WHAT’S NEW NewsDr. Edward M. Rubin joins prestigious Royal Society of Canada as International FellowSeptember 7, 2022Dr. Edward M. Rubin joins prestigious Royal Society of Canada as International Fellow Chair of CGEn’s Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Edward M. (“Eddy”) Rubin has been named a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Society of Canada (RSC) in recognition of his long-term contributions to advancing genomics internationally. Dr. Edward M. Rubin RSC Fellows are elected by their peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. Recognition by the RSC is the highest honour an individual can achieve in the Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. Dr. Rubin is one of 102 new 2022 RSC Fellows. “Edward Rubin pioneered laboratory and computational technologies as part of the Human Genome Project, to sequence and analyze human chromosomes 5, 16 and 19. He then decoded these complex data, comparing DNA sequences between species to discover genes of pivotal evolutionary and biomedical importance. Throughout, Professor Rubin has generously shared his knowledge with Canadian scientists and been a champion of their research worldwide,” states the RSC. “Canadian science is indebted to Eddy’s long-term contributions to advancing genomics internationally through his own research, and more specifically in Canada through sharing his wisdom and vision while sitting on many national advisory boards in our country, including CGEn’s Scientific Advisory Board,” says Dr. Naveed Aziz, CEO, CGEn. “On behalf of CGEn, I congratulate Eddy on this well-deserved honour by the Royal Society of Canada, and thank him for his continued leadership and commitment to CGEn’s scientific excellence and impact.”The RSC will welcome the new 2022 RSC Fellows in November at the RSC Celebration of Excellence and Engagement in Calgary, Alberta.... Read more...CGEn receives $48.9 million in federal funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Major Science Initiatives FundAugust 19, 2022CGEn receives $48.9 million in federal funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Major Science Initiatives Fund August 19, 2022, TORONTO – From deepening our understanding of climate change to diagnosing rare diseases, to developing targeted treatments for hard-to-cure cancers, new research will unlock the potential for a healthier, more resilient and sustainable future for Canadians thanks to renewed investments in genomics infrastructure in Canada. Announced today by the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, CGEn, Canada’s national platform for genome sequencing and analysis, has been granted $48.9 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through the 2023 Major Science Initiative (MSI) Fund Competition. “This new investment from the Government of Canada will enable CGEn to harness the power of large-scale genomics and support the scientific community from coast to coast,” says Dr. Naveed Aziz, Chief Executive Officer, CGEn. As Canada’s national platform for genome sequencing and analysis, CGEn provides genomics services to a wide range of projects led by principal investigators across the country, working in a wide variety of sectors including health, environment, forestry, fishing, agriculture, and other areas important to Canada and its research community. “Genomics is transforming medical and life science research here at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and across the country and will underpin Canada’s greatest scientific discoveries to come. Today’s investment will enable Canadian researchers to access and expand the use of genome analysis to address important biological questions at a pace we’ve never seen before,” says Dr. Stephen Scherer, Scientific Director, CGEn-Toronto, Director, The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG) at SickKids and Professor of Genome Sciences, University of Toronto. “The Government of Canada’s investment in CGEn today will not only help to sustain current research, but will also serve as a catalyst for innovative genomics research that may lead to new discoveries and breakthroughs that will be of value to all Canadians in the future,” says Dr. Mark Lathrop, Scientific Director, CGEn-Montreal, Professor of Human Genetics and Scientific Director, McGill Genome Centre, McGill University. “This renewed funding for CGEn will help to ensure that Canada’s scientific community will continue to have access to the latest, cutting-edge technology, advanced training and expertise, and ensure Canada is poised to handle future challenges requiring large-scale genomics,” says Dr. Steven Jones, Scientific Director, CGEn-Vancouver, Director, Head of Bioinformatics and Distinguished Scientist, Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer. With this renewed support from the Government of Canada through the CFI, CGEn is poised to embark upon the next stage of its strategic vision, continuing to provide the leading genomic infrastructure for Canada’s research and innovation community, while also helping to solidify Canada’s position as a genomics world leader by training the next generation of Canadian genome scientists and collaborating with other major centres to push the field even further. “We remain committed to our vision and core values of providing essential infrastructure and expertise to enhance, accelerate and support genomics research in Canada. We are grateful for CFI’s support to continue our work with partners and stakeholders to forge a path towards a healthier and more sustainable future for all Canadians through the power of genomics,” says Aziz. For more information about the CFI MSI 2023 awards, please visit the CFI website. About CGEn Established in 2017 as a CFI MSI, CGEn is comprised of three nodes: The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto; McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal; Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver. More