TORONTO, ON. Ontario Genomics and CANSSI Ontario announce three recipients of $300,000 total in Postdoctoral Fellowships to support research that deepens our understanding of genomic epidemiology and statistical genetics at a CANSSI Ontario member university or any of their affiliated research institutes.

The Ontario Genomics-CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship in Genome Data Science program, originally conceived as a single fellowship in 2021, has since evolved into three awards.

The Fellowship offers two-year salary support for up to $50,000 per year. We are delighted to congratulate the inaugural recipients of this Fellowship:

Project: Quantifying the clonality and dynamics of the within-host HIV-1 latent reservoir
Dr. Roux-Cil Ferreira, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University
Supervisors: Drs. Art Poon and Jessica Prodger

Dr. Roux-Cil Ferreira is a Postdoctoral Associate in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Western University, where she works under the supervision of Drs. Art Poon and Jessica Prodger. Roux-Cil’s research interest is in the statistical analysis of viral genomic data. Her research and writing have mainly focused on the analysis of HIV-1 data. She is currently working on analyzing the latent HIV-1 viral reservoir that represents a key barrier to a HIV cure.

Project: Mapping inter-chromosomal interactions across human cell types to decode 3D genome architecture
Dr. Daniella Lato, Genetics and Genome Biology program, The Hospital for Sick Children
Supervisors: Drs. Philipp Maas and Michael Wilson

Dr. Daniella Lato attended McMaster University in Hamilton, where she received her Ph.D. in Bioinformatics (2021). Working with Dr. Brian Golding during her Ph.D., Dr. Lato explored the impact of genome re-organization on bacterial genome evolution. Currently, Dr. Lato is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Daniella’s current project will assist in illuminating the genomic role inter-chromosomal interactions play in molecular functions.

Project: Genomic surveillance of antifungal-resistant Candida in south-Central Ontario
Dr. Nicholas Waglechner, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Healh
Supervisors: Drs. Allison McGeer and Leah Cowen

Dr. Waglechner is currently based at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute | Sinai Health in Toronto. He was awarded a Canadian Institute of Health Research scholarship to continue as a Ph.D. student where he predicted and identified a novel member in this family, Corbomycin, having a new mechanism of action targeting bacterial cell wall recycling. In 2020 he began postdoctoral work at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto with Dr. Robyn Lee and continued his postdoctoral work at the Toronto Invasive Bacterial Disease Network (TIBDN) at Mount Sinai Hospital with Dr. Allison McGeer.

Drs. Ferreira, Lato, and Waglechner are profiled, along with information about their background, research, and proposed research projects, in these news releases about the awards: Ferreira | Lato | Waglechner

Ontario Genomics is proud to be a partner with CANSSI Ontario to help build research capacity in data science and genomics in Ontario.

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About Ontario Genomics
Established in 2000, Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit organization leading the application of genomics-based solutions to drive economic growth, improved quality of life, and global leadership for Ontario. As part of its strategic vision, Ontario Genomics (OG) is dedicated to supporting the development of educational resources that demonstrate how genomics plays a vital role to address key challenges in our society. Ontario Genomics also plays a role in advancing genomics projects and programs across the province by supporting the development of proposals, helping researchers access diverse funding sources, and finding the right industry partners to take this research out of the lab to apply it to the world’s most pressing challenges. Since its inception, Ontario Genomics has raised more than $1.27 billion for genomics applied research in Ontario and directly supported more than 9,100 trainees and jobs. OG supports 110+ active projects, 500+ impactful partnerships and has secured $1.34 billion in follow-on investments.

About CANSSI Ontario
CANSSI Ontario is the Ontario Regional Centre of the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (CANSSI). Its goal is to strengthen and enhance research and training in data science by developing programs that promote interdisciplinary research and enable multidisciplinary collaborations.

‘An Exploration of Genomics in Agriculture and Food’, A Teacher’s Guide for Grades 7-12, is a new free resource for Ontario Teachers, made possible through a partnership between, Ontario Genomics, AgScape, the Agricultural Adaptation Council, and Genome Canada.

(Ontario) February 16, 2022 – Ontario Genomics, in partnership with AgScape, the Agricultural Adaptation Council and Genome Canada, announce the launch of a new Genomics in Agriculture and Food-themed Teacher’s Guide. We are excited to bring the fast-paced and innovative world of food and agriculture into Ontario classrooms through ‘An Exploration of Genomics in Agriculture and Food’, a Teacher’s Guide for grades 7-12.

“We are fortunate to forge this unique and powerful partnership with AgScape and the Agricultural Adaptation Council to bring impactful, real-world scientific advancements into classrooms across Ontario,” said Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics. “It is exciting to be creating resources together to help the next generation learn about how genomics and biology can improve animal welfare, promote food security and mitigate climate change.”

The team at Ontario Genomics supported AgScape in its mission to translate the complex topic of genomics into lessons that resonate with both students and teachers. This new Teacher\’s Guide brings genomics into the classroom with a wide variety of lessons and engaging in-class activities, developed by Ontario certified teachers & food literacy experts at AgScape.

