CANADA (CU)_ A prominent globally recognized research facility at the University of Guelph, The Centre for Biodiversity Genomics recently received a grant of $8.9 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
The Centre for Biodiversity Genomics is recognized for its use of DNA-based identification systems to discover, catalogue and monitor the diversity of multicellular life worldwide. The use of DNA-based identification is essential for medicine, environmental science, forensics and has proven to be invaluable in recent times particularly with the emergence of zoonotic diseases and the relatively large number of species facing extinction, historical research with DNA-based identification could give better insights and also identify possible factors that led to the extinction of certain species.
The funding is from of a $628-million investment announced by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry., The funding is set to benefit the continuing operation and maintenance of research facilities of significance. A combination of 19 research centers at 14 institutions across the country received funding, which will also support the 120 researchers of the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics.
Dr. Paul Hebert, CBG director and professor in the Department of Integrative Biology in the College of Biological Science stated that they can provide curious people, from schoolchildren to scientists, the opportunity to be informed of species living around them and to know the consequences human activities have on those lives.
DNA barcodes used for most of the center’s activities, was innovated and produced by University of Guelph researchers led by Hebert. The technology was innovated back in 2003 and since then DNA barcodes have been used in databases gathering data on unique identification sequences.
DNA-based identification has also expanded into improvement of pest and disease control. The center also provides DNA sequencing and informatics support to research partners worldwide.
It also hosts three collections crucial to the international research community: seven million specimens, an image library of these specimens and the world’s largest DNA archive for biodiversity. Dr. Paul Hebert further added that gathering and arranging DNA barcode records from sites across the planet, the center is setting the foundation for a global biosurveillance system that can monitor changes in how species are distributed across time and space.
