harris

Clare M. Hasler, PhD

Clare M. Hasler, PhD received her B.S. in Human Nutrition from Michigan State University, and an M.S. in Nutrition Science from The Pennsylvania State University. In 1990, she was awarded a dual Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology and Human Nutrition from Michigan State University. From 1990-1992, Dr. Hasler was a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. She received her MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2003.

From 1992 to 2000, Dr. Hasler served as the founding director of the Functional Foods for Health (FFH) Program–a joint effort between the Chicago (UIC) and Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campuses of the University of Illinois. Dr. Hasler is an internationally recognized expert on the topic of functional foods and nutraceuticals.

In February 2004, Dr. Hasler was appointed the Founding Executive Director of the Robert Mondavi Institute (RMI) for Wine and Food Science at the University of California at Davis. In this capacity, Dr. Hasler will lead programming and vision-development efforts for the Institute, as well as guide fund-raising activities. She will also serve as the University's primary liaison to the wine and food industries. The RMI is poised to become the global innovator in university-based wine and food programs and will house the largest and most prestigious wine and food science academic program in the world.

Dr. Hasler is a member of a number of professional societies, including the American Association for Cancer Research, American Association of Cereal Chemists, Institute of Food Technologists, American Society for Nutritional Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Sigma Xi. Dr. Hasler currently serves on the editorial/advisory boards of the Journal of Nutraceuticals, Functional and Medical Foods; Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association; Journal of Medicinal Food; Health Ingredients & Nutrition, and Current Concepts in Nutraceutical Research. In 1998, Dr. Hasler was recognized as one of the "Top 25 Food Influentials" by Self Magazine. In addition, she received a Meritorious Service Award from the United Soybean Board in 1999 for her work on the soy protein health claim; in 2000, she was awarded the Recognition of Service Award from the American Dietetic Association. She authored the Scientific Status Summary on Functional Foods in 1998 for the Institute of Food Technologists, and the Position Paper on Functional Foods for the American Council on Science and Health in 2002. She is also the co-author on the American Dietetic Association Position Statement on Functional Foods.

Dr. Hasler writes extensively on functional foods and other health-related issues and is a widely requested speaker on the topic by industry, academia and the media. She has given more than 300 presentations since 1997 related to the topic of functional foods both nationally and internationally (20 countries) and has participated in numerous radio and television interviews, including CNN, the BBC, CBS News 48 Hours, and Dateline NBC.

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Bryan Tungland

Bryan Tungland has completed graduate education at the Ph.D. level in biochemistry, human physiology and nutrition, and received his B.S. in Bacteriology and Chemistry from North Dakota State University in 1978.

From 1979-1990, Mr. Tungland served as a research chemist for a large grower-owned carbohydrate-producing cooperative, innovating and developing novel carbohydrate-based food ingredient technologies. Between 1990-2002, Mr. Tungland directed the Research and Development efforts for Imperial Holly Corporation, the largest carbohydrate producing company in the U.S., and served as their Vice President of Science directing its specialty dietary fiber and health-products development. Over these periods, Mr. Tungland served as a national and international technical advisor for the advancement of carbohydrate awareness ad research, and served as a technical advisor for the development of novel, functional dietary fibers. In 1999, Mr. Tungland was appointed to the FDA-supported American Association of Cereal Chemists-directed Dietary Fiber Task Force to redefine dietary fiber in the U.S. Mr. Tungland is an internationally recognized expert on carbohydrates and dietary fiber for health.

In 2002, Mr. Tungland was appointed the Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs for a large Dutch-owned functional dietary fiber company. In his position Mr. Tungland coordinates and develops the technical and regulatory activities for the Company's products and services and provides technical and product development in the areas of novel health ingredients and product delivery technologies.

Mr. Tungland has twenty-five years experience in carbohydrate and food ingredient innovation and new production technology development. Mr. Tungland has authored over 70 technical articles published in peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications on novel carbohydrate research, dietary fiber and human health. In 1995, Mr. Tungland was awarded the "Mead" award for the most highly regarded paper and presentation at the annual international technical meeting of the Carbohydrate Institute of Technology in La Ramona, Dominican Republic. Mr. Tungland further holds several U.S. and international patents for his innovations in biomedical delivery, nutritional support and human health-product technologies, and renewal resource-based biocomposite delivery systems. He has also authored book chapters related to dietary fiber and nutritional health and wellness, food functionality and food ingredient process management, and has been an invited speaker at several universities, industry sponsored symposia and scientific organizations.

Mr. Tungland is a member of a number of professional societies, including the American Chemical Society, the American Association of Cereal Chemists, the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, and the Institute of Food Technologists. Mr. Tungland has served on the editorial review boards for several peer-reviewed journals and technical reference and consumer-health publications, and continues to write in the areas of human health with emphasis on the importance of specific dietary fibers in promoting human wellness.

