Dean of the Faculty of Science and Professor of Biological Sciences
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB
Dr. Kristin Baetz is Dean of the Faculty of Science and Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary (2022-present). Previously, she was Assistant Dean of Research at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine (2019 – 2022), where she also served as Director of the Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology (2012-2019). A yeast systems biologist, Dr. Baetz investigates lysine acetyltransferases and their roles in genome stability, stress response, and lipid regulation, using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model. She also applies synthetic biology to enhance industrial yeast for precision fermentation.
Dr. Baetz is a former Tier II Canada Research Chair and has received numerous awards, including the Jean Manery-Fisher Memorial Award and an Early Researcher Award. Her research has been funded by multiple sources including Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and others. In recognition of the critical role these organizations play in advancing her own research program, Dr. Baetz actively gives back by serving on numerous funding review panels, serving on the Canada Biomedical Research Fund and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund and she was recently appointed to the Governing Council of NSERC.
Dr. Baetz is committed to strengthening Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem through advocacy and leadership. She served as president of Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences, and currently sits on the board of Research Canada, advocating for science policy, innovation, and public engagement. Additionally, she is passionate about science outreach and inclusive science, working to promote public engagement, highlight the impact of scientific research for society and ensuring all can participate in innovation in Canada.