“Through our partnership with AgScape and Ontario Genomics, we are excited to be providing students with resources that highlight real-world examples and factual information related to the incredible genomics research taking place in the agri-food sector,” said Melanie DiReto, Executive Director of the Agricultural Adaptation Council. “We hope to educate and inspire students on the importance of genomics research to the agri-food sector and the variety of related career paths they can explore.”

In celebration of Canadian Agricultural Literacy Month educators can request their free copy of this Teacher’s Guide, along with an entire digital package of resources to help build knowledge and awareness of food and agriculture with students at CALM.AgScape.ca.

Taylor Selig, AgScape\’s Executive Director said: “The release of this Teacher\’s Guide and lesson plans marks an exciting expansion of the scope of resources we\’re creating for Ontario teachers. That expansion is made possible through collaborating with Ontario Genomics, Genome Canada, and the Agricultural Adaptation Council to produce a resource that combines a deep dive into an innovative science topic with learning the practical application of that science on Ontario\’s Food & Agriculture sector.”

Ontario Genomics understands that provincial educators are in search of factual, curriculum-linked classroom resources about food literacy and agriculture. Students have never been more curious about understanding the science behind modern food production. Genomics, a field of science that encompasses all of a living thing’s genes and the interaction between those genes and the environment, is a topic at the very heart of modern food & agriculture innovation.

In partnership with Farm and Food Care Ontario, the Agricultural Adaptation Council, and Genome Canada, Ontario Genomics produced five educational videos highlighting cutting-edge technology and research across Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sectors. This series features a 360-degree, virtual reality tour of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Dairy Research Centre in Elora showcasing a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to supporting Ontario’s dairy industry and providing customer benefit.

Dr. Christine Baes, a dairy cow researcher at the University of Guelph who participated in the project said, “Genomics, which is the study of DNA, plays a key role in scientific discovery and technology innovation. As we’ve seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it can also help address some of our most pressing challenges. In this video series, we explore how genomics is being used to ensure Ontario and Canada have a secure food system for generations to come, while protecting our environment and constantly improving animal welfare.”

The additional four videos feature interviews with researchers from the University of Guelph and Trent University and industry partners on topics including:

• Genomics 101
• Food Security
• Climate Change
• Animal Welfare

These resources were created with funding from the Agricultural Adaptation Council and Ontario Genomics, through Genome Canada, as part of the Ontario Regional Priorities Partnership Program (ON-RP3). Learn more about eight Ontario-focused, industry-academic partnership projects that are positively impacting Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sectors.

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About Ontario Genomics
Established in 2000, Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit organization leading the application of genomics-based solutions to drive economic growth, improved quality of life, and global leadership for Ontario. As part of its strategic vision, Ontario Genomics is dedicated to supporting the development of educational resources that demonstrate how genomics plays a vital role to address key challenges in our society. Ontario Genomics also plays a role in advancing genomics projects and programs across the province by supporting the development of proposals, helping researchers access diverse funding sources, and finding the right industry partners to take this research out of the lab to apply it to the world’s most pressing challenges. Since its inception, Ontario Genomics has raised more than $1.27 billion for genomics applied research in Ontario and directly supported more than 9,100 trainees and jobs. OG supports 110+ active projects, 500+ impactful partnerships and has secured $1.34 billion in follow-on investments.
For more information about OG, visit www.OntarioGenomics.ca

About AgScape
AgScape brings the fast-paced and innovative world of agriculture and food to educators and students across Ontario. Our programs expand students’ understanding of the modern food system to help them make informed decisions about the foods they eat, the choices they make, and the breadth of career opportunities that are available to them.
AgScape has been a trusted partner and bridge between the Food & Agriculture industry and Ontario’s education system for more than 30 years. We continue to evolve and expand our programs to ignite and nurture the curiosity of students, educators, and communities across Ontario.
For more information about AgScape, visit www.AgScape.ca

About the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC)
The Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) are Ontario’s agriculture and food program delivery experts. As a not-for-profit organization, AAC represents Ontario’s agriculture and food industry with almost 60 agriculture, food, and rural organizations comprising our membership and board of directors. This unique industry collaboration gives the AAC an in-depth understanding of needs from across the entire value chain and the ability to help facilitate effective program design, development, and delivery between industry, government, and other partners to achieve optimal outcomes from agriculture and food programs
To learn more about AAC, please visit www.AdaptCouncil.org

About Genome Canada
Genome Canada is a not-for-profit organization, funded by the Government of Canada. We act as a catalyst for developing and applying genomics and genomic-based technologies to create economic and social benefits for Canadians. We connect ideas and people across public and private sectors to find new uses for genomics; invest in large-scale science and technology to fuel innovation; and translate discoveries into solutions across key sectors of national importance, including health, agriculture and agri-food, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, the environment, energy and mining.
To learn more about Genome Canada, please visit www.GenomeCanada.ca

Government of Ontario commits $7.5M to support impactful and ground-breaking genomics research and technologies

(Toronto) January 14, 2022 – Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, Jill Dunlop, announced an investment of $7.5M over three years for Ontario Genomics to support existing innovation and commercialization capacity, grow our skilled workforce, and position Ontario as a global leader in genomics, engineering biology and biotechnology. This funding commitment was part of an investment of over $240 million over three years to help advance research at Ontario Genomics and four other leading research institutes across the province: Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Clinical Trials Ontario, The Fields Institute and Compute Ontario.