than 200 CGEn staff serve close to 3,000 distinct laboratory teams, have authored over 670 scientific publications, and the data and support CGEn has provided has helped to train more than 16,000 highly-qualified personnel since CGEn’s inception. With a mandate to make cost-effective and high-quality genome sequencing a reality for all Canadian researchers, CGEn provides services to projects funded by Canadian funding agencies like Genome Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) as well as other internationally-funded projects. CGEn’s intensive work with academics, industry and government has substantiated the power of genomics, enabling research and development in Canada and beyond. Media contact: Hillete Warner, CGEn hillete.warner@cgen.ca... Read more...DNA Day: CGEn Celebrates 10,000 Human Genomes in the Canadian HostSeq DatabankApril 25, 2022DNA Day: CGEn Celebrates 10,000 Human Genomes in the Canadian HostSeq Databank April 25, 2022 – CGEn, Canada’s national platform for genome sequencing and analysis, and its partners are marking World DNA Day by celebrating Canada’s landmark human genome sequencing initiative called HostSeq. Led by CGEn, the HostSeq databank will include the whole genomes (the full set of DNA) of 10,000 Canadians (“Hosts”) with the aim to help understand the genomic architecture of the host response to COVID-19. The HostSeq databank also includes linked standardized clinical information collected at multiple clinical sites across Canada over the past two years of the pandemic. “The need for a national genomics databank grew very quickly early on in the pandemic. As soon as we started to observe differences of disease manifestation and symptoms in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus, we realized that there was an urgent need to collect and analyze population-wide host genetic data,” explains Dr. Naveed Aziz, Chair of the HostSeq Implementation Committee and Chief Executive Officer, CGEn. “The Government of Canada’s prior investment in CGEn allowed us to deploy our capacity to sequence genetic information of Canadians who were experiencing vastly different health outcomes in response to infection by the virus.” The national HostSeq initiative, funded by the Federal government through Genome Canada’s Canadian COVID-19 Genomics Network (CanCOGeN), is accessible to Canadian and international researchers to help study the health outcomes of those affected by the virus and to identify the genetic contributors of disease severity. This first-of-its-kind Canadian genomics databank may help to better diagnose and treat those predisposed to severe illness, backed by their genomic data. Owing to a concerted effort led by CGEn and its team, 14 clinical and research studies across the country were brought together to contribute to the databank that includes 10,000 study participants who have consented to the use of their genomic and clinical data for future research. The HostSeq databank will not only help to answer current research questions related to the virus, but will also serve as a resource when responding to future infections and preparing for future pandemics. “We are thrilled to have a population-based whole genome sequencing effort in Canada,” says Dr. Lisa Strug, Director of the University of Toronto’s Data Sciences Institute and the Ontario regional Centre of the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute; Senior Scientist, Genetics and Genome Biology, and Associate Director, The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). “Many countries have whole genome sequencing cohorts that they have made available and have had an important impact in health research broadly. The HostSeq databank will provide the Canadian perspective, and reflect data from individuals living in Canada,” says Strug, who is part of the HostSeq Implementation Committee and Chair of the Genetic Epidemiology Committee. The HostSeq databank gives Canadian scientists access to a rich dataset to help analyze and identify genetic determinants of susceptibility, severity and outcomes of COVID-19. It will also enable researchers to investigate population-level risks for many other diseases, including the potential to deliver new biomarkers that support prediction of risk, and novel therapeutic strategies. This DNA Day, there are countless scientific advancements to celebrate, and Canadians can count the HostSeq databank as a major step in how important population-level data can be collected and shared to help advance research and health care in Canada. “The delivery of the HostSeq project would not have been possible without the effort and commitment of its Implementation Committee, whose tireless efforts since the beginning of the project has allowed CGEn to play a key role in Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The HostSeq project has proven that large-scale genomics is a present reality in Canada. The time is now for all partners and stakeholders to come together and build on the years of investment and effort towards a Canadian ecosystem where research is enabled by large datasets,” says Aziz. Linked Resources HostSeq: A Canadian Whole Genome Sequencing and Clinical Data Resource by Dr. Lisa Strug et. al. Read about the importance of Big Data in enabling data-driven Canadian research and discovery in Dr. Naveed Aziz’s latest blog post. To apply for HostSeq data access, please visit the CGEn website. About CGEnCGEn is a federally funded national platform for genome sequencing and analysis. Established in 2014, CGEn employs over 200 staff, and is funded primarily by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through its Major Science Initiatives Fund (MSI), leveraging investments from Genome Canada and other stakeholders. CGEn operates as an integrated national platform with nodes in Toronto (The Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children), Montréal, (McGill Genome Centre at McGill University) and Vancouver (Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre), providing genomic services, including genome sequencing and analysis, that enable research in agriculture, forestry, fishery, the environment, health sciences, and many other disciplines of interest to Canadians.... Read more...Dr. Bartha Maria Knoppers joins CGEn’s Board of DirectorsSeptember 27, 2021Dr. Bartha Maria Knoppers joins CGEn’s Board of Directors CGEn is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Bartha Maria Knoppers as a member of our Board of Directors. Bartha Maria Knoppers, PhD (Comparative Medical Law: Sorbonne, FR), is a Full Professor, Canada Research Chair in Law and Medicine and Director of the Centre of Genomics and Policy of the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. Since 2005, she has led the Policy Committee of the Canadian Stem Cell Network and chaired the Ethics Working Party of the International Stem Cell Forum (2005-2015). Additionally, she was the founder of the Public Population Project in Genomics (P3G) and CARTaGENE Quebec’s population biobank. She was the Chair of the Ethics and Governance Committee of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (2009-2017) of the Ethics Advisory Panel of WADA (2015-2021), and Co-Chair of the Regulatory and Ethics Workstream of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) (2013-2019). In 2015-2016, she was a member of the Drafting Group for the Recommendation of the OECD Council on Health Data Governance and gave the Galton Lecture in November 2017. She holds four Doctorates Honoris Causa and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Hastings Center (bioethics), the Canadian Academy Health Sciences (CAHS), and the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). She is also an Officer of the Order of Canada and of Quebec, and was awarded the 2019 Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research, the Till and McCulloch Award for science policy (2020) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Bioethics Society (2021). She served on the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing in 2020. Currently, she serves on Canada’s: Vaccine Task Force(-2021), Health Data Strategy Expert Advisory Group, CanCOGen’s HostSeq Steering Committee and the COVID Cloud (DNAstack); and is a Member, Scientific Advisory Board of the Human Pangeonome Reference Consortium, USA and Ethics Advisor to the Big Data Big Heart, IMI Project, Europe.... Read more...CGEn CEO Announcement Aug 4, 2021August 4, 2021CGEn CEO Announcement The Board of Directors and Executive Committee of CGEn, Canada’s national platform for genome sequencing and analysis, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Naveed Aziz as Chief Executive Officer effective June 1, 2021. Dr. Aziz has served as CGEn’s Chief Administrative & Chief Scientific Officer, since 2017. Under his stewardship, CGEn has grown into a multi-million-dollar genomics enterprise that supports genome sequencing studies across many human diseases and genome analysis of all other species. As one of the largest data producers in the world, CGEn has also built the underlying informatics infrastructure to house and decode complex genomic data. Most recently, CGEn leads the $20M “Host-Seq” project funded by the Government of Canada, sequencing the genomes of 10,000 people affected with COVID-19 to search for the genetic factors influencing the wide-range of response to infection. Dr. Aziz holds a PhD in Gene Targeting from University of Dundee, UK, MPhil in Biotechnology and Executive MBA from Bradford School of Management, UK. His previous roles include serving as the Director of Technology programs at Genome Canada, Head of Genomics at University of York, UK and as Research Fellow at the Noble Research Institute, USA. About CGEn CGEn is a federally funded national platform for genome sequencing and analysis. Established in 2014, CGEn employs over 200 staff, funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through its Major Science Initiatives Fund, leveraging investments from Genome Canada and other stakeholders. CGEn operates as an integrated national platform with nodes in Toronto (The Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children), Montréal, (McGill Genome Centre at McGill University) and Vancouver (Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre), providing genomic services, including genome sequencing and analysis, that enable research in agriculture, forestry, fishery, the environment, health sciences, and many other disciplines of interest to Canadians.... Read more...BiogenomeJuly 22, 2021CGEn-led Canadian genomics team joins international initiative to study and protect global biodiversity. Every spcies on Earth possesses a characteristic genome, shaped by millions of years of evolution. Through the study of genomes—the complete genetic and inheritable information of an organism—we can explore life’s diversity, better understand how species are related, how they develop together to create ecosystems, foster conservation, and uncover the biology of health and disease for all living things. The Earth BioGenome Project aims to resolve in detail the genomes of all complex life on Earth. With new funding of approximately $6.5 million, Canada is now joining this global initiative through the Canadian BioGenome Project, led by Dr. Steven Jones, Scientific Director of CGEn-Vancouver node and Co-Director and Head of Bioinformatics for Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (GSC; part of the BC Cancer Research Institute) and Dr. Maribeth Murray, Director of the Arctic Institute of North America at the University of Calgary. Other CGEn scientists included in the project team are Dr. Stephen Scherer, Scientific Director of CGEn-Toronto node and