Lorne Genome: O Canada! Can we copy your example?

Canada was one of the first countries to hop on the genomics bandwagon after the human genome project was completed. Since 2001, the Canadian federal government has invested C$386 million into Genome Canada, an independently operated organisation with the role of coordinating and funding genomics and proteomics research across Canada.

Genome Canada has set up five genome research centres across the country -- Genome British Columbia, Genome Prairie, the Ontario Genomics Institute, Genome Quebec and Genome Atlantic -- which help to coordinate and manage large-scale research projects in key areas including agriculture, environment, fisheries, forestry, health and new technology development, as well as projects examining ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social issues relating to genomic research. Each centre offers a variety of platforms and technologies, and each has specific areas of focus and expertise.

One of Genome Canada's key roles is to raise additional funding, a task at which it has been supremely successful. With a mandate from the government to raise at least matching funds, the organisation has raised C$469 million from a variety of sources, including the provincial governments, industry groups and foreign governments and research organisations.

With this funding, Genome Canada has funded 79 projects to date, chosen through three competitive selection rounds accessible to academic, government and industry researchers alike. Among them have been high-profile international projects, including the sequencing of the bovine genome as part of an international consortium including the US, Australia and New Zealand, the first tree (poplar) genome in collaboration with Sweden and the US, a wine grapevine genome project being run in collaboration with the Spanish genome initiative Genoma Espana, and participation in the global Haplotype Map project and the Structural Genomics Consortium. Other important genome efforts include the SARS virus genome, which was initiated in response to the Canadian outbreak, and an Atlantic salmon genome project.

"These are all large projects, with many scientists and many platforms," says Genome Canada's president and CEO Martin Godbout. "Over 75 projects have collaborations with foreign partners, and 70 biotechnology companies collaborate directly in projects and platforms."

Projects, which are typically funded for three to four years with a budget of C$7-8 million, go through a rigorous process of evaluation before funding is granted, with attention paid both to the budget and proposed management of the program (Genome Canada funds the appointment of a dedicated project manager for each successful project) and to the science, which is evaluated by a panel of experts from all over the world. Tight control is kept over the projects to ensure that milestones are met, including a mid-term review, and Genome Canada has been known to pull funding from underperforming projects. "It was a big change in culture at the beginning," Godbout says.

By all measures, the first four years of the initiative have been successful. More than 2000 scientists are now funded by Genome Canada, and according to the 2003/04 annual report, more than 460 papers have been published as a result of the research efforts. Intellectual property generated from the research to date includes some 73 inventions, declarations on file and patent applications.

The initiative has also resulted in the formation of seven spin-out companies to date, although Godbout says it's early days yet. "I personally thinks it's too early -- there are only four years of projects -- to see the real effect on spin-off biotech companies," he says. "I would say we'll see more in the next two years."

The next test for the organisation will be to see if the Canadian government funds it for a second five-year period. So far, that looks likely. "We'll know in February or March how much money the government will invest -- I would be surprised if it is less money than they have provided already," Godbout says. "They are apparently very satisfied with the progress, so we think it looks good."

Genome Canada is also active in public education, with a travelling exhibition on genomics currently touring the country and a suitcase exhibition used in secondary education available to teachers and schools. "We explain the pros and cons of the technology and its implications, and leave it to the public to decide its opinions," Godbout says. The approach seems to be working. A survey showed the number of people in favour of genomics research dramatically rose from less than 15 per cent when Genome Canada opened its doors to m