Scott Belton has been involved with Cannabis research and industry for over 10 years. Prior to this, he was a pivotal research member of the University of Guelph’s Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation (GRIPP), focussing on germplasm maintenance and cryo-preservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants. While part of these labs, Scott developed growth chambers and lighting specific to Cannabis research and germplasm storage.
As part of several Licensed Producer start-ups, Scott helped initiate better plant maintenance procedures and implemented plant tissue culture for industry leading genetic banking of elite cultivars. Scott’s prior work with GRIPP labs helped him in designing a Class 1 Division 1 (C1D1) explosion proof laboratory for execution of extraction/purification by ethanol and critical CO2.
In one of Scott’s most recent research partnerships with industry and academia, he was pivotal in obtaining $300,000 in government funding for industry to partner with leading researchers at the University of Guelph. This funding is helping to advance research on lighting in Cannabis and plant tissue culture applications.
Scott is extremely proud to announce joining Niagara College as a Professor of the Commercial Cannabis Production program. Niagara College is a leader in many areas of applied agricultural research, and Cannabis is a natural fit. The dedication of space specific to Cannabis research and education is critical to ensuring Canada is a trailblazer in commercial Cannabis production. Getting to research alongside leaders and inspire bright minds that will be entering into industry, and ready to apply real world knowledge of the Cannabis plant is absolutely a dream come true!
In addition to his role at Niagara College, Scott is also the founder and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Gene-eBank. This plant tissue culture banking and consultation company helps industry partners set up screened genetic libraries for ideal long-term storage and optimized breeding identification. Gene-ebank is “your genetic wish come true”, as Scott and his team have developed a universal Cannabis specific media protocol for plant tissue culture and germplasm banking of your elite cultivar’s aka chemovars.
Scott in his spare time is always hunting for elite cultivars of vegetables, fruits and Cannabis for the library and is currently farming a 10-acre licensed high CBD hemp farm on Lake Erie with his partner Diane and their 1-year old daughter Alexis.