Chief of Research at Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, and also, Dr. Ioannis Ragoussis, CGEn-Montreal node at McGill Genome Centre. “Sequencing the genomes of Canada’s plants and animals is a massive proposition that requires significant scientific collaboration—one with enormous benefits not only for better understanding the evolution of life itself but in uncovering fundamental principles of health and disease, for individuals and populations,” says Dr. Jones, who is also a Scientific Director of CGEn Vancouver node. CGEn is a federally funded national platform for genome sequencing and analysis with nodes at the GSC, The Centre for Applied Genomics at Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and the McGill Genome Centre. “We are proud to contribute CGEn’s expertise and technology to this important endeavor, which has been made possible through substantial recent advances in genome sequencing technology and computational biology.” Canada possesses significant biodiversity, having approximately 80,000 plant and animal species in environments ranging from desert to the arctic. Many of these species are under threat due to rapid changes in climate and other human-led impacts on our environment. In collaboration with scientists, Indigenous peoples and conservation groups, this project will embark on the task of determining the genetic diversity of Canada’s plants and animals through genomic sequencing. In 2018, CGEn launched the CanSeq150 program to perform de-novo genome assemblies for 150 species deemed important to Canada’s biodiversity and conservation. The program has sequenced species ranging across the various classes of animals (vertebrate and invertebrate) and plants with economic, cultural, social or environmental significance to Canada. More than 100 species are already selected for sequencing through the CanSeq150 program. The CanSeq150 program has provided a platform for biologists, ecologists, population geneticists and other scientists who have in-depth knowledge and expertise in species of interest to work with genomic scientists to generate valuable data that can help advance research in important biological and conservation related areas. The addition of this Canadian arm of the Earth BioGenome project will lead to tangible benefits to Canada in wildlife conservation, recovery and monitoring. “Genome BC recognizes the urgent need to develop and address international systems to monitor and protect our rapidly changing environment,” says Dr. Federica di Palma, Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President, Sectors. “Applications of this data are real-time, and it builds on our strengths in genome sequencing in this province.” Initially the project will identify approximately 400 species that would benefit from a fully sequenced genome. The species will be selected based on existing and established priorities of Indigenous peoples, federal and provincial organizations, academic scientists and other conservation and wildlife groups. Through a case study approach, the team will also work with partners to establish priorities for genomics tools development, policy recommendations for the use of genomics to maintain biodiversity and support conservation and management, and a user-friendly geospatial platform of genomics data and information from the project. The data generated will also be freely available to scientists in Canada and worldwide. This project was funded through Genome Canada’s 2020 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomic Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment.... Read more...CGEn’s Response to COVID-19May 10, 2020CGEn’s Response to COVID Over the last few months CGEn through its nodes in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver have joined the fight against COVID-19 by leveraging our best resources – our people, expertise and infrastructure. As many research laboratories, companies and government agencies are laser focused on finding ways to stop the spread of COVID-19, CGEn is doing its part both collectively and individually. Here is a brief summary of CGEn’s ongoing response to COVID-19: CGEn will lead Canada’s COVID-19 host genome sequencing initiative as part of Genome Canada’s newly launched Canadian COVID Genomics Network (CanCOGeN). An investment of $20 million from the federal government will enable this initiative which includes sequencing 10,000 Canadians affected by COVID-19.CGEn is working with strategic partners to develop databases and tools to store and share COVID-19 related genomic data to researchers and public health agencies globallyCGEn-Montreal is leading the set up and management of the province wide COVID-19 biobankCGEn-Toronto, through strategic partnerships with the McLaughlin Centre at University of Toronto, is assisting investigators access COVID-19 research funding to conduct critical studiesCGEn-Vancouver is assisting the province of British Columbia Centre for Disease Control by developing and implementing automated high throughput viral nucleic acid extraction and investigating alternate sustainable reagent sources. They are also conducting naso-pharyngeal metagenome analysis for the presence of microbial species that may influence disease trajectoryAll three CGEn nodes have made safeguarding of staff a priority with strict social distancing measures in place, and non-essential staff working from homeCGEn Toronto and CGEn-Vancouver continue to support important non COVID related research especially in cancer and paediatric developmentCGEn is supporting scientists across the country to apply for the many newly launched COVID-19 related grant funding programs.... Read more...COG-UK PartnershipMay 4, 2020The COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium and the Canadian COVID Genomics Network (CanCOGeN) launch new partnership COG-UK and CanCOGeN are working together to share