Real World Outcomes
Scroll to learn how Genome Atlantic is leading Biotech innovation in Atlantic Canada
More resilient commercial spruce trees
By supporting the adoption of genomics-enhanced breeding programs, we helped regional producers achieve more resilient, faster-growing spruce trees while increasing production by as much as 10%.
Now we’re scaling up that proven technology in a partnership with government and industry in three provinces to speed up breeding programs for more resilient, premium quality black and red spruce.
Improving Christmas tree yield
Only 10% of naturally-bred Christmas trees yield premium-grade trees. But genomics-bred SMART Christmas tree seedlings are expected to yield 80-90% premium-grade trees for Nova Scotia Christmas tree growers.
Controlling sea lice, supporting a new industry
Cleaner fish like lumpfish and cunner are a natural way to control sea lice in farmed Atlantic salmon. Our work developing selective broodstock programs and new vaccines is supporting the emerging cleaner fish industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Better tools for environmental monitoring
We are working with regional private and public sector partners to test the efficacy of new genomic tools like environmental DNA (eDNA) for more accurate monitoring of biodiversity around industrial developments, planned tidal power developments, aquaculture farms, and offshore oil and gas platforms.
Breeding better oysters
Our partnership with a New Brunswick oyster breeder is developing a strain of Eastern Canadian oyster that will grow 20% faster than wild-caught spat and increase the company’s production by 60%.
De-risking offshore natural gas exploration
In partnership with the Nova Scotia government and private sector partners, we are developing quicker, cheaper tools, based on genomics, to provide environmental data critical to offshore energy exploration and clean energy development.
Preventing fatal heart disease
One of our projects led to a genetic discovery and screening test for a fatal heart diseases prevalent in Newfoundland and Labrador with the result that hundreds of high-risk patients have been screened and more than 200 fitted with potentially life-saving defibrillators.
Climate-proofing Blue Mussels
Our work with P.E.I.’s blue mussel producers and government aims to double the province’s blue mussel production within 10 years while helping bolster the industry against climate change stressor.
Faster-growing, higher-yield salmon
By identifying fast-growing fish, we enabled a regional aquaculture company to achieve a 5% increase in annual production with a significant forecasted boost in sales.
Real World Outcomes
Scroll to learn how Genome Atlantic is leading Biotech innovation in Atlantic Canada
More resilient commercial spruce trees
By supporting the adoption of genomics-enhanced breeding programs, we helped regional producers achieve more resilient, faster-growing spruce trees while increasing production by as much as 10%.
Now we’re scaling up that proven technology in a partnership with government and industry in three provinces to speed up breeding programs for more resilient, premium quality black and red spruce.
Improving Christmas tree yield
Only 10% of naturally-bred Christmas trees yield premium-grade trees. But genomics-bred SMART Christmas tree seedlings are expected to yield 80-90% premium-grade trees for Nova Scotia Christmas tree growers.
Controlling sea lice, supporting a new industry
Cleaner fish like lumpfish and cunner are a natural way to control sea lice in farmed Atlantic salmon. Our work developing selective broodstock programs and new vaccines is supporting the emerging cleaner fish industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Better tools for environmental monitoring
We are working with regional private and public sector partners to test the efficacy of new genomic tools like environmental DNA (eDNA) for more accurate monitoring of biodiversity around industrial developments, planned tidal power developments, aquaculture farms, and offshore oil and gas platforms.
Breeding better oysters
Our partnership with a New Brunswick oyster breeder is developing a strain of Eastern Canadian oyster that will grow 20% faster than wild-caught spat and increase the company’s production by 60%.
De-risking offshore natural gas exploration
In partnership with the Nova Scotia government and private sector partners, we are developing quicker, cheaper tools, based on genomics, to provide environmental data critical to offshore energy exploration and clean energy development.
