Genome British Columbia

Genome BC is a not-for-profit organization supporting world-class genomics research and innovation to grow globally competitive life sciences sectors and deliver sustainable benefits for British Columbia, Canada, and beyond. The organization’s initiatives are improving the lives of British Columbians by advancing health care in addition to addressing environmental and natural resource challenges. In addition to scientific programming, Genome BC works to integrate genomics into society by supporting responsible research and innovation and fostering an understanding and appreciation of the life sciences among educators, students and the public. Genome BC invests in research that aligns with the needs of areas of strategic importance to British Columbia such as health, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, agrifood, energy, mining and environment. By working collaboratively with government, academia and industry, Genome BC’s goal is to translate the excellent research carried out in universities into applications that will ultimately generate social and economic benefits for BC and Canada. Genome BC’s co-funding approach to research investment follows neither a government-only “granting council” model, nor an industry-only “portfolio management” approach. It is a unique approach that relies on collaborative research agreements and commitments to milestones and outputs, a model perhaps best described as “contract” research. It is important to note that discovery science is an engine that drives future developments in genomics, and Genome BC funds research across the research continuum from discovery through application through translation.