This following article was originally published by Re$earch Money. Policy and decision makers face a growing challenge: keeping up with the ever-increasing complexity and rapid pace of development in cutting-edge technologies. The speed of innovation, combined with so many variables and often competing priorities, makes it difficult to plan for the future. Facilitating the development of new tools, and the uptake of existing ones, often requires a variety of policies. It can be a cumbersome and complicated process fraught with risks and uncertainty. The field of genomics, the study of the ..read more

Highlights Current surveillance methods in British Columbia’s (BC) marine waters detect fecal contamination in shellfish harvesting areas but fail to identify its source or type, which may lead to prolonged closures of shellfish harvesting areas The GEMSTONE project, led by UBC and BCCDC researchers, aims to improve pollution monitoring by developing genomic methods to pinpoint contamination sources By empowering communities with precision testing and early-warning systems, GEMSTONE seeks to safeguard public health and the viability of BC’s shellfish industry against costly outbreaks   ..read more

Genome BC is delighted to announce the hiring of Wes Peterson as Vice President, Corporate Development. With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, Wes brings a wealth of experience in finance, research, management and strategic leadership to our organization. Wes Peterson, Genome BC’s New Vice President, Corporate Development Wes joins us from the BC Beverage Technology Access Centre, where he served as General Manager for the last five years.  Wes helped launch and lead the Centre to support applied research, development and innovation for the Canadian beverage sector. Prio ..read more

Genome British Columbia is pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Zicherman to our Board of Directors   Steven Zicherman, Director and Equity Analyst at Odlum Brown Limited, has been appointed to Genome BC’s Board of Directors. Steven Zicherman is an Equity Analyst at Odlum Brown Limited. He has over 20 years of experience providing analytical coverage for various market sectors, including information technology and health care. Mr. Zicherman has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Statistics from the University of Western Ontario, an MBA from Dalhousie University and is a Chartered Fin ..read more

In 2009, Time Magazine predicted that Biobanks would be among the top ten technologies to change the world. But what exactly are they?  What are Biobanks and Why do they Matter?     As Time Magazine put it, a biobank is like an “organic bank account” that collects and stores biological samples, such as tissue and blood, as well as health data, lifestyle information and medication details – creating a genomic database. The collected biomaterial and health data are like a bank deposit. Researchers then use biobanks to access samples, collect data and conduct studies generating a t ..read more

New therapies have dramatically improved survival rates among children with pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (pAML)—a cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. But in cases where the cancer returns, doctors, children and their families are faced with a new set of challenges. “We have effective treatments for children battling AML, but for some, although the cancer shrinks and the patient may go into remission, the cancer can unfortunately return,” says Dr. Marco Marra, professor of medical genetics at UBC’s faculty of medicine and a member of the Michael Smith Laborator ..read more

A new initiative, dubbed SAFEGUARD, aims to transform monitoring for viruses and other pathogens in British Columbia, offering early and enhanced surveillance to better prepare the province and Canada for future public health challenges. Traditionally, monitoring infections has relied on testing people who are sick, a method that is not only expensive but also only captures data from people who seek medical care. Recognizing the need to expand surveillance, public health organizations are turning to wastewater surveillance as an unbiased approach to help understand the impact of disease on a w ..read more

Have you ever wondered if there’s a secret to extending your lifespan, beyond the usual advice of eating your greens, staying active and reducing stress? Scientists have recently made an intriguing discovery – by controlling what they call “jumping genes,” we might be able to extend our lifespan.  These “jumping genes,” more scientifically known as transposable elements (TEs), are segments of our DNA that literally “jump” from one position to another along a chromosome. While not always detrimental, they can sometimes disrupt functional areas of our DNA by introducing genetic mutations an ..read more

The Don Rix Distinguished Keynote Address is right around the corner, and this year promises to be an extraordinary journey into the heart of exploration, anthropology and genomics. At the helm of this captivating event is a name synonymous with adventure, discovery and the unraveling of human stories.  Meet Wade Davis  Wade Davis is a writer, photographer, ethnographer and filmmaker whose work has taken him from the depths of the Amazon rainforest to the icy expanse of the Arctic. A recipient of the Samuel Johnson prize for best non-fiction writing, Davis holds degrees in anthropolo ..read more

The Mining Microbiome Analytics Platform is finding tiny solutions to some of our biggest environmental challenges *The following is an excerpt of an article originally published by Illumina. To read the full article, please visit Illumina.com.   Selenium, element 34 on the periodic table, is essential for animal cell function—in small amounts. But just like oxygen and water, a high-enough concentration of selenium can become toxic. Selenium occurs naturally in coal deposits and sulfide ores, like brassy chalcopyrite and crystalline sphalerite, which are important resources for copper and ..read more