What role does Genome British Columbia play in the wider landscape of life sciences?
Genome British Columbia is an independent not-for-profit organization focused on harnessing the power of genomics to improve the lives of British Columbians through the responsible development, adoption and deployment of genomics tools. We are a champion for genomics research and using genomics to solve some tough challenges facing humanity.
Our purpose is to support genomic research and promote collaborations that foster a thriving life sciences ecosystem in British Columbia that leads to better healthcare outcomes and supports the sustainable development of the natural resources sector. In this context, we are an intermediary, bringing together the brightest minds from academia to solve challenges facing industry and government.
How can genomics be defined in broad terms and what role does Genome BC play in the field?
Genomics provides a blueprint for life. The field of genomics can be simply defined as the study of biology at a molecular level. This science has evolved tremendously in the last two and a half decades.
The human genome was originally sequenced for just under $3 billion. Today, sequencing a human genome costs less than $1,000. This affordability opens up opportunities to apply genomics innovations and tools to solve problems.
Two decades ago, Genome BC placed a strong focus on discovery research, but as the field of genomics has matured, we are now at a point in some industries – like healthcare and agriculture – where genomic tools can be put into practice and are a solution to specific challenges. As an organization, our role now, ultimately, is to create the conditions in British Columbia that feed a thriving, growing life sciences ecosystem through the application of genomics. We do this by identifying and tackling key challenges and fostering collaboration between industry, government and academia, and by funding applied research with private and public partners in various areas of the economy.
We can now provide incredible things like precision medicine, tailoring healthcare to each person. As we make this vision of precision medicine a reality, we also have a responsibility to ensure equitable access for everyone. For example, one of our projects works with Indigenous leaders and Canada's first Indigenous female surgeon in the North of British Columbia to ensure that we are creating a genetic library that includes underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous people, in research that is driving the future of medicine. So when a member of our Indigenous community needs care, the relevant data is available and they have equitable access to care.
Beyond healthcare, we are also tackling environmental issues in the fields of forestry, mining, agriculture and fisheries. There are amazing advances happening here.
Mining is a critical industry for British Columbia and water quality is really important to the mining sector. Genome BC co-invested with industry in a project to examine a mystery about why there were high concentrations of copper at the top of a creek, but significantly lower concentrations of the mineral downstream – less than would be expected from a dilution effect. We found that there were communities of microbes that can naturally sequester copper from the environment. That is really important to know because if you understand what natural microbial processes are happening in the environment, then you can harness that natural capacity to improve water quality and protect the environment.
Because of the breadth of our portfolio in both health and non-health projects, we are able to leverage the cross-sector industry projects and bring solutions to many challenges facing our industries.
What is the thought process behind selecting which projects to fund when there are so many opportunities on the market?
We have a business-minded focus on applying rigor and diligence around our investment decisions. We put together three-year plans that consider the needs and challenges of industry, of government and the capabilities for research here in British Columbia and we look to see where we can have the most impact given the existing priorities. Then, guided by those parameters and with input from the end-users, we design suitable programs. We also work with our provincial stakeholders to compete for funding available at the national level to support Canada’s genomic strategy. Our strength really comes from always being as nimble as possible.
With the field of genomics changing rapidly, how is Genome BC adapting to meet new demands and opportunities?
As genomics technology is making its way to become ubiquitous in the environment, and the rate of adoption increases, the role of Genome BC is not just to fund the research, but to break down the barriers for the rapid, responsible adoption and deployment of these technologies across industries. This takes us into a very different space where we also see a need to provide genomics education. For example, to nurse practitioners so they can understand and access the genomic tools available to them in treating their patients. In the case of industries that can benefit from genomics but may not yet be aware of the potential for genomic solutions, do we sit down with industry leaders and explain how these technologies can help them solve the challenges they are facing? This is the space we are going into and it is very exciting.
One final consideration that is very important is a concept the World Health Organization calls ‘One Health’, which examines the nexus of human health, animal health and the environment. With COVID, we saw how a virus circulating among can spill over to humans causing serious illness. Genome BC is focused on this topic to better understand the interaction between these areas to enhance the protection of human, animal and environmental health and mitigate future pandemics. We’re working on challenges such as using genomic tools like environmental DNA to benchmark climate change impacts across species and biodiversity.