Preventing fatal heart disease
One of our projects led to a genetic discovery and screening test for a fatal heart diseases prevalent in Newfoundland and Labrador with the result that hundreds of high-risk patients have been screened and more than 200 fitted with potentially life-saving defibrillators.
Climate-proofing Blue Mussels
Our work with P.E.I.’s blue mussel producers and government aims to double the province’s blue mussel production within 10 years while helping bolster the industry against climate change stressor.
Faster-growing, higher-yield salmon
By identifying fast-growing fish, we enabled a regional aquaculture company to achieve a 5% increase in annual production with a significant forecasted boost in sales.
Genome Atlantic supports key areas of importance for Atlantic Canada: growing our economy, building a sustainable future, mitigating climate change impacts, and improving health outcomes. Our focus on these priority areas is creating meaningful results and impact for our private and public sector clients and for our region.
Recent News and Updates
Areas of Impact
Genome Atlantic supports key areas of importance for Atlantic Canada: growing our economy, building a sustainable future, mitigating climate change impacts, and improving health outcomes. Our focus on these priority areas is creating meaningful results and impact for our private and public sector clients and for our region.
Growing our Economy
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Building a Sustainable Future
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Mitigating Climate Change Impacts
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Promoting Health Outcomes
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Growing Our Economy
Since 2000, Genome Atlantic has worked in partnership with private and public sector partners across Atlantic Canada to generate more than $155 million in applied R&D. Our efforts are driving innovations in forestry, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, energy, the environment, health, mining, and the bioeconomy.
We are improving farm-grown salmon, breeding more resilient commercial spruce trees, mapping the ocean floor to de-risk natural gas exploration, identifying genes to help crops ward off diseases, and boosting blue mussel and oyster production. Genome Atlantic projects deliver tangible economic impact in industries critical to Atlantic Canada, improving production and efficiency and creating new products to compete in the current and future bio-based economy.
Building a Sustainable Future
Genomic applications hold tremendous promise for our bio-based economy and for sustainable development.
Genomics is at the forefront of tree improvement tools used by foresters and Christmas tree growers to create faster-growing, more resilient trees. Genomic technologies are leading the way to an environmentally sustainable East Coast salmon farming industry and securing the future of our oyster and blue mussel industries against the threat of warming ocean temperatures. Genomic tools and data are being use to map our offshore to support green energy targets, and to provide real-time data about endangered and at-risk species. And genomics-enabled bioscience is revolutionizing the production of food systems without synthetic chemicals.
Mitigating Climate Change Impacts
Genomics is a clean technology that is being applied to many climate change challenges – from reducing carbon emissions and helping our resource industries become more sustainable, to providing more cost-effective solutions to environmental problems.
Genome Atlantic is bringing genomics problem-solving capabilities to wide ranging areas of Atlantic Canada’s economy. We are applying genomics tools to reduce the time required to breed more resilient crops and hardier commercial tree species, and to help aquaculture operations ward off diseases posed by warming ocean temperatures. We are testing the efficacy of DNA-based environmental monitoring tools around tidal power generators and offshore oil rigs. And we are exploring biotechnology applications to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon capture.
Promoting Health Outcomes
Genomics plays a vital role in moving us from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to health care to ‘personalized medicine’ where prevention, care and treatment are informed by our personal genome.
Genome Atlantic works with health authorities and researchers to apply more targeted and precise approaches to a range of health diseases prevalent in our region. Our research team’s discovery of the gene responsible for the “Newfoundland Curse’ has resulted in a simple screening test for this often-fatal heart disease. We are supporting research aimed at speedier and more effective treatments for bipolar disorder, and faster and more cost-effective diagnosis of hard-to-diagnose rare diseases in children. Genome Atlantic research has also played a major role in Covid surveillance in Atlantic Canada.
Growing Our Economy
Since 2000, Genome Atlantic has worked in partnership with private and public sector partners across Atlantic Canada to generate more than $155 million in applied R&D. Our efforts are driving innovations in forestry, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, energy, the environment, health, mining, and the bioeconomy.