knowledge and protocols News announcement: 4 May 2020 The COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium is collaborating with the newly formed Canadian COVID Genomics Network (CanCOGeN) as it launches a national sequencing network to monitor the pandemic’s development. By sharing knowledge, lessons learned and protocols , the initiatives will each support national efforts to coordinate the work of healthcare, public, private and academic organisations to sequence and analyse the spread and evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and how it affects patients. The partnership will also allow both groups to share insights and discoveries to drive understanding of the pandemic as it changes over time. For further details, click here.... Read more...NR-April-23-2020April 23, 2020CGEn joins Canada’s fight against COVID-19 with the launch of Canada’s COVID-19 Host Genome Sequencing Initiative CGEn will receive $20 million in Federal funding to sequence the genomes of thousands of Canadians, in order to better understand the variable clinical response to COVID-19. April 23, 2020 – OTTAWA, Ontario – Following an announcement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Federal Government is committing $40 million to support Genome Canada’s launch of the newly formed Canadian COVID Genomics Network (CanCOGeN). This investment includes $20 million in funding to CGEn, Canada’s national facility for genome sequencing and analysis, to lead a nation-wide Host Genome Sequencing Initiative with the aim to sequence genomes of 10,000 Canadians affected by COVID-19. As the national and global data on the infection and disease burden evolve, the risk factors for severe illness are still being established. Older patients and those with chronic medical conditions appear to have higher risk, although disease severity varies among individuals with similar levels of exposure. This implies an important role played by the human host genome in response to the virus. “This investment will allow CGEn to harness the power of our Canadian genomics infrastructure to explore the genetic architecture of the human genome”. said Dr. Naveed Aziz, Chief Administrative & Chief Scientific Officer at CGEn. “Canada’s COVID-19 Host Genome Sequencing Initiative promises to generate new knowledge and provide much-needed data to support diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of this devastating pandemic, and those that will surely follow”. CGEn’s team of renowned researchers from across Canada will work together to decode the genomes of thousands of Canadians across the country, who have been infected with the virus causing COVID-19, or are still at risk of infection. CGEn will develop and bring access to an information-rich, national database which will serve as a resource to catalyze national and international research to help determine why people experience vastly different health outcomes. “The emergence of COVID-19 at the footsteps of SARS and MERS highlights a significant issue – that there will be similar outbreaks of severe infectious disease in the future. This investment from the Government of Canada addresses the current COVID-19 outbreak, prepares Canada for a possible re-emergence, and lays the foundation to handle future pandemics”, says Dr. Stephen Scherer, CGEn Principal Investigator and Professor of Genome Sciences at the Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto. Canada’s COVID-19 Host Genome Sequencing Initiative will be led by CGEn, a national platform for genome sequencing and analysis, developed to be response-ready to large-scale Canadian scientific challenges. CGEn has already developed regional, national, and international linkages to ensure that this project will have maximal impact for the health of Canadians. “CGEn brings to the CanCOGeN partnership table the ability to undertake host genome sequencing on an unprecedented scale. Understanding the disease burden – why in some cases people get very sick and others do not – is essential in helping us identify individuals at highest risk and take proactive measures to protect them and the frontline workers treating them. These measures could include more targeted, patient-specific therapies as well as better public health policies in preparation for secondary waves or future pandemics,” said Dr. Rob Annan, President and CEO, Genome Canada. “CGEn scientists were the first to sequence the SARS genome in 2003 and determine it to be a coronavirus. This funding will further Canada’s salient contributions to our understanding of the genetic interactions and genomics of coronavirus infection” said Dr. Steven Jones, Principal Investigator CGEn-Vancouver node and Co-Director & Head, Bioinformatics, Genome Sciences Centre, while Mark Lathrop, Principal Investigator CGEn-Montreal node and Professor, Human Genetics, McGill University added “This initiative highlights the importance of the government’s investments in national research infrastructures such as CGEn which are necessary to assure that Canada can respond to globally important challenges including health dangers such as COVID-19”. About CGEn CGEn, funded primarily by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and Genome Canada, and leveraging investments from other stakeholders, is a genome sequencing and analysis network operating as an integrated national platform with nodes in Toronto (The Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children), Montréal, (McGill Genome Centre at McGill University) and Vancouver (Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre). CGEn’s mission is to enable Canadian science in basic and clinical research through the characterization of genome sequences, the promotion of genome research in Canada, and by building and operating an unprecedented infrastructure that enhances our national capacity for sequencing and informatics analysis.... Read more...
