Canada’s Genomics Enterprise launches “CanSeq150” to lay the foundation for Canada’s next 150 years of science

To commemorate the 150th Birthday of Canada in 2017 and to lay the foundation of Canadian excellence in research for the next 150 years, Canada’s Genomics Enterprise (CGEn) and its partners are embarking upon the Canada 150 Sequencing Project (CanSeq150). The aim is to sequence 150 new genomes to support sequence-based genomics research in Canada by enabling future research in biodiversity and conservation, applications in breeding and biomedicine, as well as technology development, across Canada.

The genomes to be sequenced will be chosen by allowing the research community to nominate and present a case for their species of choice, in a rapid peer-reviewed, competitive process. The results of the competitive review will be made public after the completion of the selection process, along with some genomes proposed by CGEn scientists and collaborators. The genome sequences generated will be made available to researchers worldwide through CGEn’s website and/or other public data repository.

Leadership at CGEn believes that, in this era of genome sequencing, ultimately, as many of Earth’s species and individuals as possible, should be sequenced. The CanSeq150 Project is designed to play its part as CGEn’s contribution towards achieving this common global goal, while enhancing and showcasing Canada’s capabilities in genomic science.

The CanSeq150 initiative has been made possible by investments by institutional partners including the Hospital for Sick children, McGill university, BC Cancer, University of British Columbia and funding partners including Illumina, PacBio, The Centre for Applied Genomics and University of Toronto Mclaughlin centre.

About CGEn

CGEn, funded primarily by the Canada Foundation of Innovation (CFI) and leveraging investments from Genome Canada and other stakeholders, is a nationwide genome sequencing and analysis network with sites in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. CGEn’s mission is to enable Canadian science in basic and clinical research through the characterization of genome sequences, the promotion of this era of genome science research in Canada, and by building and operating an unprecedented infrastructure that enhances our national capacity for sequencing and informatics analysis.

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