Generating solutions

The sequencing platform at Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (GSC) at the BC Cancer Agency has been delivering large-scale DNA sequencing data efficiently and reliably since 2001, as part of Genome Canada’s first technology programs. Since that time, it has continuously and rigorously evaluated new advances in technology and implemented the most effective of these to continue to meet the demands of life sciences researchers across Canada.

The GSC currently has the capacity to generate 600 Terabases (each Terabase being an amount of data equivalent to 1012 base pairs of DNA) of DNA sequences each year, as well as the expertise and capacity to manage and disseminate the data to its collaborators. It performs primarily whole genome, transcriptome, and targeted amplicon sequencing and provides additional services in epigenomics, immunogenomics and metagenomics. The Centre also maintains a clinical cancer-sequencing pipeline accredited by the College of American Pathologists, enabling the rapid translation of research outcomes into timely and cost-effective applications in healthcare. In addition to health-related research, the GSC engages broadly in the life sciences more generally to support research in agriculture, environment, fisheries, forestry and the petroleum and mining sectors.

The GSC is well positioned to play an important role in future large-scale genomics projects that require rigorous experimental design and high-integrity data.