About Us

Founded in 1998 CanBiocin Inc. began as a University of Alberta spin-off company and first commercialized Micocin®, a probiotic metabolite used to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in processed meat products and with beneficial application in livestock feed.

CanBiocin Inc. expanded into the US market with the acquisition of PureCultures in 2020. Both companies share the same vision and passion for improving pet and livestock health through enhanced nutrition backed by science and focusing on gut health.

In 2020 CanBiocin Inc. was added to the National Animal Supplement Council’s (NASC) Preferred Supplier Program as a carefully vetted supplier of species-specific probiotic ingredients for pet food and treats. To be accepted into the NASC Preferred Supplier Program, companies must meet a collection of benchmarks set by the organization. These include passing a third-party facility audit and demonstrating ongoing compliance in quality control, labelling guidelines, random product testing and other areas.

CanBiocin Inc. successfully met the standard for ISO 17025 accreditation in 2021. ISO is an independent, non-governmental and international organization that certifies for standardization against global benchmarks for internal process controls and quality assurance.

Meet the Team

Jake Burlet CEO CanBiocin Species-Specific Probiotics Animal Microbiome

J.F. (Jake) Burlet D.V.M., M.B.A., ICD.D

CEO

Dr. Jake Burlet is the CEO of CanBiocin, a veterinarian, and serial entrepreneur with broad experience in private and international business. Jake has co-founded and overseen the management of a number of Canadian private companies.

Dr. Burlet has served in an executive capacity for a number of veterinary professional organizations. He has also been an advisor to two multi-national veterinary pharmaceutical companies.

Angie Mercier

CFO

Angie is an experienced CPA who, from her early days as a junior accountant, has been driven by a passion for untangling financial complexities. With almost 20 years of dedicated accounting experience in the Canadian private sector, Angie brings a wealth of expertise.

Her journey includes roles in financial reporting and tax compliance for private companies, finishing in a decade-long tenure with a prominent "Big Four" firm in Edmonton. Angie specializes in delivering accurate and timely financial insights and is committed to informed decision-making and guiding the company toward its goals and strategic objectives.

Bernadette Beadle BSc.

Director of Operations

Bernadette is the Director of Operations and Administrative Services. Drawing on a solid background in operational strategies and management, she plays a key role in refining processes, enhancing efficiency, and fostering organizational growth.

Before this role, she accrued more than 15 years of experience in academic and commercial laboratories, specializing in microbiology research. Her leadership emphasizes efficiency, team empowerment, and innovation within the organization.

Sherry Orich

Accounting

Sherry brings to the team over 30 years of bookkeeping experience as a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional.

She is a QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor and has extensive experience in QBO and Sage.

Before joining CanBiocin, Sherry owned and operated a successful sign business, overseeing 5 employees, for 19 years.

Harland Brandon PhD.

Senior Scientist

Dr. Harland Brandon is a Senior Scientist at CanBiocin Inc. He has a Ph.D. in Biomolecular Science (2021) and a B.Sc. in Biochemistry (2013) from the University of Lethbridge.

He has over 12 years scientific experience in microbiology, protein/RNA biochemistry, and synthetic biology, in addition to having 5+ years experience managing a radioactive laboratory. Harland has actively been involved in the start-up of several science-based entrepreneurial endeavors over the past 10 years and is passionate about using science to bring about positive change in society.

Daniel Glinski QA Manager CanBiocin Species-Specific Probiotics Animal Microbiome

Daniel Glinski BSc.

Quality Assurance Manager

Daniel works as a Laboratory Technologist at CanBiocin Inc. He graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2018 with his B.Sc in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

He is interested in microbiology and how the probiotic products CanBiocin Inc. develop and produce can impact both the companion animal and livestock worlds.

Betty H. Nweran

Executive Assistant to CEO

Betty is the Executive Assistant to the CEO. She has 5 years of experience supporting C-level executives, focusing on managing schedules, coordinating projects, and ensuring smooth daily operations.

Christel Gamlot Lab Technologist CanBiocin Species-Specific Probiotics

Christel Gamlot BSc.

Laboratory Technologist

Christel works as a Laboratory Technologist at CanBiocin Inc. She graduated from NAIT in 2023 with a Diploma in Laboratory Research and Biotechnology.

Christel is excited to contribute to the development of probiotics that could improve the health and well-being of livestock and companion animals.

Wanwei He MSc.

Research Technologist

Wanwei works as a Research Technologist at CanBiocin. She is bringing in 10 years of research expertise in animal health and advanced laboratory techniques, as well as 2 years of industrial experience under ISO 17025 environments.

Wanwei earned her MSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Alberta with a research focus of immune modulation approach to prevent intestinal infection diseases in poultry. She was actively engaged in laboratory teaching and had instructed more than 200 undergrad students in courses of Genetics, Microbiology, and Cellular Biology.

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Jaquelinne Vital PhD.

Upstream/Downstream Production Team Lead

Dr. Jaquelinne is the Upstream and Downstream Production Team Lead at CanBiocin Inc. She worked as postdoc in Bioresource Technology at the University of Alberta (2023) and obtained her PhD in Food Science and Technology from the Federal University of Goiás, Brazil (2022).

She has more than 8 years of experience as supervisor of quality, development of new products and production. She also worked as professor at teaching several subjects for basic, technological and higher education. Her mission is to drive, lead and motivate the team for upstream production improvements for probiotics and microencapsulation technologies for animal health and wellness ingredients.

Fantahun Bitew MSc.

Upstream/Downstream Production Technologist

Fantahun works as an Upstream and Downstream Production Technologist at CanBiocin Inc. He obtained a BSc in Chemical Engineering and an MSc in Biochemical Engineering from Addis Ababa University, as well as an MSc degree in Bioresource and Food Engineering from the University of Alberta.

With two years of experience in the biotechnology industry and four years of teaching at Addis Ababa University, he brings a diverse background to his role. Fantahun is particularly passionate about advancing fermentation and downstream processes for the development of probiotic products at CanBiocin Inc.

Cornelio Beltran Luna, BSc.

Upstream/Downstream Production Technologist

Cornelio Beltran Luna works as an Upstream and Downstream Production Technologist at CanBiocin Inc. He obtained a BSc in Clinical Chemistry from Universidad Veracruzana.

With eight years of experience as a Chemical Analyst in Mexican Customs, his focus lies in quality control, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining rigorous standards for the excellence of CanBiocin's probiotic products. He is also passionate about overcoming challenges in this field.