“Our government is supporting research and innovation that leads to discoveries that make a real impact on people\’s lives,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “This investment will ensure that these five leading research institutes have access to state-of-the-art technology, talent and equipment and can continue their ground-breaking work propelling Ontario to a leadership position in advanced science, technology and innovation.”

This investment will allow Ontario Genomics to continue in its mission to lead the application of genomics-based solutions across key sectors of the economy to drive economic growth, improved quality of life and global leadership for Ontario.

“This support for Ontario Genomics is critical to continue to accelerate ground-breaking technology development and research in Ontario\’s life sciences and biotech communities,” said Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics. By supporting genomics work across many economy sectors, Ontario can create jobs, maintain competitiveness, and work to solve the world\’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, food insecurity, as well as acute and chronic diseases, including COVID-19.”

Read more about today\’s announcement from the Government of Ontario.

Canadians interested in learning more about how their food is produced have more opportunities available to them now at www.FarmFood360.ca.

(Guelph) January 10, 2022 – Ontario Genomics, the Agricultural Adaptation Council and Genome Canada have partnered with Farm and Food Care Ontario to produce five educational videos highlighting cutting-edge technology and research across Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sectors. This series features a 360-degree, virtual reality tour of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Dairy Research Centre in Elora, showcasing a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to supporting Ontario’s dairy industry and providing customer benefit.

Dr. Christine Baes, a dairy cow researcher at the University of Guelph who participated in the project said, “Genomics, which is the study of DNA, plays a key role in scientific discovery and technology innovation. As we’ve seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it can also help address some of our most pressing challenges. In this video series, we explore how genomics is being used to ensure Ontario and Canada have a secure food system for generations to come, while protecting our environment and constantly improving animal welfare.”

The additional four videos feature interviews with researchers from the University of Guelph and Trent University and industry partners on topics including:

• Genomics 101
• Food Security
• Climate Change
• Animal Welfare

These resources were created with funding from the Agricultural Adaptation Council and Ontario Genomics, through Genome Canada, as part of the Ontario Regional Priorities Partnership Program (ON-RP3). Learn more about eight Ontario-focused, industry-academic partnership projects that are positively impacting Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sectors.

North Bay, Belleville and Toronto, Ontario, December 15, 2021 – Unifying genomics-based applied research, education and training across the province, Loyalist College and Canadore College have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ontario Genomics to drive economic growth, improve quality of life and provide leadership to support key sectors in the province.

Students will benefit as new and enhanced work-integrated learning opportunities and genomics-based solutions will be applied to real-world business challenges. The three partners will work together to spur industry-led applied research opportunities in genomics-related fields for the purposes of advancing local/regional economies and advancing the overall global competitiveness of the participating industry partners. The overall goal of this partnership is to advance the bio-economy across the province of Ontario.

Loyalist College brings programming in advanced biotechnology and applied research capacity for key industry sectors to access facilities and expertise to advance innovative products and processes. The experience of Canadore College and its commitment to enhance applied genomics research through their state-of-the-art laboratory facilities will increase productivity and catalyze new product development. Together, with the resources and province-wide network of Ontario Genomics, businesses in the province will benefit from the opportunity to accelerate the development of their products or services through genomics-related lab to market advancements.

Quotes:

“This collaboration with Loyalist College and Ontario Genomics supports Canadore’s firm direction for our applied research initiatives. It will enhance our students’ learning opportunities and lead to creative solutions for real-world challenges. We are a solution-focused institution, and our specializations in biotechnology and functional genomics will open the door to cross-training opportunities for students and employees, as well as opportunities to collaborate on applied research. We are pleased to be collaborating with these two institutions on this important work.” – George Burton, President and CEO, Canadore College.

“Our partnership with Canadore College, a leading Canadian college in the field of genomics, and with Ontario Genomics and its network, aligns perfectly with Loyalist College’s Bio Economy & Agritech cluster of programs and applied research. The synergies we create across the natural products and medical cannabis sectors and related industries will benefit regional employers and contribute directly to the economy. By sharing expertise, knowledge and research data, we’ll collectively provide students with invaluable work experience, while allowing them to contribute directly to innovative projects.” – Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, President and CEO, Loyalist College.

“Now more than ever, we understand the power of genomics to unleash innovations across industries, drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for people in Ontario, Canada and the world. Genomics and engineering biology provides an opportunity to reimagine global food systems and sustainably feed the world in times of crisis and beyond. We are thrilled to be working with two strong colleges devoted to using genomics to advance Ontario’s bio-economy to provide a competitive advantage for Ontario companies.” – Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO, Ontario Genomics.