We are improving farm-grown salmon, breeding more resilient commercial spruce trees, mapping the ocean floor to de-risk natural gas exploration, identifying genes to help crops ward off diseases, and boosting blue mussel and oyster production. Genome Atlantic projects deliver tangible economic impact in industries critical to Atlantic Canada, improving production and efficiency and creating new products to compete in the current and future bio-based economy.
Building a Sustainable Future
Genomic applications hold tremendous promise for our bio-based economy and for sustainable development.
Genomics is at the forefront of tree improvement tools used by foresters and Christmas tree growers to create faster-growing, more resilient trees. Genomic technologies are leading the way to an environmentally sustainable East Coast salmon farming industry and securing the future of our oyster and blue mussel industries against the threat of warming ocean temperatures. Genomic tools and data are being use to map our offshore to support green energy targets, and to provide real-time data about endangered and at-risk species. And genomics-enabled bioscience is revolutionizing the production of food systems without synthetic chemicals.
Mitigating Climate Change Impacts
Genomics is a clean technology that is being applied to many climate change challenges – from reducing carbon emissions and helping our resource industries become more sustainable, to providing more cost-effective solutions to environmental problems.
Genome Atlantic is bringing genomics problem-solving capabilities to wide ranging areas of Atlantic Canada’s economy. We are applying genomics tools to reduce the time required to breed more resilient crops and hardier commercial tree species, and to help aquaculture operations ward off diseases posed by warming ocean temperatures. We are testing the efficacy of DNA-based environmental monitoring tools around tidal power generators and offshore oil rigs. And we are exploring biotechnology applications to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon capture.
Promoting Health Outcomes
Genomics plays a vital role in moving us from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to health care to ‘personalized medicine’ where prevention, care and treatment are informed by our personal genome.
Genome Atlantic works with health authorities and researchers to apply more targeted and precise approaches to a range of health diseases prevalent in our region. Our research team’s discovery of the gene responsible for the “Newfoundland Curse’ has resulted in a simple screening test for this often-fatal heart disease. We are supporting research aimed at speedier and more effective treatments for bipolar disorder, and faster and more cost-effective diagnosis of hard-to-diagnose rare diseases in children. Genome Atlantic research has also played a major role in Covid surveillance in Atlantic Canada.
Interprovincial Focus: Individual Provincial Updates
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What Our Clients Say?
These genomic applications will result in increased growth and other quality traits in the seedlings we plant, which are, in turn, intended to grow our wood supply for our sawmills and pulp mills. That means more jobs and economic development throughout the supply chain from the forests to the consumer.
Josh Sherrill
Genetics and Forest Productivity Leader, J.D. Irving
Partners
Featured Videos
Breeding better trees with genomics – FastTRAC II (Short)
Climate change threatens Canada’s forestry industry. A $6.2 million partnership involving three provinces aims to develop a breeding program for climate-resilient commercial spruce.
Sélection de meilleurs arbres avec la génomique – FastTRAC II
Les changements climatiques menacent l’industrie forestière canadienne. Un partenariat de 6,2 millions de dollars impliquant trois provinces vise à développer un programme de sélection d’épinettes commerciales résistantes au climat.
Breeding better trees with genomics – FastTRAC II
Climate change threatens Canada’s forestry industry. A $6.2 million partnership involving three provinces aims to develop a breeding program for climate-resilient commercial spruce.
Digging deep into potato wart
Dr. Xander Wang, UPEI, is on a mission to find the genes that make potatoes more resistant to potato wart and more resilient to climate change.
Le réchauffement de la temperature de la mer menace l’industrie de l’aquaculture de Canada atlantique
Un project de recherche de 4,4 million de dollars vise à protéger le saumon atlantique d’élevage des effets changement climatique.
Tackling the impact of climate change on salmon aquaculture
Warming sea temperatures threaten Atlantic Canada’s salmon aquaculture industry, and a $4.4 million research project aims to help.