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John Abernethy, MD

John Abernethy, MD received his BS in biology/premedical studies from the University of Miami in Florida. He attended medical school at the University of Florida and received his MD in 1992. After a residency in community health and family medicine, he began his clinical career.

After spending several years in a rural emergency room in Starke, Florida, Dr. Abernethy joined the faculty at University of Florida. He has been responsible for teaching and training medical students and residents in the hospital, nursing home, and research settings.

In 1998, Dr. Abernethy started a solo private practice in general medicine while continuing to teach. In 2002, while continuing to train medical students, he shifted his private clinical work to conducting clinical research trials. He has performed and participated in dozens of clinical pharmaceutical trials and numerous food and nutrition trials. His current nutrition studies include glycemic index and glycemic load testing.

Dr. Abernethy is a member of several professional organizations. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice and the Florida Academy of Family Practice. He also belongs to the North American Association for the Study of Obesity. He is a member of the Drug Information Association and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. He is also active locally with volunteering, including mentoring high school students. He also stays busy helping his wife with their three young children.

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Gary Stevens, PhD

Gary Stevens, PhD received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Mathematics from Northern Illinois University and his PhD in Statistics from Texas A&M University. After graduation he took a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics at Oklahoma State University, where he remained for three years.

Dr. Stevens is founder and manager of DynaStat, and has over 15 years of clinical trial experience in the area of study design and statistics. He has extensive experience in all areas of drug development, pre-clinical/non-clinical statistical research and analysis, formulation development and optimization and manufacturing, statistical process control and all phases of clinical trials including Phase 3b, Phase 4, and post marketing studies. This experience spans various therapeutic areas. These areas of clinical involvement include imaging, oncology, CNS, cardiovascular, and generics.

Dr. Stevens has been involved in over 20 successful NDA submissions in these various therapeutic areas. He has been involved in both regional and centralized submissions in Europe and an NDA submission to the MHW in Japan. These experiences have allowed for interactions in face to face meetings with the FDA, CPMP (EMEA), and the MHW and he has responded in writing to questions from regulatory agencies in over 15 countries. This vast experience offers clients a unique perspective for the global development of their pharmaceutical products.

Gary has been involved in the clinical development, data analysis, and regulatory submissions of numerous 510k and PMA devices. These devices were in diverse areas including ophthalmology, cardiovascular, oncology, imaging, and orthopedics. Because of this vast experience, Gary is a founding partner in the Integrated Center for Device Development (ICDD). The ICDD is a unique consortium with expertise in the development of medical devices and drug delivery systems. Using an integrated approach, ICDD provides professional services to take medical technology through the entire development process from concept to commercialization.

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Marilyn Harris

Marilyn Harris is a radio and TV personality, a cooking teacher and a consultant for the food industry. Hailed by the late Bert Greene as "the undisputed doyenne of cuisine in the Midwest" and acclaimed by Cincinnati Magazine as the city's "gastronomic guru," Marilyn may be Cincinnati's best known cook.

With a B.S. degree in Home Economics with a foods specialty and IACP credentials as a certified culinary professional, Marilyn Harris offers strengths in recipe development, flavor gain and menu consulting. She has had a very popular radio show in the Cincinnati area for 15 years and has appeared frequently in the national media.

An experienced food professional noted for her inventiveness and subtle sense of flavors, Marilyn has studied at the prestigious Cordon Bleu School in London, La Varenne and Bistro d'Hubert academies in Paris, and worked in the kitchens of Pierre Troigros, Georges Blanc and Georges Delange in Lyon. She is widely known as an outstanding teacher. One faithful student describes her as "a marvelously creative cook with a charming personality, enthusiasm for good food, and a never-ending repertoire of fresh ideas."

Marilyn has authored three cookbooks, Cooking with Marilyn and The Marilyn Harris Cooking School Cookbook, and Live! From Marilyn's Kitchen (all with Pelican Publishing, New Orleans). She writes a featured column in the Cincinnati Enquirer and her byline appears frequently in national magazines, most recently Food Arts, and on numerous pamphlets and brochures.

Marilyn Harris believes that cooking should be enjoyable and it is her ability to convey knowledge and her excitement about creating good food that sets her apart from run-of-the-mill cooks. Her three-hour Saturday afternoon call-in radio show on Talk Radio 55KRC sparkles with her lively interaction with listeners as she serves up stove-top wisdom with humor and a quick wit. She does a daily food commentary as well. Her food tips can be seen on TV and she is frequently featured in radio and television commercials.

Marilyn savors variety in people as well as food. Born in Mississippi and first schooled in the culinary arts in New Orleans, she has sojourned with her professor husband in Hamburg, Berlin, Marple (Cheshire) and Wolfenbüttel, gathering recipes all along the way. She speaks fluent German and has guided multiple culinary groups (Marilyn and the Gastronauts) throughout Europe.

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