Events

MaRS Centre, Toronto

Co-sponsored by the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)

Dr. Paul Hebert addresses the workshop.

OGI partnered with the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) at the University of Guelph and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) to host this focused, one-day workshop, which brought together 30 invited participants to discuss the creation of an integrated DNA barcoding device to enable rapid, accurate, and inexpensive on-site identification of any species.  International leaders in genomics and technology development as well as potential end users of a barcoding device took part, including representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency as well as research institutions and technology companies from Canada and the US.

The event opened with remarks from the Honourable John Wilkinson, Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation.  The workshop featured presentations from barcoding experts Dr. Paul Hebert and Dr. Mehrdad Hajibabaei (both from BIO), international technology developers Dr. Mostafa Ronaghi (Illumina, California) and Dr. Stevan Jovanovich (Microchip Biotechnologies, California), and speakers with examples of applications of DNA barcoding including Dr. Ismahane Elouafi (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) and Dr. Paul Piunno (Safeguard Biosystems, Toronto).  A focal point of the workshop was the breakout session which featured parallel discussions about: i) technology development of an integrated DNA barcoding device; and, ii) potential end-users’ needs for such a device.

The event culminated with a moderated discussion of strategic next steps for technology development and for further engaging the potential end-user community, towards the goal of development and commercialization of an integrated device.  In addition, linkages among academic researchers, industry partners and the end-user community were made during the workshop that will be valuable in moving the project forward.

Presentation slides from the event are posted here.

Click here for the workshop agenda.