Binudith Warnakulasooriya, a grade 11 student at Fort Richmond Collegiate in Winnipeg captured Bronze at the Sanofi-Aventis BioTalent Challenge (SABC) held in Ottawa this week.

In a field of prominent student scientists from 14 regions from all across Canada Binudith placed third overall with his research into “Lignan,” a little known flax nutrient which may offer signifigant human health benefits. As Bin says, “Canada produces 40% of the worlds flax so any thing that can increase the value of the flax is good for human health and good for the agriculture business.

Bin discovered a previously undescribed flax gene which helps produce the important Lignin chemicals in the flax. He hopes that his or others’research may someday lead to Varieties of Canadian flax that will produce a much higher % of lignan per bushel.